Papua New Guinea Overview Country Overview Papua New Guinea consists of over 600 islands and lies in the middle of the long chain of islands stretching from mainland South East Asia. It is situated in the South Pacific, 160km (100 miles) north of Australia. A line of active volcanoes stretches along the north coast of the mainland and continues on the island of New Britain. Port Moresby, the capital, is situated on the magnificent Fairfax Harbour. Its key attractions are the National Parliament and the Catholic Cathedral. Lae is Papua New Guinea's second city and an important commercial centre and seaport. The Botanical Gardens are among the best in the country. Around the Chambri Lakes many species of birds for which Papua New Guinea is famous are to be found, including egrets, pied herons and kingfishers. The Eastern Highlands have the longest history of contact with the West. Kainantu is reached from Lae through the Kassim Pass. It has a large cultural centre, selling traditional artefacts. Several hotels in Port Moresby have dancing in the evenings and some organise live entertainment. General Information Area: 462,840 sq km (178,704 sq miles). Population: 4,702,000 (1999). Population Density: 10.2 per sq km. Capital: Port Moresby. Population: 250,000 (1994). GEOGRAPHY: Papua New Guinea consists of over 600 islands and lies in the middle of the long chain of islands stretching from mainland South East Asia. It lies in the South Pacific, 160km (100 miles) north of Australia. The country occupies the eastern half of the second largest non-continental island in the world, as well as the smaller islands of the Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville and Admiralty Island), the D’Entrecasteaux Island group and the three islands of the Louisiade Archipelago. The main island shares a land border with Irian Jaya, a province of Indonesia. The mainland and larger islands are mountainous and rugged, divided by large fertile upland valleys. Fast-flowing rivers from the highlands descend to the coastal plains. A line of active volcanoes stretches along the north coast of the mainland and continues on the island of New Britain. To the north and south of this central mountain range on the main island lie vast stretches of mangrove swamps and coastal river deltas. Volcanoes and thermal pools are also found in the southeast of other islands. Papua New Guinea offers the greatest variety of terrestrial ecosystems in the South Pacific, including five types of lowland rainforest, 13 types of montane rainforest, five varieties of palm and swamp forest and three different mangrove forests. Two-thirds of the world’s species of orchids come from Papua New Guinea. Birds include 38 species of the bird-of-paradise, and the megapode and cassowary. Marsupials and mammals include cuscus, tree kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, spiny anteaters and, in the coastal waters, the dugong. There are between 170 and 200 species of frog and 450 species of butterfly. Government: Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from Australia in 1975. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor General Sir Silas Atopare since 1997. Head of Government: Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta since 1999. Language: The official language is English, which is widely used in business and government circles. Pidgin English and Hiri Motu are more commonly used (an estimated 742 other languages and dialects are also spoken). Religion: Ninety per cent Christian. Time: GMT + 10. Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz. Australian-style three-pin plugs are in use. Some hotels provide 110-volt outlets in guest-rooms. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 675. Outgoing international code: 05. There are no area codes in Papua New Guinea. Mobile telephone The only network provider, Pacific Mobile Comms, was due to begin in March 2000 offering GSM 900 networks. Coverage is likely to be limited. Fax Services are available at all major companies and government departments. Internet Main ISPs include Global (website: www.global.net.pg) and Daltron (website: www.daltron.com.pg). However, services tend to be slow and sometimes unreliable. Telegram Facilities are available in main centres. Post Airmail to Europe takes seven to ten days. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600, Sat 0900-1200. Press Two daily newspapers are published in English: The Papua New Guinea Post Courier and The National. The most popular daily is Niugini Nius. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.36 9.740 6.195 3.915 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 17.74 11.71 9.645 6.110 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes Yes Yes Australian Yes Yes Yes Canadian Yes Yes Yes USA Yes Yes Yes OtherEU Yes Yes Yes Japanese Yes Yes Yes Note: On receipt of a stamped, self-addressed envelope, the High Commission can supply information sheets on how to apply for visas for Papua New Guinea. The information below should be considered as a guide, as visa requirements may be subject to change at short notice. PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least six months after entry required by all. VISAS: Required by all. Types of visa and cost: Tourist: £7. Business (multiple-entry): £175. Costs vary for special categories of visitors (including consultants, yachtsmen and those engaged in medical, research or expedition activities). There will also be charges for extensions and costs incurred in processing documents. Validity: Up to 60 days for tourists; up to 12 months for business trips with 60 days maximum per stay. Details of renewals or extensions are available from the Embassy or High Commission. Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy or High Commission); see Contact Adresses section. In emergency cases, Tourist visas can be obtained at Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby or at Mount Hagen on arrival, but only for a maximum period of 60 days in any 12-month period, which cannot be extended. However, visitors are strongly advised to obtain visas in advance (which is also the cheaper option). Application requirements: Tourist: (a) Completed application form (one per passport submitted). (b) Two passport-size photos. (c) Passport with minimum one year remaining validity from date of entry. (d) Return ticket. (e) Postal applications should be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped, registered envelope. (f) Fee (payable by postal order or bank drafts if applying by post or in cash if applying in person). Business: (a)-(f) and, (g) Confirmed itinerary from travel agent. (h) Detailed letter in support of application covering curriculum vitae and confirmation of ongoing project in Papua New Guinea. (i) For visas issued at the airport, a letter of guarantee from sponsor must have been sent in advance to the Director of Immigration at the airport. Contact the nearest Papua New Guinea representative office for further information. Working days required: 48 hours minimum for Business and Tourist visas. Temporary residence visas take up to six weeks or more. It is advisable for visa applications to be made a week or more before departure date, depending on type of visa. Temporary residence: Available for those entering for employment purposes, usually professional persons or those undertaking research, consultancy, etc. Applications should be made to the nearest High Commission or Embassy in the first instance. Money Currency: Kina (Kina) = 100 toea. Notes are in denominations of Kina50, 20, 10, 5 and 2. Coins are in denominations of Kina1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 toea. Currency exchange: Exchange facilities are available through trade banks. Credit cards: American Express is the most widely accepted credit card. Holders of this and other cards should check with their credit, or debit, card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. Travellers cheques: Accepted by most shops and hotels. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars, Pounds Sterling or Australian Dollars. Currency restrictions: There are no restrictions on the import or export of local currency. The import and export of foreign currency is subject to Government permission. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Kina against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 5.43 6.04 6.59 5.97 $1.00= 3.72 3.97 4.17 3.75 Banking hours: Mon-Thurs 0845-1500, Fri 0845-1600. Duty Free The following may be imported into Papua New Guinea by persons over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty: 260 cigarettes or 250g of cigars or tobacco; 1l of alcoholic beverages; a reasonable quantity of perfume; goods up to a value of Kina200 (Kina100 for persons under 18 years of age) excluding radios, tape recorders, television sets, video cameras, video tapes, record players and associated equipment. Prohibited items: Plants and soil, uncanned foods of animal origin (unless from Australia or New Zealand), and all pig meat from New Zealand. Public Holidays Dec 25-26 2002 Christmas. Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Apr 18 Good Friday. Apr 21 Easter Monday. Jun 9 Queen’s Birthday. Jul 23 Remembrance Day. Sep 16 Independence Day and Constitution Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Apr 9 Good Friday. Apr 12 Easter Monday. Jun 7 Queen’s Birthday. Jul 23 Remembrance Day. Sep 16 Independence Day and Constitution Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Note: In addition, there are various regional festivals throughout the year. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever No 1 Cholera 2 No Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A Malaria 4 N/A 1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over one year of age if arriving within six days of leaving/transiting infected areas. 2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Papua New Guinea. However, cholera is a risk in this country and precautions are advisable. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. See the Health appendix for further details. 3: Vaccination against typhoid is advised. 4: Malaria risk exists all year throughout the country below 1800m (5760ft). The predominant falciparum strain is reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine and resistant to sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine. Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Other risks: Hepatitis A and B are endemic. Dengue fever and typhoid fever can occur in epidemics. Japanese encephalitis occurs sporadically. Poisonous fish and sea snakes are a hazard to bathers. Health care: The main hospitals are Port Moresby General (Papuan region), Goroka Base (Highlands) and Angau Memorial. Visitors can use any of the private doctors or public consultation clinics. Doctors and hospitals are not free and often expect immediate payment for medical services. Hospitals are poorly equipped and sudden shortages of common medications can sometimes occur; travellers who may need ongoing or routine medical treatment are advised to obtain visas for Australia, where medical facilities are more reliable, before leaving their country of origin. Dental care outside the main centres is limited, but pharmacies in the major centres are well stocked. There is no reciprocal health agreement with the UK. Health insurance is essential and must include evacuation facilities. Travel - International Note: Visitors are advised against all non-essential travel to the Southern Highland Province and Enga Province. There have been incidents of assaults and robbery in Port Moresby and Lae: caution should be exercised on visiting these areas. For further advice contact a local government travel advice department. AIR: Papua New Guinea’s national airline is Air Niugini (PX) (website: www.airniugini.com.pg); it is also served by Qantas (QF), amongst others. Approximate flight times: The total flying time from Port Moresby to London is up to 30 hours (using current services and routes), but the journey takes at least two days to complete. International airports: Port Moresby (POM) (Jacksons) is 11km (7 miles) from the city. There are direct flights to Australia and Singapore. Duty-free and banking facilities are available at the airport. Buses and taxis are available to the city (travel time – 20-60 minutes). Departure tax: Kina30 is levied on international flights. Children under two years of age and passengers not leaving the airport are exempt. SEA: The international ports are Alotau, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Wewak (Sepik), Rabaul (New Britain), Kieta (North Solomons) and Momote (Manus). Passenger/cruise lines running regular services include Lindblad, Peter Deilmann, Society Expeditions and World Discoverer. Main cargo/passenger lines include Austasia and Bank Line. Travel - Internal AIR: Services are run by Air Niugini to all main centres, but are expensive. Internal services should be booked between November and February. Air Niugini flies to over 100 airstrips throughout the country and operates regular services to the 20 major towns of the country. Air Niugini also offers reductions for pre-booking excursions. Charter services are also in operation. SEA: Cruises and excursions are available lasting 3-16 days. These go mainly to the islands and some otherwise inaccessible places on the coast. Cargo/passenger services between Madang and Lae are run by Lutheran Shipping with facilities including passenger cabins, accommodation and meals. RIVER: For the local people in some regions of the country, rivers, particularly the Sepik, provide the main thoroughfares. In these areas it is possible to hire motorised canoes or obtain passage on a trading boat; however, apart from cruises, there are no regular public transport operators on the rivers. See Resorts & Excursions below. ROAD: Driving is on the left, and is not recommended. Owing to the rugged terrain of Papua New Guinea, road development of the interior has been slow. There are currently 19,736km (12,262 miles) of roads of which 4865km (3023 miles) are highways or trunk roads. There is a network of roads connecting the northern coast towns of Madang and Lae with the major urban centres in the Highlands region. There are few roads connecting the various provinces, however. Bus: PMVs (public motor vehicles) operate in the main centres from bus shelters or they can be hailed. Taxi: Available in district centres but expensive. Although operated on a metered basis, fares can be negotiated. Car hire: Avis, Hertz, Budget and the Travelodge Hotel Cars Service are available in principal towns. Documentation: A national driving licence is sufficient. RAIL: There is no railway. Accommodation Adequate and comfortable accommodation is available throughout Papua New Guinea. Generally it is more expensive than in most Australasian states. HOTELS: There are hotels of international standard in Port Moresby, Lae, Madang and most major centres. Many motels also offer good value accommodation. LODGES: There is a developing tourist industry and tourist accommodation is increasing in many hitherto inaccessible areas. There are lodges in the Highlands and on the Sepik River, many of which can only be reached by air or river. Generally they consist of bungalows constructed of local materials. Contact the Tourism Promotion Authority for further details (see Contact Addresses section). Introduction The tribal diversity of a country with over 700 languages cannot easily be summarised, although in Papua New Guinea it is the tribal life that is most fascinating to the visitor. Some of the excursions in Papua New Guinea are interestingly different from those offered elsewhere; for example tourists can be taken to one of the many wrecks of World War II aircraft that lie in the jungle. Haus Tambarans (‘Spirit Houses’) are a feature of many towns and villages in the country, especially in the area of the Sepik River, so only a few of them can be given specific mention. Only initiated men of a tribe can enter (though in places this rule is relaxed for foreigners). They are built in a variety of styles, with massive carved wooden supports being a major feature. Other carvings and masks inside represent spirits. The orator’s stools in these places are not used for sitting on; bunches of leaves are slapped down on the stools as the orator makes his points. Port Moresby Port Moresby, the capital, is situated on the magnificent Fairfax Harbour. It houses the National Parliament, the National Museum, which contains exhibits of pottery from all the provinces, the Botanical Gardens and the Catholic Cathedral (which is built in the Haus Tambaran style). The National Museum contains a historical record stretching back over 50,000 years. There are many sporting facilities in Port Moresby, including scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, game fishing, water-skiing, golf, tennis and squash. Excursions: Major attractions in the Port Moresby area include The Kokoda Trail and Sogeri, 40km (24 miles) from Port Moresby via the Sogeri road, which offers magnificent views and winds through rubber plantations; Village Arts, a government-owned artefacts shop with the best artefact collection in the country situated at Six Mile, near the airport. Other places of interest near Port Moresby include the Wairiata National Park; Moitaka Crocodile Farm; Loloata Island and the Sea Park Oceanarium. Lae & Morobe LAE: Lae, the capital of Morobe province, is Papua New Guinea’s second city and an important commercial centre and seaport. The Botanical Gardens are among the best in the country. Mount Lunaman in the centre of the town was used by the Germans and the Japanese as a lookout point. It gives a magnificent view over the Huon Gulf and the Markham Valley. ELSEWHERE: Outside Lae is Wau, formerly a gold-mining centre. The Wau Ecology Institute, a privately funded organisation, has a small museum and zoo. Visitors can see cassowaries, tree kangaroos, crocodiles, birds of paradise, native butterflies and rhododendrons. Sights near Wau are McAdam National Park and Mount Kaindi, Finschhafen (a very pretty coastal town) and the Tami Islands, whose people are renowned for their carved wooden bowls. Sialum is an attractive area of coastline known for its coral terraces. White-water rafting on the Watut River is an attraction for the adventurous. Madang The capital of Madang Province, Madang is an ideal starting place for many of the tours round the islands and up the Sepik River. It has a variety of shops, hotels, restaurants and markets, where storyboards depicting myths and legends can be bought. In nearby Yabobs and Bilbils, traditional pottery-making can be seen. ELSEWHERE: There are four main population groupings in the province: island, coastal, river and mountain, each with its own diet, traditions and customs. The Manam islanders make houses out of sago trees and toddy palms with leaves and leaf stems tied into each other. The Ramu River people make similar houses, but on stilts, and their carving traditions are influenced by the cultures of the Sepik River. The mountain people are physically smaller and grow familiar crops such as lettuce, radishes, cabbages and potatoes. The families of the coastal population place a special value on dog’s teeth necklaces, tambu shell headbands and pig tusk amulets. These items are sometimes still used as currency in tribal transactions. The Sepik River The Sepik River is the longest river in Papua New Guinea and has been for many centuries the trade route into the interior. It winds down from the mountains near the border with Irian Jaya, draining immense tracts of scarcely explored jungle, swamp and grassland until it meets the sea, where it is more than a mile wide. It abounds with meandering waterways, oxbow lakes, tributaries and backwaters, swamps, lagoons, lakes and artificial channels built to short-cut its looping journey. Unusually for a great river, it has no delta system and its waters spew directly into the sea with enormous force. From the many villages along its banks come highly-prized examples of primitive art. The Haus Tambaran at Angoram possesses a display of art from almost the entire length of the river. At Kambaramba village, and elsewhere, houses are built on stilts as a protection against flooding and the dugout canoe is still the main local means of transport. Tourists have the option of being taken on a cruise. Woodcarving is one of the main local crafts and its architectural use in gables and posts in houses is a noteworthy feature as can be seen, for instance, at the village of Tambanum. Timbunke village is a further example of fine construction techniques, including bridge-building. The area around the Chambri Lakes is home to the diverse species of birds for which Papua New Guinea is famous. These include egrets, pied herons, brahminee kites, whistling kites, jacanas, darters, cormorants and kingfishers. Islands of tangled vegetation and the debris of fallen trees float down the river to the Bismarck Sea. Salt and freshwater crocodiles abound and come out mostly at night. Nightly or early morning excursions into the jungle can be arranged for tourists wishing to experience the unique cacophony of birds preparing for the day’s hunting. Tours along the river have a flexible itinerary which is adapted to river conditions and set to coincide with the many local customs and events. Also in the Chambri area can be found a unique pottery-making village, Aibom, where clay fireplaces, storage and cooking pots are made by the coil method and fired in the open air by women. At Kanganaman, a Haus Tambaran of national cultural importance is being rebuilt, providing an excellent example of the carvings on the immense Haus Posts. Korogo is famous for its Mei Masks. In the upper reaches of the Sepik, clan representation and art is characterised by insect totems using praying mantis, rhinoceros-beetle motifs and distinctive insect eyes. Canoe prows are extremely elaborate, as are the tops of stepladders leading into dwellings. At Waskusk, the drawings on the ceiling of the Haus Tambaran depict a clan leader’s dream, but conditions on the river sometimes make this village inaccessible. At Yigei, Upper Sepik-style Garamut Drums (‘Slit Gongs’) can be seen (and heard); and there are dramatic designs in white and yellow along the waterway in Swagap Village, which also has simple, elegant pottery and fireplaces, and often very fine examples of the canoe-builder’s craft. The Highlands The majority of the country’s population lives in this least accessible part of Papua New Guinea. EASTERN HIGHLANDS: This region has the longest history of contact with the West. Kainantu is reached from Lae through the Kassim Pass. It has a large cultural centre, selling traditional artefacts; it also provides training in print-making and weaving. The largest town is Goroka, an agricultural and commercial centre for the entire Highlands region. The JK McCarthy Museum has a comprehensive display of regional artefacts; the Leahy wing contains photographs taken by early explorers. In the town centre the Raun Raun Theatre company provides contemporary performances of traditional stories and legends. Bena Bena Village, 10km (6 miles) from Goroka, is the largest handweaving organisation in the Highlands. Also nearby is Asaro, where the men coat themselves with grey mud and re-enact for visitors their historic revenge on a neighbouring village. The legend has it that, having been defeated in battle, the resourceful villagers covered themselves in mud and successfully frightened the opposition, who ran away in fear of being visited by ghosts. SIMBU PROVINCE: Kundiawa, a small town, is the capital of Simbu Province. Some of the local caves are used as burial places; others are popular with cavers. Rafting down the Wahgi and Purari rivers is also exciting. Mount Wilhelm, 4509m (1480ft), is in Simbu Province and is the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea. WESTERN HIGHLANDS: In some ways Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands resembles a town from the Wild West. Its expansion is only recent and the local population organise a number of sing-sing celebrations to mark a diverse variety of events ranging from payment of a bride-price to the opening of a new road. There is also a cultural centre in the town. The Baiyer River Wildlife Sanctuary lies 55km (34 miles) north of Mount Hagen and is one of the best places to see the famous birds of paradise. Possums, tree kangaroos, parrots and cassowaries are also part of the natural habitat. SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS: The Mendi Valley of the Southern Highlands is noted for its spectacular scenery and limestone caves. It is home to the Huli Wigmen who wear red and yellow face-paint and elaborately decorated wigs made of human hair. ENGA PROVINCE: Wabang in Enga Province