Railroads:
238 km total; 78 km 1.524-meter gauge, 160 km 0.914-meter gauge
Highways:
total:
8,530 km
paved:
2,745 km
unpaved:
gravel, crushed stone 3,270 km; improved, unimproved earth 2,515 km
Inland waterways:
800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal
Pipelines:
crude oil 130 km
Ports:
Cristobal, Balboa, Colon
Merchant marine:
3,405 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 56,011,824 GRT/89,516,566
DWT, barge carrier 1, bulk 717, cargo 1,110, chemical tanker 181,
combination bulk 31, combination ore/oil 24, container 215, liquefied
gas 127, livestock carrier 9, multifunction large-load carrier 5, oil
tanker 437, passenger 22, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 287,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 67, short-sea passenger 30, specialized tanker
10, vehicle carrier 129
note:
all but 30 are foreign owned and operated; the top 4 foreign owners
are Japan 34%, Greece 8%, Hong Kong 7%, and Taiwan 5%; other foreign
owners include China at least 144 ships, Vietnam 3, Croatia 6, Cuba 4,
Cyprus 4, and Russia 41
Airports:
total:
118
usable:
109
with permanent-surface runways:
38
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
15
Telecommunications:
domestic and international facilities well developed; connection into
Central American Microwave System; 220,000 telephones; broadcast
stations - 91 AM, no FM, 23 TV; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite
ground stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
@Panama, Defense Forces
Branches:
Panamanian Public Forces (PPF) includes the National Police, Maritime
Service, National Air Service, Institutional Protective Service;
Judicial Technical Police operate under the control of Panama's
judicial branch
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 686,479; fit for military service 471,780
Defense expenditures:
expenditures for the Panamanian security forces amounted to $138.5
million, 1.0% of GDP (1993 est.)
@Papua New Guinea, Geography
Location:
Southeastern Asia, just north of Australia, between Indonesia and the
Solomon Islands
Map references:
Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
461,690 sq km
land area:
451,710 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total 820 km, Indonesia 820 km
Coastline:
5,152 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
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
Natural resources:
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil potential
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
71%
other:
28%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; pollution from mining projects
natural hazards:
some active volcanoes; frequent earthquakes
international agreements:
party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber; signed, but
not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest
swamps along southwest coast
@Papua New Guinea, People
Population:
4,196,806 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.31% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
33.5 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
10.38 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
63.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
56.43 years
male:
55.6 years
female:
57.31 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.65 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective:
Papua New Guinean
Ethnic divisions:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions:
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%
Languages:
English spoken by 1-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in
Papua region
note:
715 indigenous languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
52%
male:
65%
female:
38%
Labor force:
NA
@Papua New Guinea, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form:
Papua New Guinea
Digraph:
PP
Type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Port Moresby
Administrative divisions:
20 provinces; Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain,
East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National
Capital, New Ireland, Northern, North Solomons, Sandaun, Southern
Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain
Independence:
16 September 1975 (from UN trusteeship under Australian
administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Constitution:
16 September 1975
Legal system:
based on English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor
General Wiwa KOROWI (since NA November 1991)
head of government:
Prime Minister Paias WINGTI (since 17 July 1992); Deputy Prime
Minister Sir Julius CHAN (since July 1992)
cabinet:
National Executive Council; appointed by the governor on
recommendation of the prime minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Parliament:
(sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly) elections last held
13-26 June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent by party
NA; seats - (109 total) Pangu Party 24, PDM 17, PPP 10, PAP 10,
independents 30, others 18 (association with political parties is
fluid)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Papua New Guinea United Party (Pangu Party), Jack GENIA; People's
Democratic Movement (PDM), Paias WINGTI; People's Action Party (PAP),
Akoka DOI; People's Progress Party (PPP), Sir Julius CHAN; United
Party (UP), Paul TORATO; Papua Party (PP), Galeva KWARARA; National
Party (NP), Paul PORA; Melanesian Alliance (MA), Fr. John MOMIS
Member of:
ACP, APEC, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate Kepas WATANGIA
chancery:
3rd floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
(202) 745-3680
FAX:
(202) 745-3679
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Richard TEARE
embassy:
Armit Street, Port Moresby
mailing address:
P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, or APO AE 96553
telephone:
[675] 211-455 or 594, 654
FAX:
[675] 213-423
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
@Papua New Guinea, Economy