INDEPENDENT STATE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA Official name: Independent State of Papua New Guinea Location: Pacific International organisations: The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Forum, The Commonwealth of Nations, The Non-Aligned Movement, The Pacific Islands Forum, The United Nations, The World Trade Organisation

Borders: Indonesia
Coastline: Coral Sea, Pacific Ocean
Land area: 462,840 Km2
Population: 5,100,000
Ethnicity: Papua New Guinea is a very ethnically diverse country, but most of its people are broadly speaking Melanesians. There are small Chinese and European minorities.
Languages: English is the official language and the language of government, business and the media. Papua New Guinea is probably the most linguistically diverse country in the world, with over 800 languages spoken. The most widely used are Enga (3%), Melpa (3%), Motu (3%), Kuman (2%), Wahgi (2%), Golin (1%), Huli (1%), Kamano (1%) and Kuana (1%). A pidgin officially called Neo-Melanesian and unofficially called Tok Pisin (Pidgin Talk) is understood by about 40% of the population and is now becoming established as a first language in some urban areas.
Religion: Christian 66% (Catholic 22%, various Protestant denominations 44%), indigenous beliefs 34%
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Papua New Guinea is divided into 20 provinces.

Capital: Port Moresby
Constitution: The Constitution of Papua New Guinea came into effect on 16 September 1975.
Head of state: Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom since 1952, became Queen and Head of State of Papua New Guinea from 16 September 1975 by virtue of the Papua New Guinea Constitution. The Queen's functions in Papua New Guinea are exercised by a Governor-General, appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. The current Governor-General, Sir Paulias Matane, took office on 29 June 2004.
Head of government: The Prime Minister, appointed by the Governor-General. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority coalition in the legislature and is accountable to it.
Legislature: Papua New Guinea has a unicameral legislature, the National Parliament, which has 109 members elected for five-year terms from single-member constituencies.
Electoral authority: The Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission administers national elections
Freedom House rating: Political Rights 3, Civil Liberties 3

Political history

The southern part of what is now Papua New Guinea was annexed by Britain in 1884, mainly to forestall the Germans, who were about the annex the northern section and adjacent islands. In 1901 Britain handed administration of the Territory of Papua to the newly-federated Australian Commonwealth. Australia neglected the territory for many years. In 1914 Australian troops occupied German New Guinea, and in 1919 this territory was made a Leage of Nations Mandate under Australian administration. Henceforth Australia administered both territories as one colony.

Most of New Guinea was occupied by the Japanese from 1941 to 1945, although they were prevented from occupying the south coast. After the war development proceeded more rapidly under pressure from the United Nations. Legislative instututions were introduced in 1964, and internal self-government in 1972. In 1975 Papua New Guinea became an independent state.

Since independence PNG has been hampered by regional and linguistic disunity, secessionist conflict in the northern island of Bougainville, corruption and poor administration, and by an overly-complex constitution and unsuitable electoral system. The veteran nationalist leader Sir Michael Somare has been Prime Minister several times since independence and is now trying to save the country from bankruptcy.

PNG has a very weak party system, with a multitude of parties mainly representing tribal or personal loyalties. The most important are Somare's People's Democratic Movement, the National Alliance Party, the People's Progress Party and the PANGU (Papua and Niugini Union) Party.