Indigenous people of new guinea. Papua New Guinea culture

The total population is about 5.6 million people.

The ethnic composition of the country's population is very variegated. The indigenous people of Papua New Guinea are divided into four regional, cultural and political groups - Papua, or as they are not quite rightly called in our country - Papuans (inhabiting the southern regions); mountain peoples (northern part of New Guinea); islanders (for the most part - representatives of the Melanesian peoples) and immigrants from other countries. The total share of the Papua people reaches, according to official estimates, 84% of the country's population, and the total number of different tribes of this ethnic group is estimated at several hundred! Melanesian peoples (about 15.5%) are partly part of the indigenous people of New Guinea and form part of the Papua tribes, partly represented by immigrants from the nearby islands of Oceania, as well as islanders of the Bismarck archipelago and the Solomon Islands. In addition, Polynesians and Micronesians live in the country, as well as about 43 thousand people from Europe, Australia and countries South-East Asia.

The distribution of the population across the islands is also heterogeneous - more than half live in the area of ​​Port Moresby and Rabaul, while the isolated interior regions of all islands are extremely sparsely inhabited.

Political condition

Independent State of Papua New Guinea(Independent State of Papua New Guinea or Papuaniugini) is a constitutional parliamentary democratic republic as part of the British Commonwealth.

The head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, represented by a Governor General, elected by Parliament after legislative elections. The head of government is the prime minister. Cabinet of Ministers (Council of National executive committee) is appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Legislative power belongs to the unicameral National Parliament, or the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 deputies are independently elected, another 20 - one from each administrative region of the country, the term of office of deputies is 5 years).

Administratively, the country is divided into 20 counties (including the special National Capital District of Port Moresby, NCD).

olly_ru | spring 2016

dariamontreal | summer 2010

From time immemorial, Russian and foreign sailors began to explore the islands located in the Pacific Ocean. These natural complexes are so amazing and unusual that they are considered to be isolated continents with their own culture and way of life. From school, we all remember that in Oceania, after Greenland is Papua New Guinea.

The island is washed by several seas: New Guinea, Solomon, Coral, as well as the Gulf of Papua. Close scrutiny natural resources, Miklouho-Maclay N.N., a Russian biologist and navigator, who made a significant contribution to geography, history and science, was engaged in the local culture and indigenous population. Thanks to this man, the world learned about the existence of the wild jungle and distinctive tribes.

True, tours to the island in Oceania are not in great demand, while they remain a rarity. But travelers who have visited the local jungle, untouched by civilization, recall their vacation with rapture and delight. Rich vegetation, exotic fauna, amazing landscapes, a variety of languages, customs and cultures leave an indelible impression on your memory. Our publication is dedicated to this state.

Geographical description of the island of New Guinea

The tropical island is located in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, connecting two parts of the world: Asia and Australia. Since 1975 it has been an independent state, also part of the British Commonwealth and is a member of the UN. Its capital is Port Moresby. The origin of the island of New Guinea is mainland. Almost the entire territory is covered with massive hills and rocky ridges.

Most of them are of volcanic origin, rising 3000 meters above sea level. According to scientific data, the most high mountain is considered to be Wilhelm, which reaches 4509 meters. Between the hills, there are wide basins filled with water, densely planted with tropical trees.

Several rivers flow on the island: Ramu, Sepik, Markham, Purari, Fly. Scientists engaged in the geological study of the island claim that the continent has a high seismic activity. The last eruption was recorded in the last century, during which thousands of people suffered, as well as huge damage to agriculture.

Island of New Guinea: population

Life on tropical islands originated thousands of years ago, no one can name the exact date. The last census took place in 1900, at that time the number was about 10 million people. The indigenous inhabitants are the Papuans belonging to the equatorial race. In addition to the Melanesians, as this nation is also called, Asians and even Europeans live.

