_#_Life expectancy at birth: 55 years male, 56 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 4.9 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Papua New Guinean(s); adjective—Papua New Guinean
_#_Ethnic divisions: predominantly Melanesian and Papuan; some Negrito, Micronesian, and Polynesian
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant sects 10%; indigenous beliefs 34%
_#_Language: 715 indigenous languages; English spoken by 1-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
_#_Literacy: 52% (male 65%, female 38%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 1,660,000; 732,806 in salaried employment; agriculture 54%, government 25%, industry and commerce 9%, services 8% (1980)
_#_Organized labor: more than 50 trade unions, some with fewer than 20 members
_*Government #_Long-form name: Independent State of Papua New Guinea