has a large cultural centre with an art gallery and a museum. Young artists can be seen working on sand paintings. War shields, wigs, weapons and other artefacts from all over Papua New Guinea are on display. Enga is the most primitive of the Highland Provinces. The Islands The main islands are New Britain, New Ireland and the Manus group (together comprising the Bismarck Archipelago), the northernmost Solomon Islands of Bougainville and Buka, and an eastern group of islands including the Trobriand and D’Entrecasteaux Islands. NEW BRITAIN: Rabaul on New Britain is the capital of the island and suffered extensive damage, owing to volcanic activity a few years back. During the eruptions most of the town was destroyed and the inhabitants were evacuated to other parts of the island. Rabaul used to be renowned for the Gunantabu (the remains of Queen Emma’s residence) with her private cemetery; the remains of the German Government House on Namanula Hill; a 576km (360-mile) underground tunnel system left by the Japanese; the Admirals Bunker, now a museum; an orchid park; and Rabaul Market, which is famous throughout the South Pacific. New Britain is one of the most popular islands for diving and there are many diving boats available. NEW IRELAND & MANUS: New Ireland and the Manus group of islands are off the general tourist trail. In the northwestern islands of the latter group there are no trees. The islanders have a tradition of making sea-going canoes out of logs that float down the Sepik into the surrounding ocean. NORTH SOLOMONS: Bougainville and Buka are separated by a narrow channel of islets. Before Bougainville was closed to visitors, tourists were well catered for with activities such as scuba diving, snorkelling, game fishing and swimming as well bushwalking, caving expeditions, a six-hour downhill hike from Panguna to Arawa and a three-day jungle trek to the summit of Mount Balbi, a dormant volcano. For details about visiting this area as well as the nearby Butterfly Farm in Kerei Village, contact the Tourism Promotion Authority (see Contact Addresses section). Relics of Japanese and German occupation abound throughout Papua New Guinea and visitors will have no trouble finding them. The wreck of Admiral Yamamoto’s plane in the rainforest of Buin is perhaps one of the most interesting. MILNE BAY: The islands offshore from Bougainville are lined with white sandy beaches. The Trobriands are the most accessible of the groups of islands in Milne Bay Province, but tourists might feel slightly less welcome than in the main tourist areas. As elsewhere in the islands, swimming and snorkelling enthusiasts are well catered for. The harvesting of yams from May to September is accompanied by extended rituals and celebrations which peak in the months of July and August. The mountainous D’Entrecasteaux Islands rise out of the sea. In the centre of Goodenough Island there is a large stone decorated with mysterious paintings. Sport & Activities Watersports: The beaches and coral reefs around Papua New Guinea offer spectacular swimming and snorkelling facilities. Diving facilities and qualified instructors are available. Port Moresby, Rabaul and Madang offer a wide variety of dives ranging from wrecks to reefs. Diving holidays can also be arranged at locations such as Loloaka and off the island of New Britain, the latter being considered one of the best diving areas in Papa New Guinea. There is an underwater club in Port Moresby which is open to visitors. Game fish are plentiful in Port Moresby, Lae, Madang, Rabaul and Wewak. Information is available from Port Moresby Game Fishing Club Gantry, PO Box 154, Boroko (tel: 325 4532; fax: 325 6048; e-mail: kwebber@daltron.com.pg). The Royal Papua Yacht Club (tel: 321 1723; fax: 321 3464; website: www.rpyc.com.pg) makes its extensive sailing facilities available to visitors; the season begins in late April. Backpacking and hiking: There are many Backpacking and hiking tours are on offer, ranging from simple bush walks to extended tours through the rugged interior. Other: Golf can be played at Port Moresby Golf Club, which has one of the oldest courses in Papua New Guinea, and is open to visitors. Other clubs are at Arowa, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wau and Minj. Visitors are welcome to do horseriding at Illimo Farm, Port Moresby, where instruction is available in the afternoons and at weekends. Squash courts and equipment are available in major centres. Social Profile Food & Drink: Hotel dining rooms cater for most visitors and menus in main centres are fairly extensive. The more remote the area, the more likely it is that the menus will be basic. However, increasing use is made of fresh local meat, fish, vegetables and fruit, including pineapples, pawpaws, mangoes, passion fruit and bananas. Traditional cuisine of Papua New Guinea is based on root crops such as taro, kaukau and yams, sago and pig (cooked in the earth on traditional feasts). Mumu is a traditional dish combining pork, sweet potatoes, rice and greens. The number of European, Chinese and Indonesian restaurants is rising. Waiter service is usual. Alcohol is readily available and includes Australian and Filipino beers. Nightlife: Several hotels in Port Moresby have dancing in the evenings and some organise live entertainment. There are two cinemas and one drive-in cinema. The Arts Theatre stages regular performances. The local newspaper advertises programmes. Sing-sings, tribal events on a smaller scale than the biannual festival, are sometimes held. Shopping: A wide range of crafts is available in shops; alternatively visitors can buy directly from villagers. Favourite buys include local carvings of ceremonial masks and statuettes from Angoram and the Sepik, Buka basketry, arrows, bows and decorated axes, crocodile carvings from the Trobriands, pottery and local art. The many butterfly farms send specimens of unusual species throughout the world. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1300 (some open longer and/or Sunday). Special Events: National Independence Day and (in some towns) the Chinese New Year are major occasions of celebration. Visitors should not however turn down any chances to go to a sing-sing, a colourful tribal gathering with dancing, singing and chanting. Colourful flower festivals and traditional feasts also take place throughout the year. The following is a selection of events celebrated annually. For further details, contact the Tourism Promotion Authority. May/Jun Kula Festival. Jun Port Moresby Show. Jun-Aug Yam Harvest Festival, Trobriand Island. Mid-Aug Mount Hagen Festival. Sep Maborosa Festival; Goroka Show; Hiri Maole Festival (coinciding with Independence Day on Sep 16). Oct Madang Festival; Morobe Agricultural Show. Social Conventions: Papua New Guinea’s culture still includes elements of a primitive lifestyle. There are universities at Lae (which is a University of Technology with a liberal infusion of Europeans and North Americans) and at Port Moresby. Casual clothes are recommended. Informality is the order of the day and although shorts are quite acceptable, beachwear is usually best confined to the beach. In the evenings some hotels expect men to wear long trousers but ties are rare. A long dress is appropriate for women on formal occasions. Tipping: Not customary and discouraged. Business Profile Economy: Although Papua New Guinea has been described as ‘a mountain of gold floating on a sea of oil’, it is a poor country and most of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture. The most important commercial cash crops are copra, coffee, cocoa, timber, palm oil, rubber, tea, sugar and peanuts. However, the gradual discovery of exploitable mineral deposits has transformed the country. Papua New Guinea boasts the largest known supply of low-grade copper, the entire production of which is exported to Western Europe and Japan under long-term contract, and accounts for three-quarters of the country’s export earnings. Production, though, has been upset by the Bougainville insurgency. Other identified mineral deposits include gold and chromite. Some oil and natural gas has also been located. Light industry has grown steadily, mostly to meet consumer demands: the construction industry, printing, brewing, bottling and packaging are among these. Papua New Guinea’s attempts to develop a tourist industry have been undermined by the lack of basic infrastructure and, more importantly, political instability. The country is always subject to the vagaries of the climate and natural phenomena – in recent years, it has suffered drought, flooding and an earthquake – which have caused further damage. On top of that, the Asian economic crisis of the previous autumn damaged the PNG economy. The present Government, which took office in 1999, has had more success than its predecessors in securing the support of the international financial community and foreign investors to tackle the country’s most urgent economic needs; cutting the budget deficit and stabilising the currency. An IMF-sponsored Structural Adjustment Programme was begun during 2000. Since then, inflation has been cut from double figures to eight percent, although annual economic growth remains low at one per cent. Papua New Guinea belongs to the Asian Development Bank and the South Pacific Commission. Its largest trading partners are Australia, with 50 per cent of the market, followed by Japan, Singapore and the USA. Business: Business affairs tend to be conducted in a very informal fashion. A conventional suit will not be required – shirt and tie or safari suit are sufficient. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1630. Government office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Papua New Guinea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PO Box 1621, Port Moresby, National Capital District (tel: 321 3057; fax: 321 0566; e-mail: pngcci@global.net.pg; website: www.pngcci.org.pg); or Investment Promotion Authority, PO Box 5053, Boroko National Capital District (tel: 321 7311; fax: 320 2237; website: www.ipa.gov.pg). Conferences/Conventions: Some hotels provide facilities. Climate Hot, tropical climate at sea level, cooling towards the highlands which also cause climatic variation from one area to another, affecting the southeast trade winds and the northwest monsoons. The majority of the rain falls between December and March due to the northwest monsoon, although Port Moresby enjoys a dry season at this time. There is frost and there are occasional snow falls on the highest mountain peaks. Required clothing: Tropical, lightweights and cottons are recommended. In the highlands, warmer clothing is needed. Rainwear is advised for the monsoon season (December to March). History and Government History: New Guinea has been inhabited by various peoples from throughout Asia for some 10,000 years. Its recorded history began with the visits of Portuguese explorers in the early 16th century, followed by Dutch traders. The Dutch East India Company took control of the western half of the island, which became a colonial possession attached to the Dutch East Indies in 1828. The territory was then split between the British and Germans in the 1880s, until after World War I, when it was transferred in its entirety to the control of Australia, endorsed by a United Nations mandate. Most of it was occupied by the Japanese during World War II. After 1945, New Guinea reverted to Australian administration before the granting of independence in 1975. Michael Somare, previously Chief Minister, assumed the post of Prime Minister. Somare remained in power until 1980, when Sir Julius Chan’s conservative People’s Progress Party (PPP) came out of opposition to form a government. Since then, Papua New Guinea’s domestic politics have been dominated by the struggle between Chan, Somare and the third major political figure of recent times, Mekere Morauta, leader of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), which was formed from dissidents of both PPP and Pangu Pati in 1992. Since the 1987 general election, which left no party in overall control, all governments have been composed of coalitions. The current administration, which was elected in June 2002, is headed by Somare, who is now serving his third term as premier. Irrespective of its make-up, the main problem for successive governments has been how to make the most of Papua New Guinea’s abundant natural resources, in order to finance the country’s much needed development. The country also has a unique natural environment that must be preserved. This has involved a balancing act in accommodating the mining companies, ensuring that the benefits of their activities accrue to the Papuan people, while protecting the environment. This worked reasonably well during the early years of independence. Unfortunately, at the end of the 1980s, it then fell apart spectacularly, due to developments on the island of Bougainville, the site of one of the world’s largest copper mines and source of one-third of Papua’s export income. In 1989, local landowners raised complaints about the pollution caused by the mine and the lack of financial benefit to the local economy. Violence broke out between the two sides and forced the closure of the mine in May 1989. The government sent in troops, who were confronted by a secessionist insurrection in the form of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA). In May 1990, Bougainville declared independence – no one recognised it, apart from the Solomon Islands, which has close links with Bougainville. Over the next ten years, the government tried a variety of methods to suppress the rebellion, including classic techniques drawn from counter-insurgency manuals, such as government-run ‘care centres’, to which many thousands of people were forcibly moved, in order to break their contacts with the BRA guerrillas. The final stages of the conflict were marked by a major political scandal involving the use of foreign mercenaries hired by a British company, Sandline, to train government troops and support military operations. This precipitated a major confrontation between the government and the army in 1997. The army came out on top, in the process acquiring a new-found influence in Papuan politics, to which all governments must pay heed. The conflict was finally resolved in April 1998 – a timely event, given that the accord was signed shortly before Papua New Guinea was hit by a unique and devastating series of natural disasters, including drought, flooding and tidal waves. Government: Papua New Guinea has a unicameral parliamentary system, with executive power nominally held by the British Crown, represented by a Governor General. Legislative power rests with the 109-member parliament. The local government system underwent extensive reform in 1995, when the 19 directly elected provincial governments were replaced by new regional authorities. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.