$NA
Exchange rates:
balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)
note: the US dollar is the legal currency
Communications ::Panama
Telephones - main lines in use:
495,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 97
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.805 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 95
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed
domestic: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly with combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity reaching 130 per 100 persons in 2008
international: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
38 (including repeaters) (1998)
Internet country code:
.pa
Internet hosts:
8,067 (2009) country comparison to the world: 124
Internet users:
934,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 92
Transportation ::Panama
Airports:
117 (2009) country comparison to the world: 52
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 54
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 30 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 63
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 51 (2009)
Heliports:
3 (2009)
Railways:
total: 76 km country comparison to the world: 128 standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 11,978 km country comparison to the world: 132 paved: 4,300 km
unpaved: 7,678 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2008) country comparison to the world: 72
Merchant marine:
total: 6,323 country comparison to the world: 1 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2,143, cargo 1,208, carrier 13, chemical tanker 565, combination ore/oil 6, container 790, liquefied gas 189, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 71, petroleum tanker 557, refrigerated cargo 265, roll on/roll off 128, specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 313
foreign-owned: 5,394 (Albania 2, Argentina 8, Australia 4, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 9, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 2, British Virgin Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, Burma 1, Canada 18, Chile 12, China 532, Colombia 4, Croatia 3, Cuba 10, Cyprus 19, Denmark 40, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 4, Egypt 17, Estonia 5, Finland 2, France 5, Gabon 1, Germany 44, Gibraltar 1, Greece 510, Hong Kong 130, India 27, Indonesia 31, Iran 7, Israel 3, Italy 28, Japan 2,335, Jordan 13, North Korea 1, South Korea 303, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Lebanon 5, Lithuania 7, Malaysia 12, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 16, Netherlands 14, Nigeria 10, Norway 89, Oman 2, Pakistan 9, Peru 16, Philippines 7, Poland 11, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 7, Russia 18, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 100, Spain 50, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 25, Syria 32, Taiwan 320, Thailand 10, Tunisia 1, Turkey 94, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 10, UAE 109, UK 59, US 126, Venezuela 10, Vietnam 30, Yemen 6)
registered in other countries: 3 (Marshall Islands 1, Sierra Leone 1, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Balboa, Colon, Cristobal
Military ::Panama
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Panamanian public forces include: Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 851,044 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 705,160
females age 16-49: 710,521 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 31,089
female: 29,939 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 138
Military - note:
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression"
Transnational Issues ::Panama
Disputes - international:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are Panamanian women and children trafficked within the country into the sex trade; rural children in Panama may be trafficked internally to urban areas for labor exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Panama is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly with respect to prosecuting, convicting, and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes, and for failing to provide adequate victim assistance (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Papua New Guinea (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Papua New Guinea
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.
Geography ::Papua New Guinea
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 country comparison to the world: 54 land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 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 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:
arable land: 0.49%
permanent crops: 1.4%
other: 98.11% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
801 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)
per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987)
Natural hazards:
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:
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; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
People ::Papua New Guinea
Population:
6,057,263 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,137,796/female 1,099,365)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,836,272/female 1,735,298)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 114,789/female 133,743) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.7 years
male: 21.8 years
female: 21.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.069% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Birth rate:
27.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Death rate:
6.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 12% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.23 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 57 male: 49.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.34 years country comparison to the world: 160 male: 64.08 years
female: 68.72 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.62 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
54,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
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 (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 27%, 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%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)
Languages:
Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu are official languages; some 860 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
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%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.3%
male: 63.4%
female: 50.9% (2000 census)
Education expenditures:
NA
People - note:
the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea 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 ::Papua New Guinea
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
Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Port Moresby
geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 provinces; Bougainville (autonomous region), Central, Chimbu,
Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang,
Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern,
Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New
Britain
Independence:
16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Constitution:
16 September 1975
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Puka TEMU (since 29 August 2007)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is nominated by parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the governor general acting in accordance with a decision of the parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital district; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); constitution allows up to 126 seats
elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held in June 2012
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - National Alliance 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU 5, PDM 5, independents 19, others 33; note - election to 1 seat was nullified
note: 15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats; association with political parties is fluid
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; Papua and Niugini
Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua New Guinea Party
or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM
[Michael OGIO]; People's Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS];
United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] (2007)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahora [Andrew MAMOKO] (represents local tribes); Centre for
Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE];
Community Coalition Against Corruption
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
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 Teddy B. TAYLOR
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.
mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, 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
Economy ::Papua New Guinea
Economy - overview:
Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 75% of the population. Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power. He was the first prime minister ever to serve a full five-year term. The government also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approached. Numerous challenges still face the government including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/AIDS epidemic, currently the highest rate in all of East Asia and the Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia supplied more than $300 million in aid in FY07/08, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget. A consortium led by a major American oil company hopes to begin the commercialization of the country's estimated 227 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility by 2010. The project has the potential to double the GDP of Papua New Guinea.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.17 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $12.3 billion (2007 est.)
$11.65 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.092 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 5.6% (2007 est.)
2.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 $2,200 (2007 est.)
$2,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.3%
industry: 36.3%
services: 30.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
3.639 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.9% (2004) country comparison to the world: 17
Population below poverty line:
37% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.9 (1996) country comparison to the world: 19
Investment (gross fixed):
19.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118
Budget:
revenues: $2.62 billion
expenditures: $2.797 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
32.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 59.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 0.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 55 7.38% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.27% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 9.78% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.005 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $1.685 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.726 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 $1.482 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.065 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 $1.486 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
$6.632 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork
Industries:
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Electricity - production:
2.885 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - consumption:
2.683 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
38,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Oil - consumption:
33,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Oil - exports:
32,490 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - imports:
14,380 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Oil - proved reserves:
88 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - production:
100 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - consumption:
100 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Natural gas - proved reserves:
226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Current account balance:
$710 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $193.6 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.719 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $4.748 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns
Exports - partners:
Australia 27.2%, Japan 9.2%, China 5.1% (2008)
Imports:
$3.124 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $2.629 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Australia 42.6%, Singapore 15.6%, China 11%, Japan 5.8%, Malaysia 4.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.987 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $2.087 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.511 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $1.646 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: