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Sponsored LinksTravel reviews & great deals at TripAdvisor: Land, People, Economy, and GovernmentPapua New Guinea is a wild, rugged region, with limited communications. The climate is tropical, and the largely mountainous country is subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The native population is largely Melanesian and Papuan but is divided into many distinct cultures. Some 700 different languages are spoken in the region; pidgin English (Tok Pisin) is the lingua franca. About half the population is Christian, with Roman Catholics and Lutherans the largest sects; the rest follow traditional beliefs. Subsistence agriculture supports most of the population; sweet potatoes constitute the main food crop. Agricultural exports (notably coconut products, rubber, coffee, cocoa, tea, and refined palm oil products) are increasing, but mineral and oil deposits account for the majority of export earnings. Silver, copper, and gold are mined, oil production began in 1992, and there are undeveloped natural gas reserves. Timber is another import source of revenue; the rain forests of Papua New Guinea are filled with tropical timber. The logging, largely by foreign companies, is often done without regarded for laws designed to promote sustainable yields. Pearl-shell and tortoise fisheries dot the coast. The Univ. of Papua New Guinea opened in 1966. The nation has a parliamentary government with a governor-general, representing the British crown; a prime minister and cabinet; and a popularly elected unicameral parliament consisting of 109 members. Sections in this article: The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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