Lack of civilization, jobs, as well as unfavorable living conditions and the presence of a high crime situation force the aborigines to migrate from the "mainland" of New Guinea. The island lives by its own customs and laws. Papuans create clans, tribes, elect elders, without whom important tasks and decisions are not made.

The main occupation of the population is Agriculture... Wild tribes plow the land, plant palms with bananas, coconuts, and pineapples. Fishing and hunting are no less popular. Some Aboriginal people mine precious metals and then sell them on the black market.

Climatic conditions

The huge masses of water and the small size of the land have influenced the climate in general. In the north, there is a humid equatorial climate characterized by abundant rainfall and slight winds. Summer temperature regime ranges from +30 ... + 32 ° С, slightly decreases at night.

The southern part of the mainland is ruled by the subequatorial climatic zone. During the winter months (January-February) strong winds prevail on the island of Papua New Guinea. The island, or rather the southeast (May-August) and the central part, are heavily flooded with tropical rains.

The rest of the coastal area (lowland) suffers drought until late autumn. In areas with high mountains and ridges, little precipitation falls, since the hills serve as a protective barrier against cold air masses and rains.

Economic situation

The relief of the ridges prevents the construction of highways and connecting paths. Until now, there is no ground communication with large New Guinea. The island has only air links with the Pacific regions. To maintain and develop the economy, the state in Oceania regularly receives financial support from Australia.

However, the infrastructure remains at an antediluvian level. The main reason is the lack of compliance with the law on the part of local residents. Crime and civil strife are raging in rural areas. In order to protect their property from robbery and devastation, residents create communities.

The main activity of the population is agriculture. Thus, market relations are established between tribes and regions. Sweet potatoes and tea are cultivated in the mountainous regions; vegetables, bananas, yams, taro are cultivated in the lowlands. They grow various cereals, fruit, coffee and chocolate trees. Livestock breeding is practiced. Papua New Guinea is abundant in mineral resources. The mining industry is actively developing.

Flora

The territory of the island of New Guinea is covered with evergreen savannas. In the jungle, valuable plant species and relict trees grow: sago and coconut palms, melons and mangoes, rubber plants, ficuses, bamboos, pandanuses, casuarins. The forests include pines and ferns. And on the marshland, mangrove plantations grow. On the banks of the rivers, you can see thickets of sugar cane.

Fauna

The animal world is rich and varied. Alligators, dangerous and poisonous snakes, lizards and chameleons are found in local rivers. The fauna is represented by amazing insects, exotic birds and reptiles. Birds of paradise, cassowaries, large parrots live on the mainland. Large turtles crawl along the coast. In the forests there are marsupial badgers, kangaroos, and couscous. Local residents breed animals familiar to our region: pigs, cows, horses, goats and other livestock.

Tourist focus

Avid travelers know where the island of New Guinea is, and therefore tend to get here in the summer months to see the colorful and diverse world of the jungle. In warm weather, enchanting festivals with national aboriginal dances are organized here. Many are attracted by sightseeing vacation v wild jungle with local guide, others - acquaintance with the sights of nearby resorts.

Things to do?

When purchasing a tour to Papua New Guinea, be sure to go diving. Every hotel and inn offers similar services. The waters of the Pacific Ocean are an unusually colorful world, teeming with coral reefs, amazing sea creatures, and large predators. Sunken ships and planes can be seen at the bottom of the ocean.

Surfing and windsurfing are also popular. The best beaches for this extreme activity are the coasts of the resorts Vevak, Madang, Vanimo, Alotau. It is allowed to fish in the coastal waters, which is what the guests of the island do. They manage to catch mackerel, giant carax, dogtooth tuna, barracuda, salmon, perch and many other trophies. Rafting, canoeing, kayaking, boat trips are in great demand.

Papua New Guinea is a natural wonder of the world, concealing many mysteries and enticing with its resources. If you are not afraid of tropical mosquito bites and aggressive behavior of the Papuans, then feel free to purchase a tour to the picturesque island.

The indigenous population of Guinea will be the PAPUAS.

The Papuans are engaged in agriculture, as well as gathering - almost like ancient people, they also go hunting.

And yet the Papuans for many today are wild tribe.

The main indigenous population of the state of Papua New Guinea is called the Papuans (required seven letters). This state is located in Oceania. The area of ​​the territory is 462 840 square kilometers, the population is 7 275 300 people.

Papuans are the indigenous people of New Guinea.

This name comes from the name of the state of Papua New Guinea, which occupies the eastern half of the island.

The word papua comes from the Malay papuwa which means curly. The natives of New Guinea look just like that - dark-skinned and curly.

The indigenous inhabitants of the island of New Guinea are PAPUAS.

The main occupation of these inhabitants of the island is agriculture. They mainly grow coconuts, bananas, yams, taro. They are also engaged in pig breeding and hunting.

In fact, if you do not immediately spank the obvious name of the inhabitants, but climb a little and read about them, then the indigenous people were and are called the Papua. Two letters СЫ already has grown; to the name of the aborigines. And there should have been five letters. But the modern interpretation dictates to call them all the same PAPUAS, although, they say, they (natives) are offended by this-)

PAPUAS, apparently. Or GUINEAN, but it's somehow quite simple ...

New Guinea is very big Island, it is the second largest in the world. Due to its peculiar relief with an abundance of isolated valleys and dense tropical vegetation, it is inhabited by a lot of nationalities and tribes. How many of them do not know exactly until now, there are up to 800 languages. And they call them all PAPUAS.

Papuans live in Papua and New Guinea, who were engaged not only in agriculture and hunting, but also, until very recently, in cannibalism. According to some assumptions, it was they who ate the missing son of Rockefeller, who went to study the life of the Papuans.

However, to the credit of the Papuans, I must say that, according to their concepts, they do not engage in cannibalism, because in their language only the inhabitants of this particular tribe are called people, and everything outside is already the animal world.

In an amazing corner of nature for us - Fr. New Guinea - the population lives mainly in the villages and has the following racial composition:

Based on the fact that a seven-letter word is needed for the answer, we can choose both Papuans and negrito ;.

But based on the name of the country Papua New Guinea, most likely the answer is to choose Papuans.

The inhabitants of Papua New Guinea are called the Papuans. Since ancient times, they have been engaged in agriculture, as well as cattle breeding.

The correct seven letter answer is Papuans.

It will be very easy to answer this question if you remember the full name of the above-mentioned country - it is the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. All basic information about this country can be found here. The peoples inhabiting New Guinea are Papuans, Malanesians. There are still pygmies (negroids), but there are very few of them. The bulk - 78% - is Papuans- the answer to our question.



The indigenous people of New Guinea are called PAPUAS. The location of New Guinea is Oceania. Speaking of the number, it is worth noting that it is almost 8 million people. The Papuans are still mainly engaged in traditional farming. They grow a lot of healthy foods

I am starting to fulfill applications from, by the way, there are 4 more vacancies for your proposals - who missed it? And we read the proposed topic by a friend unis

Papua New Guinea is a state in Oceania, the main territory of which is located in the east of the island of New Guinea and neighboring, smaller islands (New Britain, New Ireland, etc.). It is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its seas: Arafura and Coral.

The name of the country is formed from two parts: "Papua", which is translated from Malay means "land of people with curly hair" (this is how the local residents were called Malays, whose hair is mostly straight) and "New Guinea" - because of the dark the skin color of the aborigines, which seemed to Europeans similar to the skin color of the natives of African Guinea.

Occupies the eastern half of New Guinea (this part of the country is considered the "mainland"), the Bismarck archipelago (with large islands New Britain and New Ireland), the Bougainville and Beech islands in the Solomon Islands chain, the Louisiada archipelagos, D "Antrcasto, Trobriand and a number of more small islands... The territories that are now part of the state in the past were divided into two administrative units: Papua (southeastern region of New Guinea with adjacent islands), which belonged to Australia, and eastern part New Guinea with nearby islands, which had UN Trust Territory status and was ruled by Australia.

