Papua New Guinea flag

Country in Oceania

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries on earth, with over 800 languages, extraordinary wildlife including birds of paradise, and vast untouched wilderness.

CapitalPort Moresby
LanguageEnglish, Hiri Motu
CurrencyPapua New Guinean kina
Population11.8M

Key Facts

CapitalPort Moresby
RegionOceania / Melanesia
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independence1975
Area462,840 km2
Population density20/km2
Time zonePGT (UTC+10)
Calling code+675
Drives onLeft

Quick View

HDI
0.575
Safety index
22.0
Internet access
13%
Life expectancy
66.7

Sources: World Bank, Numbeo, UN.

Top 3 Highest Mountains

Mount Wilhelm4,509 m
Mount Giluwe4,368 m
Mount Herbert4,267 m

Religion (est.)

  • Christianity98%
  • Indigenous faiths1%
  • Other1%
  • No religion0%

Why Visit

Kokoda TrackHistoric WWII trail through dense jungle and remote highland villages.
Tufi FjordsDramatic drowned river valleys on the Cape Nelson peninsula.
Sepik RiverRiver journey through traditional villages, carved spirit houses, and sacred masks.
Bird of ParadisePNG has 38 of the 42 known species of the world's most spectacular birds.
Highland CultureOver 800 languages and thousands of distinct tribal cultures in the highlands.

Top 3 Cities by Population

Port Moresby
364k
Lae
148k
Arawa
40k

Climate Overview

27CJan avg.
24CJul avg.
2,400 mmYearly rainfall
Tropical monsoonClimate

Other Quick Info

CurrencyPapua New Guinean kina
Official languageEnglish, Hiri Motu
National day16 September
Electricity240V, Type I