The Independent State of Papua New Guinea is situated primarily on the eastern half of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world. The country includes a cluster of islands off of its northeast coast, including the islands of Bougainville, Manus, New Britain, New Ireland, the Trobriands, and several other smaller islands and islets. The western half of the island is under Indonesian control.
The first people to arrive in Papua New Guinea were descendants of people who migrated from Africa, and they were among the first waves of human migration, as early as 50,000 years ago. There is evidence of agriculture in the highlands from around 7000 BC. The earliest inhabitants of the island were joined by a migration of people who came from Southeast Asia around 500 BC, which is evidenced by the introduction of pottery and domesticated pigs.
The first European to come to the island was a Portuguese ship that came ashore on the western part of the island, now under Indonesian control. A few years later, Ortiz Retes, a Spanish explorer, named the island New Guinea, thinking that the islanders resembled those on the Guinea coast of Africa. These early Europeans probably introduced the sweet potato to the island, which quickly became a staple. The list of Europeans who came to the island also includes Bougainville, Dampier, Schouten and, of course, Cook, who charted the coastline and major rivers of New Guinea. However, it wasn't until 1939 that the interior of New Guinea was charted, and there are areas where no white man has ever stood even today and tribes who have had no contact with white men.
Although ships made contact with parts of the island along the shore from time to time, not much was know of New Guinea until the 1800s. In 1828, the Dutch annexed the western half of the island, and England took control of the part not claimed by the Netherlands, which is the part now known as Papua New Guinea. Then Germany stepped in and took over the northeast part of the island.
When World War I began, the Germans surrendered to the Australians and, at the end of the War, the League of Nations gave England control of the former German colony, placing all of what is now Papua New Guinea under the British-Australian flag, although it was administered by Australia. The southern part was called Papua, and the northern part was called New Guinea.
Then World War II began. Japanese troops landed on New Britain Island, then moved south to the main island. They were halted in their attempt to capture the island by Australian and American troops and were pushed back to New Britain Island, where they remained until the end of the war.
The nation achieved its independence from Australia in 1975 but maintains close relations with Australia, which is its largest donor of aid. That same year, a revolt on Bougainville Island resulted in a modification of Papua New Guinea's constitution to give Bougainville and the other eighteen districts a degree of self-governance. Another uprising on Bougainville went on from 1988 to 1997, claiming 20,000 lives. As the chief mining area, Bougainville had generated 40% of the country's budget, and the people of Bougainville believed that they were bearing the environmental costs, poisoning its land, water, and air, without gaining an equitable share of the profits. The resolution for the second revolt was to make Bougainville an autonomous district.
Native Papuans have never been one united people. They are made up of hundreds of tribes, and the people of one valley often speak a different language than those in another. Papua New Guinea has more languages than any other country. English is the language of government, but it is not widely spoken. Relationships between tribes are also not always harmonious. Conflicts are also common among the nation's native people and more recent immigrants. Several Chinese have lived and worked in Papua New Guinea, and established majority Chinese communities on the island. In recent years, anti-Chinese rioting has taken place between ethnic Chinese and Papuan workers, and there has also been resentment against Chinese business owners, although the Chinese have long been merchants on the island. Before Papua New Guinea achieved independence, there were far more foreigners there than there are now. Now, foreign workers are employed on a short-term basis and rarely put down roots.
Most citizens of Papua New Guinea identify as Christians, although it is common to combine Christianity with traditional religious practices. Traditional religions are animist in nature and are probably more prevalent than census statistics indicate. Among non-Christians, the Bahai faith is strong, and the number of Muslims in the country is growing.
A significant portion of the population of Papua New Guinea is illiterate, particularly among its female population.
