Oceania. Mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills. 462,840 km2 (slightly > CA) .49% arable.
Capital Port Moresby (250,000)
Population 5.9M (12.8/km2)
Life expectancy 66 years
HIV/AIDS 0.6%
Literacy 57%
Lang(s) Melanesian Pidgin, 820 indigenous languages, English (1-2%)
Religions Roman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 20%, United Church 12%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 9%, Evangelican Alliance 5%, Anglican 3%, Baptist 3%,other Protestant 9%, Bahai .3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3%
Ethnic Groups Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Gov’t Constitutional parliamentary democracy
GDP/cap $2,300
PCVs 1981 – 2001; Total to Date 701
Nat’l holiday Independence Day – 16 September (1975)
Focus word for 2010 - “Justice”
Melanesian PidginMotu
Books
The Last Men: Journey Among the Tribes of New Guineaby Jago Corazza
Book Description
There are still hundreds of unknown populations in Papua New Guinea remained untouched by civilization, many of which are dying out. A glimpse into the lives of the people of this untamed Eden.
Offer’s a glimpse into the relatively unknown tribes – some which are dying out - of this untamed Eden.
Kids' Books
Warriors,wigmen and the crocodile people: journeys into Papua New Guineaby Margolies, Barbara A.
New York : Four Winds Press ; Toronto : Maxwell Macmillan Canada ; New York : Maxwell Macmillan International, c1993.
40 p. : col. ill., col. map ; 26 cm.
Margolies' photographs are the draw in this oversize volume in which she introduces two communities in Papua New Guinea. Ages 5 to 9.
Music
Bonsavi: Rain ForestMusic from Papua New Guinea
Various Artists
Smithsonian Folkways
Films
Papa Bilong Chimbu (documentary, Verena Thomas)Recipes
Banana CakeSweet Potato Crisps
Curried Fish