In 1949, both parts were integrated by the Australian authorities in the so-called. administrative union. This union was named Papua New Guinea in 1971, and in 1973 it acquired internal self-government. The independence of the country was proclaimed on September 16, 1973. Papua New Guinea is a member of the United Nations and the British Commonwealth. Area 462 840 sq. km. The population is 4599.8 thousand people (1998). The capital is Port Moresby on the southeastern coast of New Guinea.

Probably the first settlers arrived in the area of ​​present-day Papua New Guinea by sea from Southeast Asia approx. 30 thousand years ago, when New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania were connected by land bridges and represented a single land mass. These people, speakers of the Papuan languages, were engaged in hunting and gathering, and much later, perhaps, began to domesticate and grow some plants. The second significant wave of population migration took place about 6 thousand years ago. The newcomers who spoke Austronesian languages ​​introduced more advanced economic and cultural traditions. In New Guinea, they began clearing tropical rainforests and draining marshes in intermontane basins in order to cultivate sweet potatoes, taro, and other crops brought from Southeast Asia. Narrowly specialized communities of potters, salt-makers, canoe builders, and stone-cutters emerged. Inhabitants coastal areas were skilled seafarers and regularly traveled in large canoes to distant islands, offering their products and jewelry there. Portuguese and Spanish merchants traveling to the East Indies knew the shores of New Guinea from the 16th century. They were followed by Dutch, French and British expeditions. The number of foreign ships entering these waters increased with the founding of the British colony in Australia at the end of the 18th century. and the development of whaling in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century. In 1847, Catholic missionaries settled on Murua Island (Woodlark), located in the Solomon Sea, and traders and travelers established contacts with many coastal tribes.

However, for a long time, Europeans could not penetrate into the interior regions of New Guinea with its rugged terrain, dense forests and vast swamps - breeding grounds for malaria. In addition, the locals had a bad reputation as cannibals. In 1872 the London Missionary Society established a mission on the islands in the Torres Strait and then on the southern coast of New Guinea. The Wesleyan Methodist Mission was established in the Duke of York Islands in 1875, and the Catholic Mission in eastern New Britain in 1882. Other Europeans who penetrated the area were guided by more earthly motives: they began to trade with the aborigines, acquiring copra and trepangs, and took up fishing for pearls and shells or rushed to find the legendary gold of the South Seas. Although Melanesians from the Solomon Islands and New Hebrides were mostly recruited to work on the plantations of Queensland, Fiji and Samoa, recruiters did not ignore the inhabitants of the coastal and inland regions of modern Papua New Guinea. Australia showed an increased interest in this territory, and in 1883 Queensland annexed the eastern part of New Guinea, allegedly acting on behalf of Great Britain.

Rainwater and underground streams combine underground to create a labyrinth of tunnels known as Ora Cave in Papua New Guinea. (Stephen Alvarez, National Geographic)

However, due to pressure from Australia and taking into account the intentions of Germany to create its own Pacific empire, Great Britain in 1884 captured the southeastern part of New Guinea with neighboring islands and created a colony there called British New Guinea. Germany annexed to her empire the northeastern part of New Guinea and the islands to the east of it; this colony was named German New Guinea. The German administration tried to establish trade with its colony, but the implementation of projects to create commercial production was hampered by malaria and difficulties associated with the pacification of local tribes and the recruitment of labor, especially in the coastal lowlands. Nevertheless, German companies began producing copra on plantations in the Bismarck archipelago. Then plantations appeared on Bougainville Island. The German colonial authorities strictly and even harshly treated the Melanesians, but at the same time tried to transfer practical knowledge to them. German Catholic and Protestant missionaries were guided by the idea that their efforts would contribute to the "enlightenment" of the aborigines.

