Papua New Guinea - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export of those natural resources, and an informal sector, employing the majority of the population. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the people. The global financial crisis had little impact because of continued foreign demand for PNG's commodities. Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account...

Continue reading View Factbook for Papua New Guinea

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 111,241,167,818 91,625,732,515 PGK Annual
Private Consumption 2006 7,959,000,000 7,239,200,000 PGK Annual
Investment 2006 2,302,600,000 2,489,300,000 PGK Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2006 102.29 100 Index 2000=100 Annual
Government Consumption 2006 2,837 2,437 Mil. PGK Annual
Real Government Consumption 2004 1,535,460,800 1,548,068,800 NCU Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2004 2,294,294,100 2,281,216,800 NCU Annual
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2004 1,712,489,200 1,720,752,300 NCU Annual
Real Investment 2004 1,888,967,600 1,888,597,600 NCU Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) 2023 Q2 182.49 179.4 2010=100, NSA Quarterly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 761,351 745,210 # Annual
Unemployment Rate 2017 2.66 2.64 % of total labor force Annual
Labor Force 2016 3,606,291 3,514,995 # Annual
Wage & Salaries 2016 2,394,500,000 2,133,755,177 NCU Annual
Total Employment 2016 Q3 112.49 113.28 Index 2005=100 Quarterly
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Current Account Balance 2022 Q2 2,798,057,159 1,526,964,817 USD, NSA Quarterly
Imports of Goods 2022 Q2 964,712,748 1,104,412,529 USD, NSA Quarterly
Exports of Goods 2022 Q2 4,611,847,600 3,037,089,214 USD, NSA Quarterly
Balance of Goods 2022 Q2 3,647,134,852 1,932,676,685 USD, NSA Quarterly
Exports of Goods and Services 2006 13,986,200,000 11,245,700,000 PGK Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2006 10,538,900,000 8,467,100,000 PGK Annual
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2004 6,693,283,100 6,516,274,000 NCU Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2004 5,349,882,000 4,924,766,000 NCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Money Market Rate Nov 2023 3.5 4 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Nov 2023 2.39 2.39 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Average Long-term Government Bond Jun 2017 11.06 10.03 % Monthly
Lending Rate Jun 2017 6.25 6.25 % - End of period Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Real Change in Inventories 2004 176,478,500 167,845,300 NCU Annual
Change in Inventories 2004 236,296,100 222,383,300 NCU Annual
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 8,947,027 8,776,119 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 27.61 27.93 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 7.11 7.13 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Net Migration 2002 -1,001 # Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives. Since 2001, Bougainville has experienced autonomy. Under the terms of a peace accord, 2015 is the year that a five-year window opens for a referendum on the question of independence.

Geography

Location:
Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 147 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km
country comparison to the world: 56
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 824 km
border countries (1): Indonesia 824 km
Coastline:
5,152 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Elevation:
mean elevation: 667 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources:
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Land use:
agricultural land: 2.6%
arable land 0.7%; permanent crops 1.5%; permanent pasture 0.4%
forest: 63.1%
other: 34.3% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea; predominantly a rural distribution with only about one-fifth of the population residing in urban areas
Natural hazards:
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
volcanism: severe volcanic activity; Ulawun (2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa
Environment - current issues:
rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; generally east-west trending highlands break up New Guinea into diverse ecoregions; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast

People & Society

Population:
6,909,701 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Languages:
Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 839 indigenous languages spoken (about 12% of the world's total); many languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers
note: Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood; English is spoken by 1%-2%; Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 27%, Protestant 69.4% (Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%), Baha'i 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.43% (male 1,175,934/female 1,133,882)
15-24 years: 19.92% (male 697,463/female 678,680)
25-54 years: 36.89% (male 1,309,843/female 1,238,972)
55-64 years: 5.49% (male 193,273/female 185,931)
65 years and over: 4.28% (male 148,802/female 146,921) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 67.4
youth dependency ratio: 61.3
elderly dependency ratio: 6.1
potential support ratio: 16.4 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.1 years
male: 23.2 years
female: 23.1 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Population growth rate:
1.71% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Birth rate:
23.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Death rate:
6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Population distribution:
population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea; predominantly a rural distribution with only about one-fifth of the population residing in urban areas
Urbanization:
urban population: 13.1% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 2.42% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
PORT MORESBY (capital) 345,000 (2015)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
215 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Infant mortality rate:
total: 36.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 39.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.3 years
male: 65.1 years
female: 69.7 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
Total fertility rate:
3.03 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Health expenditures:
4.3% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 159
Physicians density:
0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 88% of population
rural: 32.8% of population
total: 40% of population
unimproved:
urban: 12% of population
rural: 67.2% of population
total: 60% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 56.4% of population
rural: 13.3% of population
total: 18.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 43.6% of population
rural: 86.7% of population
total: 81.1% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
46,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
21.3% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 91
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
27.9% (2010)
country comparison to the world: 19
Education expenditures:
NA
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.2%
male: 65.6%
female: 62.8% (2015 est.)
People - note:
the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most heterogeneous in the world; PNG has several thousand separate communities, most with only a few hundred people; divided by language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
local short form: Papuaniugini
former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
abbreviation: PNG
etymology: the word "papua" derives from the Malay "papuah" describing the frizzy hair of the Melanesians; Spanish explorer Ynigo ORTIZ de RETEZ applied the term "Nueva Guinea" to the island of New Guinea in 1545 after noting the resemblance of the locals to the peoples of the Guinea coast of Africa
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (National Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Port Moresby
geographic coordinates: 9 27 S, 147 11 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 provinces, 1 autonomous region*, and 1 district**; Bougainville*, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Hela, Jiwaka, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital**, New Ireland, Northern, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain, West Sepik
Independence:
16 September 1975 (from the Australia-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Constitution:
history: adopted 15 August 1975, effective at independence 16 September 1975
amendments: proposed by the National Parliament; passage has prescribed majority vote requirements depending on the constitutional sections being amended – absolute majority, two-thirds majority, or three-fourths majority; amended many times, last in 2013 (2017)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Papua New Guinea
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Grand Chief Sir Bob DADAE (since 28 February 2017)
head of government: Prime Minister Peter Paire O'NEILL (since 2 August 2011); Deputy Prime Minister Charles ABEL (since 4 August 2017)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general nominated by the National Parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general pending the outcome of a National Parliament vote
election results: Peter Paire O'NEILL (PNC) reelected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 60 to 46
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral National Parliament (111 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies - 91 local and 20 provincial - by majority preferential vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the constitution allows up to 126 seats
elections: last held from 24 June 2017 to 8 July 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)
election results: results pending as of late October 2017; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
note: 12 other parties won 2 or fewer seats; association with political parties is fluid
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 28 judges); National Courts (13 courts located in the province capitals, with a total of 19 resident judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general upon advice of the National Executive Council (cabinet) after consultation with the National Justice Administration Minister; deputy chief justice and other justices appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief and deputy chief justices, the chief ombudsman, and a member of the National Parliament; full-time citizen judges appointed for 10-year renewable terms; non-citizen judges initially appointed for 3-year renewable terms and after first renewal until age 70; appointment and tenure of National Court resident judges NA
subordinate courts: district, village, and juvenile courts
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance Party or NAP [Patrick PRUAITCH]
Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Sam BASIL]
Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Belden NAMAH]
People's National Congress Party or PNC [Peter Paire O'NEILL]
People's Party or PP [Peter IPATAS]
People's Progress Party or PPP [Sir Julius CHAN]
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Powes PARKOP]
Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE [Don POLYE]
United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]
note: as of 8 July 2017, 45 political parties were registered
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Centre for Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE]
Community Coalition Against Corruption
National Council of Women
Transparency International Papau New Guinea or TIPNG (chapter of Transparency International)
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CD, CP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D’Affaires Elias Rahuromo WOHENGU (since 30 September 2017)
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine EBERT-GRAY (since 23 February 2016); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
embassy: P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby Place, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240
telephone: [675] 321-1455
FAX: [675] 321-3423
Flag description:
divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered; red, black, and yellow are traditional colors of Papua New Guinea; the bird of paradise - endemic to the island of New Guinea - is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation; the Southern Cross, visible in the night sky, symbolizes Papua New Guinea's connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific
National symbol(s):
bird of paradise; national colors: red, black
National anthem:
name: "O Arise All You Sons"
lyrics/music: Thomas SHACKLADY
note: adopted 1975

Economy

Economy - overview:
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export of those natural resources, and an informal sector, employing the majority of the population. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the people. The global financial crisis had little impact because of continued foreign demand for PNG's commodities.
Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. Natural gas reserves amount to an estimated 155 billion cubic meters. Following construction of a $19 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, PNG LNG, a consortium led by ExxonMobil, began exporting liquefied natural gas to Asian markets in May 2014. The project was delivered on time and only slightly above budget. The success of the project has encouraged other companies to look at similar LNG projects. French supermajor Total is hopes to begin construction on the Papua LNG project by 2020. Due to lower global commodity prices, resource revenues of all types have fallen dramatically. PNG’s government has recently been forced to adjust spending levels downward.
Numerous challenges still face the government of Peter O'NEILL, including providing physical security for foreign investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and maintaining good relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including chronic law and order and land tenure issues. In August, 2017, PNG launched its first-ever national trade policy, PNG Trade Policy 2017-2032. The policy goal is to maximize trade and investment by increasing exports, to reduce imports, and to increase foreign direct investment (FDI).
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$30.84 billion (2017 est.)
$29.92 billion (2016 est.)
$29.22 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 132
GDP (official exchange rate):
$21.81 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2017 est.)
2.4% (2016 est.)
9.2% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,800 (2017 est.)
$3,800 (2016 est.)
$3,800 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 182
Gross national saving:
40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
44.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
39.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 45%
government consumption: 20.3%
investment in fixed capital: 10.4%
investment in inventories: -0.3%
exports of goods and services: 47.6%
imports of goods and services: -23% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 22.1%
industry: 42.9%
services: 35% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; poultry, pork; shellfish
Industries:
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining (gold, silver, copper); crude oil and petroleum products; construction, tourism, livestock (pork, poultry, cattle), dairy products, spice products (turmeric, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, chili, pepper, citronella, and nutmeg), fisheries products
Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Labor force:
3.681 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.5% (2017 est.)
2.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Population below poverty line:
37% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.5% (1996 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.9 (1996 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Budget:
revenues: $3.649 billion
expenditures: $4.763 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
16.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-5.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Public debt:
39.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
39% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.8% (2017 est.)
6.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Central bank discount rate:
14% (31 December 2010 est.)
6.92% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.4% (31 December 2017 est.)
8.38% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Stock of narrow money:
$5.495 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Stock of broad money:
$7.649 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$7.061 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Stock of domestic credit:
$7.859 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$7.223 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$10.71 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$8.999 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$9.742 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Current account balance:
$4.053 billion (2017 est.)
$4.119 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Exports:
$9.526 billion (2017 est.)
$9.224 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Exports - commodities:
liquefied natural gas, oil, gold, copper ore, nickel, cobalt logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, copra, spice (turmeric, vanilla, ginger, and cardamom), crayfish, prawns, tuna, sea cucumber
Exports - partners:
Singapore 23.7%, Australia 22.9%, Japan 13.2%, China 11.9% (2016)
Imports:
$1.878 billion (2017 est.)
$2.267 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Australia 36%, China 14.9%, Singapore 8.5%, Malaysia 7.5% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.656 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Debt - external:
$17.09 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$18.28 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
kina (PGK) per US dollar -
3.18 (2017 est.)
3.13 (2016 est.)
3.13 (2015 est.)
2.77 (2014 est.)
2.46 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 5,568,879
electrification - total population: 18%
electrification - urban areas: 72%
electrification - rural areas: 10% (2012)
Electricity - production:
3.62 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Electricity - consumption:
3.367 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
882,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
62.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
31.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
6.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Crude oil - production:
55,990 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Crude oil - exports:
17,400 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Crude oil - imports:
14,880 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
Crude oil - proved reserves:
159.4 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Refined petroleum products - production:
28,340 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
42,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Refined petroleum products - exports:
8,062 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Refined petroleum products - imports:
21,180 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Natural gas - production:
9.8 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Natural gas - consumption:
680 million cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Natural gas - exports:
9.7 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Natural gas - proved reserves:
141.5 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
3.7 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 154,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 3.782 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Telephone system:
general assessment: services are minimal; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available although combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to roughly 55 per 100 persons
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service (2016)
Broadcast media:
4 TV stations: 1 commercial station operating since 1987, 1 state-run station launched in 2008, 1 digital free-to-view network launched in 2014, and 1 satellite network Click TV (PNGTV) launched in 2015; the state-run National Broadcasting Corporation operates 3 radio networks with multiple repeaters and about 20 provincial stations; several commercial radio stations with multiple transmission points as well as several community stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible (2018)
Internet country code:
.pg
Internet users:
total: 652,071
percent of population: 9.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 6
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 47
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,062,584
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 34,827,034 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
P2 (2016)
Airports:
561 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 12
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 540
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 53
under 914 m: 476 (2013)
Heliports:
2 (2013)
Pipelines:
oil 264 km (2013)
Roadways:
total: 9,349 km
paved: 3,000 km
unpaved: 6,349 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 139
Waterways:
11,000 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 11
Merchant marine:
total: 173
by type: container ship 8, general cargo 80, oil tanker 3, other 82 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 67
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak
LNG terminal(s) (export): Port Moresby

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
0.66% of GDP (2014)
0.68% of GDP (2013)
0.72% of GDP (2012)
0.5% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 135
Military branches:
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF, includes Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) (2013)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; graduation from grade 12 required (2013)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,368 (Indonesia) (2016)
IDPs: 12,000 (natural disasters, tribal conflict, inter-communal violence, development projects) (2017)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Papua New Guinea is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; foreign and Papua New Guinean women and children are subjected to sex trafficking, domestic servitude, forced begging, and street vending; parents may sell girls into forced marriages to settle debts or as peace offerings or trade them to another tribe to forge a political alliance, leaving them vulnerable to forced domestic service, or, in urban areas, they may prostitute their children for income or to pay school fees; Chinese, Malaysian, and local men are forced to labor in logging and mining camps through debt bondage schemes; migrant women from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China, and the Philippines are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude at logging and mining camps, fisheries, and entertainment sites
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the Criminal Code Amendment of 2013, which prohibits all forms of trafficking was brought into force in 2014; the government also formed an anti-trafficking committee, which drafted a national action plan; despite corruption problems, trafficking-related crimes were prosecuted in village courts rather than criminal courts, resulting in restitution to the victim but no prison time for offenders; the government did not investigate, prosecute, or convict any officials or law enforcement personnel complicit in trafficking offenses; the government made no efforts to proactively identify trafficking victims, has no formal victim identification and referral mechanism, and does not provide care facilities to victims or funding to shelters run by NGOs or international organizations (2015)
Illicit drugs:
major consumer of cannabis

Economic Indicators for Papua New Guinea including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Papua New Guinea economy.