Independence Year : 1975
Population : 4807000
Life Expectancy : 63.1
Capital : 2884
GNP : 4988.00
GNP Old : 6328.00
Local Name : Papua New Guinea/Papua Niugini
Government Form : Constitutional Monarchy
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.
Terrain : Mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills.
Climate : Tropical. NW monsoon, Dec-Mar. SE monsoon, May-Oct
Ethnic Group : Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions : Christians 66%, indigenous beliefs 34%
Official Website :
www.pm.gov.pg
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General Information - Papua New Guinea
Background
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997, after claiming some 20 000 lives.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)
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