Missionaries intensified their activities in British New Guinea, which was considered an unpromising territory. In 1888, gold was found in the Louisiada archipelago, and hundreds of Australian prospectors rushed into the interior of New Guinea. In the 1920s, rich gold-bearing placers were discovered along the Bulolo River. In 1906 British New Guinea was ceded to Australia and renamed the Territory of Papua. Governor Hubert Murray was in charge of her affairs from 1908 to 1940. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, German New Guinea was occupied by Australian forces. At the end of the war, Australia received a mandate from the League of Nations to govern the former German colony, which became the Territory of New Guinea. German plantations and trading companies also became Australian property.

The plantation economy in this mandated territory, in contrast to Papua, developed successfully until the economic crisis of the 1930s. Over the next 20 years, prospectors, missionaries and government officials flocked to the vast intermontane valleys of New Guinea. The population of coastal regions and islands, who were mainly engaged in subsistence farming, gradually began to introduce commercial crops into circulation. However, the development of commodity-money circulation was more promoted by men who were hired to work on plantations or gold mines for modest wages and food. Religious missions provided Melanesians with some education and medical assistance. Before World War II, all these changes gradually took place in the plains, but did not affect the mountainous areas.

In 1942, Japanese troops captured the northern part of New Guinea, part of the Bismarck archipelago and Bougainville Island. They occupied some areas for four years. The rest of what is now Papua New Guinea remained under Australian control. During the war, New Guinea was visited by over a million Australian and American troops. Part of the indigenous population, especially in the Sepik valley and on Bougainville, suffered greatly from military operations and bombing.

American soldiers killed in Papua New Guinea.

In some places, for example on Manus Island, large military bases were located. The inhabitants of the mountainous regions were not affected by the war. After the war, the northeastern part of New Guinea came under the control of Australia as a trust territory of the UN, and in 1949 it was united with Papua. The new administrative unit was named Papua New Guinea.

Australia tried to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country and improve the welfare of the Melanesian population. Steps were taken to strengthen centralized governance with the participation of local representatives. Particular attention was paid to the overpopulated mountain areas, contacts with which were established relatively recently. In 1953, the first road was built from the coast through the Kassam Pass to the mountains. The administration sought to improve systems health care and education, considerable work in this direction was carried out by religious missions. In 1964, general elections were held and a Legislative Assembly was formed, where the majority of the seats were occupied by Aboriginal people. New government institutions arose and the old ones were reformed.

Laws that infringed upon the rights of the Melanesians were abolished. In the same 1964, the University of Papua New Guinea was opened in Port Moresby. In the 1970s-1980s, the mining industry became the main lever of the country's economic development. In 1972, the exploitation of copper and gold deposits began on Bougainville, where the plantation economy was replaced by a more modern industry with advanced technology... Similar trends were evident in several other areas of Papua New Guinea, where new roads, cities and ports were being built. The national political party Pangu Party was founded in 1967. After the 1972 elections, she formed a coalition government headed by Michael T. Somare, vigorously seeking independence for the country. This goal was achieved on September 16, 1975.

Lagoon Madang is the largest on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The political situation in the young state was complicated by the separatist movement on the island of Bougainville. The roots of this movement go back to 1884, when Germany annexed part of the Solomon Islands to its colony of New Guinea, breaking the ethnolinguistic ties of the population of this archipelago. Separatist sentiments were in the air for many years and manifested themselves on the eve of the declaration of independence of Papua New Guinea. The creation of a provincial government in the Northern Solomon Islands in 1976 defused the situation, but did not solve the problem itself. The situation was aggravated in connection with the construction of a giant complex for the extraction of copper ore in Bougainville. The armed conflict that broke out in 1988 was initially triggered by the dissatisfaction of local landowners with the amount of compensation received from the Bougainville Copper mining company. Other claims followed, and ultimately a demand was made to grant Bougainville independence. As a result of clashes between detachments of the local population with army units and the police of Papua New Guinea, 15-20 thousand people were killed on both sides. Repeated attempts to achieve calm in the area have long been unsuccessful. Only in 1998 did the peace negotiations begin and there was hope for their successful completion.

Papua New Guinea is washed by the Arafura, Coral, Solomon and New Guinea Seas, as well as the Pacific Ocean. The country is separated from Australia by the Torres Strait, about 160 km wide. The state has a land border only with Indonesia (in the west), which is drawn along the 141st meridian and only in a small section deviates to the west along with the Fly River. Borders by sea with Australia (in the south), the Solomon Islands (in the southeast), Nauru (in the east) and The federal states Micronesia (north).

The island of New Guinea and most of the other islands in the country have mountainous terrain. The height of a significant part of the territory is more than 1000 m above sea level, and some peaks of New Guinea reach 4500 m, that is, the belt of eternal snow. Many of the mountain ranges are volcanic chains. In Papua New Guinea 18 active volcanoes... Most of them are located in the north of the country. Strong, sometimes catastrophic, earthquakes are also associated with volcanic activity.

The main ridges of the eastern part of the island of New Guinea begin in a strip of 50 km directly from the border with Indonesia (the Star Mountains, which are a continuation Snowy mountains), gradually expanding to 250 km in the central part (Central Range ridge, Bismarck ridge with the highest point in the country - Mount Wilhelm - 4509 m high, Schroeder ridge, Muller ridge and others). Further to the southeast, the mountains become narrower and lower (they pass into the Owen Stanley Ridge, with a maximum height of 4072 - Mount Victoria) and at the southeastern tip of the island they submerge under water. Some of the peaks rise above the water to form the Luizada Archipelago. The northern slopes of these mountains are steep, while the southern slopes are gentle. The southern foothill zone of the Central Range is commonly referred to as the Papua Plateau. The closer to the sea, the lower this plateau, and gradually turns into a swampy lowland.

Parallel to the central mountains, the low spurs of the Northern Coastal Mountains enter the territory of Papua New Guinea from Indonesia: partially the Bevani Mountains (up to 1960 m), the Torricelli Mountains ( highest point- Mount Sulen, 1650 m high), Prince Alexander Mountains (the highest point is Mount Turu, 1240 m high). The coastal mountains end in lowlands (valleys of the Sepik and Ramu rivers). As part of these mountains, the Adelbert Mountains (the highest point is Mount Mengam, 1718 m high), lying on the right bank of the Ramu River near the mouth, as well as the Finister and Saruvaged Mountains, located on the Huon Peninsula, with a maximum height of 4121 m (Mount Bangeta ). In addition to the main island, there are significant ridges on the islands of New Britain (Whiteman ridge, Nakani and Baining mountains, with a maximum height of 2334 m - Ulavun volcano) and New Ireland (Sheinitz and Vorron ranges, with heights of up to 2340 m).

The national cuisine of Papua New Guinea is a rather variegated mixture of culinary traditions of various peoples of Oceania and Southeast Asia. As a rule, most dishes are based on various root vegetables and such types of meat as pork and various poultry (including game).
One of the most common local dishes is mumu, which is an oven-baked stew of pork, sweet potatoes, rice and several local herbs. The first is usually served with "bugandi" - a simple soup seasoned with an egg. In coastal regions, meat dishes are usually replaced by various types of fish, which are abundantly caught in the seas washing the shores of Papua New Guinea. In most cases, rice or sorghum is a garnish for meat or fish; yams and taro cereal of a peculiar taste are also popular.

As appetizers before the main course, various salads from vegetables and those root vegetables that can be eaten raw are popular. Bread is often replaced by specially roasted breadfruit.
For dessert, a variety of fruits are offered - from bananas and mangoes to passionfruit and pineapples. Also popular is the dessert "dia" - sliced ​​bananas, sago and coconut cream. Sweet pies with various fillings are also made from sago. Sweet sugar cane stalks are especially popular in coastal areas.
You can quench your thirst in Papua New Guinea with local lemonade (muli-wara), decent local coffee, or an incredible variety of fresh fruit juices, including those made from a mixture of different fruits.
European cuisine is spread mainly in the capital of the country, Port Moresby, and in areas of the main tourist routes.

Port Moresby, the capital of New Guinea, is a city located in the southeastern part of the young island of New Guinea. In addition to being the capital of the state of Papua New Guinea, it is also the center of Port Moresby County.

In general, the population here consists of Melanesians and Papuans. Pidgin English (adapted English) is recognized as the official language. Despite this, more than 700 languages ​​are spoken here, and this is not counting the various dialects. The thing is that the tribal system is flourishing on the island, and the language directly depends on belonging to a particular tribe. In addition to the indigenous population, Europeans and Australians also live in Port Moresby.
Christianity flourishes in the city. According to statistics, 30% of the population are Catholics, 60% are Protestants. The remaining 10% consider themselves atheists or profess an animistic faith.

The city was founded back in 1873 when John Moresby arrived on the island. The Englishman liked the beautiful and quiet bay, and he named it after his own. So this untouched area became Port Moresby.

In 1884, the future capital of papua new guinea became part of New Guinea, which at that time was a colony of Great Britain. Then the colony of Papua came under the rule of Australia, and only 43 years later it merged with New Guinea. In 1964, the first elections were held, as a result of which the aborigines gained power. In the same year, the National University of Papua New Guinea was opened. In 1975, the young state became finally independent and began to actively develop. Port Moresby became the capital of Papua New Guinea.

The central part of the city, along which the port line runs, is simply called Town by the locals. Ela Beach Park is located in the southern part of the city. Architectural monuments are mainly located in the center, in the historical part. They stand out a lot among modern buildings... For example, between office buildings and the hotels will hardly notice the church of El, built in 1890.

Government buildings as well as the business area of ​​the city are located in the north. There is also a large sports center. He has been working here since 1980.
Cultural assets include the National University and the Museum of Papua New Guinea. The flag is as unusual as the capital itself: a black ship is drawn on a yellow background, symbolizing the port city. Under it, in black letters, is the name of the city - Port Moresby.

Local residents not only honor their city, but also try to develop it in every possible way, so the island has excellent service and tourist recreation.

Population- 6.1 million (estimate as of July 2010)

Population growth- 2.0% (fertility - 3.5 births per woman)

Density- 13 people / km²

Fertility- 27 per 1000 people

Mortality- 6.6 per 1000 people

Infant mortality- 44.6 per 1000 babies

Male life expectancy- 63.8 years

Life expectancy of women- 68.3 years

Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection- 1.5% (2007 estimate)

Literacy- 63% men, 51% women (2000 census)

Share of urban population — 12 %

Share of population over 65 — 3,5 %

Proportion of the population under 15 years of age — 36,9 %

Ethno-racial composition - Melanesians, Papuans, Negritos, Micronesians, Polynesians.

Languages ​​are official: Tok Pisin (the most widespread), English (1% knows), Hiri Motu (2% knows). Over 800 aboriginal languages.

Religions - Roman Catholic 27%, Lutheran 19.5%, One Church 11.5%, Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8 , 9%, Baha'is 0.3%, Aboriginal and other beliefs 3.3% (2000 census).

In Papua New Guinea, the bulk of the population still lives in villages and is engaged in subsistence farming, while market relations are beginning to take shape. Some of the agricultural products are produced for sale. The number of people employed in the mining, manufacturing and services sectors is growing. The dominant system is the slash-and-burn farming system, focused on the cultivation of tropical starchy plants, primarily tubers. Every year, new plots are cleared and cultivated, and the land allotted for fallow after harvesting is again overgrown with shrubs. In mountainous areas, the main crop is sweet potato. Yams, bananas, taro, coconut and a variety of vegetables and fruits are also grown in the lowlands. To prepare plots for farming, men cut and burn trees and shrubs during the dry season, while women are responsible for sowing, weeding and harvesting. Mixed sowing is practiced when several different crops are grown on the same plot. In mountainous areas, slope terracing is carried out to regulate runoff, reduce soil erosion on steep slopes and prolong the growing season. Many tribes, engaged in field work, perform rituals in the hope of a rich harvest. Plots are usually fenced off from pigs. These animals are looked after by women and children, although the status of a man in society is determined precisely by the number of pigs belonging to him.

Pork is eaten exclusively on holidays. It is customary to allocate land plots to community members for only one growing season, and after harvesting, return them to the ownership of the clan or clan. This traditional system of land use does not fit the cultivation of perennial trees and shrubs such as chocolate and coffee trees, coconut and oil palms, tea, which have been growing in one place for 20-50 years. After World War II, the Australian authorities stimulated the development of commodity production in the countryside, which in many areas was combined with the traditional farming system. As a result, small farms outstrip the plantation farms in production, which were in the lead in the colonial period. Currently, coconut trees are grown in the coastal lowlands of New Guinea and other islands, from the nuts of which copra is obtained, and in northern New Guinea and even on a large scale in New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville, the chocolate tree is grown.

In 1997, palm oil from New Britain ranked second in value for agricultural exports (after coffee). Coffee, the staple commodity in the mountainous regions, was introduced to the culture and became widespread in the 1950s. Another important commodity is exported from the mountainous regions - tea. All marketable tree and shrub crops are grown both on small farms and on plantations originally created with foreign investment, but gradually being taken over by local cooperatives. The production of cocoa, coffee, tea and palm oil requires equipment that is available, as a rule, only to large plantation-type enterprises. The cultivation of pyrethrum at altitudes of more than 1800 m, the production of fruits and vegetables for city bazaars, and animal husbandry are of secondary commercial importance. A special place is occupied by the culture of betel nut, which has a stimulating effect on humans and is highly valued in local markets. The country has extremely rich mineral resources, which led to the development of the mining industry, which in 1996 provided 27% of GDP, i.e. about the same as agriculture, forestry and fishing combined. Large-scale copper and gold mining began in Pangun on Bougainville Island in 1972.

Ore reserves were estimated at 800 million tons, with a copper content of 0.46% and gold - 15.83 g per 1 ton. Production was carried out by Bougainville Copper, owned by the international monopoly Conzinc Ryotinto. The huge Ok-Tedi copper deposit in the northwestern part of mountainous New Guinea is estimated at 250 million tons (in 1 ton of copper ore 0.852% and gold 0.653 g). In the late 1980s, gold mining began in Porgera near Oak Tedi, on Mishima Island near southeast coast New Guinea and Lihir Island off the coast of New Ireland. According to experts, Papua New Guinea may become the world's largest supplier of gold (pushing South Africa). Porgera has already entered the top ten exploited gold deposits in the world. Any disruption to the mining industry deeply affects the entire economy of Papua New Guinea. The closure of the Bougainville mine in 1989 erupted into armed conflict between local separatists and the central government, which could not accept the loss of an important source of income. In 1997, due to a severe drought, the surface runoff in the Fly River basin, through which the products of the Ok-Tedi and Porgera deposits are transported, sharply decreased. Oil and natural gas reserves have been discovered in Papua New Guinea.

The first project for a gas pipeline to Australia has been proposed and other projects are likely to follow. About 60% of the energy used in the country comes from charcoal, 35% from imported petroleum products and only 5% from hydropower. In recent years, foreign companies, mainly Asian, have been engaged in logging. In 1994, when world timber prices rose sharply, forest products accounted for 19% of Papua New Guinea's exports. They are almost entirely destined for the Japanese and South Korean markets, and therefore the economic crisis that gripped the Asian countries in the second half of the 1990s, led to a noticeable decrease in income for Papua New Guinea from this industry. The beauty of the nature of Papua New Guinea and the uniqueness of the cultures of the peoples inhabiting it should also be considered as a potential resource for the development of foreign tourism. Undoubtedly, this country is more promising for the development of tourism than the Cook Islands or Samoa.