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Recommended Resources
The national airline of Papua New Guinea is based in Air Niugini House at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby, from which it operates a domestic network from Port Moresby and Lae, as well as offering services in Asia, Oceania, and Australia. Destinations, arrivals, departures, and flight planning and booking services are featured, along with its cargo services and special offers.
http://www.airniugini.com.pg/
The eco-lodge is situated on Mount Hagen in Papua, New Guinea. With access only by air, the lodge features forty individual guest accommodations, including single and twin options. Several photographs of the facilities, the grounds, and the surrounding area are featured, along with a profile of the lodge, with information about its features, a list of amenities, and contacts.
http://babs.com.au/ambua/
Established in 1960, the agency was the first in Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. Its history, and an overview of its services, such as property valuations, are put forth. Featured properties are highlighted, and other available properties may be filtered by price range, property type, sale type, and other variables. Rental properties may also be available, along with general tenders and auctions.
http://www.arthurstrachan.com.pg/
Established under the Central Banking Act in 1973, the Bank of New Guinea is a corporate entity that was created to ensure that its monetary and banking policies are to the advantage of the people of Papua New Guinea. Prior to this, the Bank was a branch of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Information about its monetary policies, the financial stability of PNG, its payments system, and financial markets are featured.
https://www.bankpng.gov.pg/
Providing schedule liner shipping services in Papua New Guinea since 1978, the company operates a fleet of multipurpose vessels, connecting seventeen ports in Papua New Guinea. A company profile is put forth, along with its ports of call and an overview of its fleet, as well as its terms and conditions, safety and environmental policies and concerns, and community programs. Career opportunities are posted.
http://www.consort.com.pg/
The Coral Sea Hotels Group operates a chain of hotels in Papua New Guinea, including the Grand Papua Hotel, the Gateway Hotel, and the Ela Beach Hotel, each in Port Moresby, the Melanesian Hotel and Huon Gulf Apartments in Lae, the Highlander Hotel in Mount Hagen, and the Bird of Paradise Hotel in Goroka, each of which are highlighted here, along with its restaurants, special offers and events, and online bookings.
http://www.coralseahotels.com.pg/
National Statistics Office, Papua New Guinea
Established by the Statistic Services Act in 1981, the NSO is the central statistical authority of Papua New Guinea, responsible for the development and arrangements of statistical information. Its divisions are defined, along with its office hours and contacts. Other resources include census data, demographic health survey statistics, and a household and income expenditure survey.
http://nso.gov.pg/
Offering Scuba diving, research and survey charters, spear fishing, and custom cruises, the boat is small enough to go to several destinations that larger vessels cannot go to, and the skipper has several years of experience operating in all areas of Papua New Guinea. Its diving adventures may include the viewing of wrecks, and reefs, as well as wildlife, snorkeling, and spearfishing. Special offers, private charters, and dive maps are available.
http://www.niuginidiving.com/
Papua New Guinea Business Directory
Headquartered in Port Moresby, the directory categorizes Papua New Guinea resources by topic, including arts and entertainment, automotive and transportation, beauty and fashion, boats, building and construction, business and finance, eating and drinking, education, and others, offering descriptions, addresses, product and service information, and web addresses. Articles, a calendar of events, and advertising opportunities are included.
http://www.papuanewguineabusinessdirectory.com/
Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee
The PNG Olympic Committee develops Papua New Guinea athletes, preparing them for participation in major international competitions. Photos and reports on PNG athletes from 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 are presented, and Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee sponsors and partners are acknowledged. The location of its compound is shown on a map, and contacts are posted to the site.
http://www.pngolympic.org/
The Niugini Voice offers a variety of information and news about Papua New Guinea, including island news and business reports, international news, reports on corruption, and on mining issues, PNG undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, as well as opportunities studying abroad. The governmental structure of Papua New Guinea is set forth, and a travel guide for visitors is included.
http://www.pngfacts.com/
The independent real estate company is a member of the Real Estate Industry Association. Operating in Port Moresby for more than forty years, the company offers property management services, residential, commercial, and industrial sales, rent collection services, and property appraisals and assessments. Available properties may be viewed online, and its office location, office hours, and contacts are posted.
http://www.sre.com.pg/
Located near Kavieng, New Ireland, this Papua New Guinea eco-resort offers several unique guest accommodations, including treehouse rooms and bungalows. The rooms and facilities are shown, and photos and information about rainforest walks, cultural activities, expedition diving are included. Rates, a list of amenities, special offers, and online booking are featured.
http://www.treehouse.com.pg/
US Embassy in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu
Headquartered in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the embassy serves PNG as well as the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Its location and hours are posted, along with an overview of its visa services, US citizenship services, and a list of education and culture services, news, programs, and events. Information on doing business in Papua New Guinea and in the United States are offered.
https://pg.usembassy.gov/