Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

Papua New Guinea: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

MOFA begins withdrawal of staff from office in PNG • Nov. 11, 2026, 11:00 AM ET (Taipei Times)
Prepare for reduced diplomatic ties: expert • Nov. 8, 2026, 11:00 AM ET (Taipei Times)
Papua New Guinea’s Most Expensive Film, ‘Mussau: The First Song,’ Wraps Shoot, Unveils First Looks (EXCLUSIVE) • Nov. 7, 2026, 6:58 PM ET (Variety)
400,000-year-old teeth reveal a stunning twist in human evolution • Nov. 5, 2026, 8:38 AM ET (Science Daily)
Weapon or wine bottle? China disputes reports of artillery shell in Papua New Guinea • Nov. 3, 2026, 10:46 PM ET (BBC)

Facts

Also Known As P.N.G. • Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Head Of Government Prime Minister: James Marape
Capital Port Moresby
Population (2026 est.) 15,001,000
Head Of State British Monarch: King Charles III, represented by Governor-General: Bob Dadae
Form Of Government constitutional monarchy with one legislative house (National Parliament [118])
Official Languages English; Hiri Motu; Tok Pisin
Official Religion none
Official Names1 Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Total Area (Sq Km) 461,937
Total Area (Sq Mi) 178,355
Monetary Unit kina (K)
Population Rank (2026) 76
Population Projection 2030 10,419,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 84.1
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 32.5
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2024) 13.9% • Rural: (2024) 86.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2021) 64.2 years • Female: (2021) 66.9 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2024) 30,660
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2024) 2,900
1Gau Hedinarai ai Papua–Matamata Guinea (Hiri Motu); Papua–Niugini (Tok Pisin).

Photos and Videos

Papua New Guinea
Map of Papua New Guinea showing international boundaries, provincial borders, major cities, and surrounding islands including Manus, New Ireland, New Britain, and Bougainville. The map labels seas such as the Bismarck, Solomon, and Coral Seas, and includes a small locator map indicating Papua New Guinea's position in the southwestern Pacific near Australia and Indonesia.
Manam Island
Map of the southwestern Pacific region highlighting Papua New Guinea in orange, with surrounding countries and territories labeled, including Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and numerous Pacific island nations and territories such as Fiji, Solomon Islands, and French Polynesia. Major islands and capitals are marked, and territorial boundaries are outlined.
Owen Stanley Range, Papua New Guinea.
Map of Papua New Guinea showing major physical features including mountain ranges, national parks, islands, seas, and surrounding waters. The map highlights the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Sea, Coral Sea, and key locations such as the Owen Stanley Range and Mount Wilhelm. An inset locator map in the top right corner shows Papua New Guinea's position in the southwestern Pacific near Australia and Indonesia.
Bismarck Range: Mount Wilhelm
View of Rabaul caldera in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, showing lush tropical vegetation, a coastal town, and calm blue waters with several ships in the bay.
Close-up of a cuscus, a nocturnal marsupial, with large eyes and a round face, gripping a tree branch with its paws.
A Lesser Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea minor, with vibrant yellow, brown, and green plumage and long tail feathers, perched on a branch amid green leaves.
The word Papua New Guinea appears in white text over a blue background.
National anthem of Papua New Guinea
See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics

Related Places

default image
Samarai Island
island, Papua New Guinea
default image
Gulf
province, Papua New Guinea
default image
New Ireland
province, Papua New Guinea
Map of the Pacific Ocean showing depth contours in varying shades of blue, major submarine features such as trenches, ridges, and basins labeled throughout the ocean, and neighboring landmasses including Asia, Australia, North and South America. Principal cities along the Pacific rim and island groups are marked, along with international boundaries.
Pacific Ocean
body of water
Map of the Pacific Ocean region showing three major culture areas highlighted in different colors: Micronesia in purple, Melanesia in green, and Polynesia in yellow. The map includes labeled islands and island groups such as Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand, Guam, and the Marshall Islands, with the culture area boundaries spanning across the central and southern Pacific.
Melanesian culture
cultural region, Pacific Ocean
Port Moresby Harbour
Port Moresby
national capital, Papua New Guinea
default image
Panguna
Papua New Guinea
default image
Enga
province, Papua New Guinea
Political map of Australia and Oceania showing Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and numerous Pacific island nations and territories. Countries and territories such as Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Kiribati are labeled, along with territories administered by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and New Zealand. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Pacific Ocean, Coral Sea, and Tasman Sea, are also marked.
Oceania
region, Pacific Ocean
default image
Samarai
town, Papua New Guinea
Madang: airport
Madang
Papua New Guinea
Rabaul
Rabaul
Papua New Guinea
default image
Lae
Papua New Guinea
Vanimo
Vanimo
Papua New Guinea
default image
Mount Hagen
Papua New Guinea

Related Quizzes

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)
Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz
Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.
Geography Fun Facts
10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres
You Name It!
Island, New Caledonia.
Islands and Archipelagos
Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
The Country Quiz
Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries of the World
7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia
Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz
Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries & Their Features
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz
Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.
Which Country Is Larger? Quiz