Papua New Guinea
country in Oceania
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World Factbook
CIA reference data · 4 sections
Geography
Location
Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
Climate
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Natural resources
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
People & Society
Languages
Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 839 living indigenous languages are spoken (about 12% of the world's total)
Religions
Protestant 64.3% (Evangelical Lutheran 18.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.9%, Pentecostal 10.4%, United Church 10.3%, Evangelical Alliance 5.9%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.8%, Salvation Army 0.4%), Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 5.3%, non-Christian 1.4%, unspecified 3.1% (2011 est.)
Government
Government type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Independence
16 September 1975 (from the Australia-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Legal system
mixed system of English common law and customary law
Economy
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$45.487 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$4,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
4.1% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
2.8% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
China 28%, Japan 25%, Australia 17%, Taiwan 8%, India 4% (2023)
Imports - partners
Australia 27%, China 24%, Singapore 15%, Malaysia 9%, Japan 4% (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook · public domain (US gov work, 17 USC §105) · fetched 2026-05-06
Summary
Papua New Guinea is a Commonwealth realm[1]. It draws 56,598 Wikipedia views per month (commonwealth realm category, ranking #3 of 24).[2]
Key Facts
- Ethnic group: Melanesians[3], Papuan people[4], Negrito[5], Micronesians[6], Polynesians[7]
- Country: Papua New Guinea[8]
- Head of government: James Marape[9]
- Continent: Insular Oceania[10], Oceania[11]
- Instance of: island country[12], country[13], sovereign state[14], archipelagic state[15], constitutional monarchy[16]
- Head of state: Charles III[17]
- Capital: Port Moresby[18]
- Official language: English[19], Tok Pisin[20], Hiri Motu[21], Papua New Guinean Sign Language[22]
- Currency: kina[23]
- Shares border with: Indonesia[24], Australia[25], Federated States of Micronesia[26], Solomon Islands[27]
- Top-level Internet domain: .pg[28]
- Anthem: O Arise, All You Sons[29]
- Contains the administrative territorial entity: Central Province[30], Chimbu Province[31], Eastern Highlands Province[32], East New Britain Province[33], East Sepik Province[34], Enga Province[35], Gulf Province[36], Madang Province[37], Manus Province[38], Milne Bay Province[39], Morobe Province[40], New Ireland Province[41], Oro Province[42], Autonomous Region of Bougainville[43]
- Follows: Territory of Papua and New Guinea[44]
- Flag: flag of Papua New Guinea[45]
- Twinned administrative body: Toyota[46]
- Legislative body: National Parliament of Papua New Guinea[47]
- Executive body: National Executive Council of Papua New Guinea[48]
- Coat of arms: Emblem of Papua New Guinea[49]
- Part of: Oceania[50], Melanesia[51]
- Commons category: Papua New Guinea[52]
Why It Matters
Papua New Guinea has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[53] It is known by 77 alternative names across languages and contexts.[54]