papua new guinea
What do scientists think happened?Connections between the evidence – such as artefact dating, genetic links and the spread of languages – can produce a picture of how people migrated across the Pacific. The map of Pacific migration shows the story of what historians, scientists and archaeologists think happened in the Pacific based on the best interpretations of the evidence at this time.
While this evidence remains under constant scrutiny, there is broad consensus that Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands were occupied by Papuan people from about 50,000 years ago and that there were waves of migration from Asia through the Pacific to the eastern islands, beginning around 6,000 years ago. These continued for several thousands of years until New Zealand was finally settled by Maori people about 1,000 years ago.
While this evidence remains under constant scrutiny, there is broad consensus that Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands were occupied by Papuan people from about 50,000 years ago and that there were waves of migration from Asia through the Pacific to the eastern islands, beginning around 6,000 years ago. These continued for several thousands of years until New Zealand was finally settled by Maori people about 1,000 years ago.
Geography
Physical geography: Papua New Guinea’s mainland is the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, which has an area of 452,860 square kilometres. A mountainous spine runs down its centre with the highest point being Mount Wilhelm at 4,509 metres. There are about 600 separate islands to the north and east, the major ones (Bougainville, New Ireland, New Britain and Manus) having been formed by volcanoes. Around two-thirds of Papua New Guinea is covered by dense tropical rainforests. Soils are fertile only in lowland areas.
Climate: Papua New Guinea is close to the equator so the climate is monsoonal with high temperatures and humidity along the coast and cooler conditions in the mountains. Rainfall averages between 2,000 millimetres and 2,500 millimetres, most of which falls between December and March. Port Moresby, the capital, is situated in the south-east in a rain shadow area and receives an average annual rainfall of only 1,011 millimetres and has a narrow range in temperatures from 27.8 °C in January to 25.6 °C in July.
Environment:Papua New Guinea is rich in wildlife and natural resources, including minerals, timber and fish. Birds of paradise, tree kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, cuscus and spiny ant-eaters are some of its wildlife. Although its rugged terrain and limited road network have, until recently, restricted development, progress is now causing deforestation and mining pollution.
Population: Most of the population live in isolated rural communities. Urban population is 13% but growing rapidly. This is putting pressure on services and increasing competition for employment. The main urban areas are Port Moresby (population: 314,000), Lae, Madang, Wewak, Goroka and Mount Hagen.
Climate: Papua New Guinea is close to the equator so the climate is monsoonal with high temperatures and humidity along the coast and cooler conditions in the mountains. Rainfall averages between 2,000 millimetres and 2,500 millimetres, most of which falls between December and March. Port Moresby, the capital, is situated in the south-east in a rain shadow area and receives an average annual rainfall of only 1,011 millimetres and has a narrow range in temperatures from 27.8 °C in January to 25.6 °C in July.
Environment:Papua New Guinea is rich in wildlife and natural resources, including minerals, timber and fish. Birds of paradise, tree kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, cuscus and spiny ant-eaters are some of its wildlife. Although its rugged terrain and limited road network have, until recently, restricted development, progress is now causing deforestation and mining pollution.
Population: Most of the population live in isolated rural communities. Urban population is 13% but growing rapidly. This is putting pressure on services and increasing competition for employment. The main urban areas are Port Moresby (population: 314,000), Lae, Madang, Wewak, Goroka and Mount Hagen.
people
Culture and identity: Most people in Papua New Guinea are Melanesian (related to the islanders of Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia). There is a wide range of cultures and beliefs with about 800 different languages spoken. English, Tok Pisin (Melanesian Pidgin), and Motu (Papuan region) are the official languages.
Each language group has its own forms of art, dance, dress, carvings, decorations, building structures and group organisation. Groups of people speaking one language form wantok groups who look after each other.
The Kuk Early Agricultural Site has World Heritage listing. The reclaimed wetland has been worked almost continuously for 7,000 years, and possibly for 10,000 years.
