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Papua New Guinea:
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Other pages in this profile of Papua New Guinea:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
Definition 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. |
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Location |
Definition 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 |
Definition 6 00 S, 147 00 E |
Map references |
Definition Oceania |
Area |
Definition - World rank and map total: 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km |
Area - comparative |
Definition slightly larger than California |
Land boundaries |
Definition total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km |
Coastline |
Definition 5,152 km |
Maritime claims |
Definition 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 |
Definition tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation |
Terrain |
Definition mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills |
Elevation extremes |
Definition lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m |
Natural resources |
Definition gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries |
Land use |
Definition - World rank and map arable land: 0.49% permanent crops: 1.4% other: 98.11% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
Definition NA |
Total renewable water resources |
Definition 801 cu km (1987) |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) |
Definition total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%) per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987) |
Natural hazards |
Definition active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis |
Environment - current issues |
Definition rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought |
Environment - international agreements |
Definition 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 |
Definition shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |