The mountainous interior of Papua New Guinea. The rugged highlands, deep valleys and extensive tropical forests have strongly influenced the country's settlement patterns, transport networks and economic development. Image: United Nations Development Programme.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is an independent state in the south-western Pacific Ocean, immediately north of Australia. It occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, together with the Bismarck Archipelago, the northern Solomon Islands including Bougainville, and hundreds of smaller islands. Its capital and largest administrative centre is Port Moresby. Papua New Guinea became independent from Australia on 16 September 1975.
The country covers approximately 462,840 km² and had an estimated population of about 10.8 million in 2025 according to United Nations data. UNdata
Papua New Guinea lies within Melanesia, between the equator and approximately 12° south latitude. Its only land border is with the Indonesian provinces occupying western New Guinea. Australia lies across the Torres Strait to the south, while the Solomon Islands are to the east.
The country has exceptionally varied terrain. A great central mountain chain extends along much of the mainland, containing high plateaus, steep valleys and peaks exceeding 4,000 metres. Surrounding the mountains are extensive lowlands, swamps and coastal plains. Offshore islands vary from large mountainous and volcanic islands to coral islands and atolls.
Two of the principal river systems are the Sepik, about 1,126 km long, flowing generally northwards, and the Fly, about 1,050 km long, flowing towards the Gulf of Papua. CIA
PNG has a predominantly tropical climate, although altitude produces considerably cooler conditions in the highlands. Rainfall is generally high and in some mountainous districts can be exceptionally heavy. The country's position on the Pacific Ring of Fire also makes it prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and associated natural hazards.
Papua New Guinea is notable for its biological diversity. Large areas remain covered by tropical forest, while its geographical isolation and complex terrain have contributed to the development of an extraordinary variety of plants, animals, languages and local cultures. More than 800 indigenous languages are spoken, making PNG one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Melanesia, south-west Pacific |
| Capital | Port Moresby |
| Surface area | About 462,840 km² |
| Main landmass | Eastern New Guinea |
| Other major islands | New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville and numerous smaller islands |
| Principal rivers | Sepik and Fly |
| Climate | Predominantly tropical; cooler at altitude |
| Currency | Kina (PGK) |
| Population | About 10.8 million, UN 2025 estimate |
Papua New Guinea is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth.
The King of Papua New Guinea, Charles III, is the formal head of state and is represented within the country by a Governor-General, who is nominated by the National Parliament and appointed in accordance with the Constitution.
Political authority in practice is exercised through the National Parliament and Cabinet. The Prime Minister is chosen by Parliament and formally appointed by the Governor-General. Under the Constitution, ministers must normally be members of Parliament, and the ministry is collectively responsible to Parliament. Parliament of Papua New Guinea
As of September 2026, the Prime Minister is James Marape, who first became Prime Minister in May 2019 and continued to head the Marape–Rosso government in 2026. Prime Minister's Department
The legislature is a unicameral National Parliament. Members are elected principally from geographically defined electorates. PNG politics is characterised by numerous political parties, coalition governments and a relatively high degree of movement by members between political groupings.
Government operates at several levels: