Country Profile

Some 80% of Papua New Guinea’s population lives in rural areas, which includes huge rain forests, rugged mountains and steep river valleys. Indeed, the difficulty of the terrain is a major reason why there are some 850 different native languages in the country, as clans and tribes have inhabited territories that are often close, but largely inaccessible, to each other. Comprising the eastern half of the largest tropical island on earth, PNG is home to a wide range of peoples, languages and cultures, as well as significant biodiversity. In addition, the country is an important exporter of valuable natural resources, including gold, copper and hydrocarbons. It is also a key producer of agricultural products: the nation’s cash crops include coffee, oil palm, cocoa, coconut and, to a lesser extent, tea and rubber. The country is expected to become a major exporter of natural gas in coming years, which will provide a significant boost to the size and strength of the economy. This chapter contains an interview with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.