Papua New Guinea

Introduction

Papua New Guinea păpˈo͞oə, –yo͞oə, gĭnˈē, officially Independent State of Papua New Guinea, independent Commonwealth nation (2015 est. pop. 6,672,000), 183,540 sq mi (475,369 sq km), SW Pacific. It encompasses the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, as well as the Bismarck Archipelago, the Trobriand Islands, Samarai Island, Woodlark Island, D'Entrecasteaux Islands, the Louisiade Archipelago, and the northernmost Solomon Islands of Buka and Bougainville (which form an autonomous region). The capital is Port Moresby; other important cities include Rabaul, Lae, Madang, Mt. Hagen, and Goroka.

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