US—Ambassador Robert W. FERRAND; Embassy at Armit Street, Port Moresby (mailing address is P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby); telephone [675] 211-455 or 594, 654
_#_Flag: 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 #_Overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing an infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mining of numerous deposits, including copper and gold, accounts for about 60% of export earnings. Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under World Bank auspices help sustain the economy.
_#_GDP: $2.7 billion, per capita $725; real growth rate - 3.0% (1989 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (1989)
_#_Unemployment rate: 5% (1988)
_#_Budget: revenues $867 million; expenditures $873 million, including capital expenditures of $119 million (1990 est.)
_#_Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—gold, copper ore, coffee, cocoa, copra, palm oil, timber, lobster;
partners—FRG, Japan, Australia, UK, Spain, US