HealthT: he average life expectancy is 66 years (female: 69 and male: 64) with malaria, dengue fever and hepatitis being common diseases. Many women die in childbirth (733 per 100,000 live births) and about 39 of every 1,000 babies die before they reach their first birthday. Around 40% of the population has access to safe water (89% of urban population and 33% of rural population) and 18% has access to safe sanitation (56% of urban population and 13% of rural population). About 0.5% of the population were living with HIV/AIDS.
Religion and beliefs: Most people are Christian, but many also follow the traditional religious practices of their village, which may include spirit or ancestor worship. This may mean farming communities celebrating fertility, and harvests with icons and dancing or practices such as sorcery, and witchcraft is also widespread.
Food and shelter:Food consists of what can be grown in gardens – sweet potato, taro and greens, supplemented by meat – mainly pork – and imported tinned fish and rice. People in villages live in a variety of styles of traditional housing made from bush materials while people living in towns tend to live in Western-style housing.
Each language group has its own forms of art, dance, dress, carvings, decorations, building structures and group organisation. Groups of people speaking one language form wantok groups who look after each other.
The Kuk Early Agricultural Site has World Heritage listing. The reclaimed wetland has been worked almost continuously for 7,000 years, and possibly for 10,000 years.
HealthT: he average life expectancy is 66 years (female: 69 and male: 64) with malaria, dengue fever and hepatitis being common diseases. Many women die in childbirth (733 per 100,000 live births) and about 39 of every 1,000 babies die before they reach their first birthday. Around 40% of the population has access to safe water (89% of urban population and 33% of rural population) and 18% has access to safe sanitation (56% of urban population and 13% of rural population). About 0.5% of the population were living with HIV/AIDS.
Religion and beliefs: Most people are Christian, but many also follow the traditional religious practices of their village, which may include spirit or ancestor worship. This may mean farming communities celebrating fertility, and harvests with icons and dancing or practices such as sorcery, and witchcraft is also widespread.
Food and shelter:Food consists of what can be grown in gardens – sweet potato, taro and greens, supplemented by meat – mainly pork – and imported tinned fish and rice. People in villages live in a variety of styles of traditional housing made from bush materials while people living in towns tend to live in Western-style housing.
economy
Wealth and poverty: About 85% of the country’s population make a living from farming. Foreign investors control the minerals, timber and fish sectors. Manufacturing is limited, which means high unemployment in the towns, and about 37% of the population live in poverty. Declining prices have reduced export income and increased debt.
Education and work: Recent education reforms have dramatically increased the number of children enrolled in school; but the adult literacy rate is 62% (male: 65% and female: 59%). Papua New Guinean adults have had an average of 4.3 years of school and today’s children spend about five years at school.
Industries and products: Agricultural products include coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla, shellfish, poultry and pork. Industries include copra (coconut) crushing, palm oil processing, woodchip and plywood production; gold, silver and copper mining; crude oil production; petroleum refining; construction; and tourism.
Trade: Papua New Guinea’s main export partners are Australia (30%), Japan (10%), China (5%) and Germany (4%) and exports include oil, gold, copper, timber, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish and prawns. Papua New Guinea imports manufactured goods, food, fuels and chemicals from Australia (36%), Singapore (13%), Malaysia (8%), China (8%), and Japan (6%).
© 2012 Commonwealth of Australia.
Last updated: 16-06-2014
Education and work: Recent education reforms have dramatically increased the number of children enrolled in school; but the adult literacy rate is 62% (male: 65% and female: 59%). Papua New Guinean adults have had an average of 4.3 years of school and today’s children spend about five years at school.
Industries and products: Agricultural products include coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla, shellfish, poultry and pork. Industries include copra (coconut) crushing, palm oil processing, woodchip and plywood production; gold, silver and copper mining; crude oil production; petroleum refining; construction; and tourism.
Trade: Papua New Guinea’s main export partners are Australia (30%), Japan (10%), China (5%) and Germany (4%) and exports include oil, gold, copper, timber, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish and prawns. Papua New Guinea imports manufactured goods, food, fuels and chemicals from Australia (36%), Singapore (13%), Malaysia (8%), China (8%), and Japan (6%).
© 2012 Commonwealth of Australia.
Last updated: 16-06-2014
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