HISTORY PNG was settled more than 30,000 years ago, although the first European sighting was made in 1512 by Portuguese explorers. It was named New Guinea by the Dutch explorers who followed. Missionaries and traders exerted a great influence, and today cultural heritage is largely preserved by small, independent villages. The country was initially divided between the Dutch, Germans and British. Australia took control of the British sector in 1905, and later captured the German sector during World War I. The country fully independent since September 16, 1975 has a freely elected democratic government. Papua New Guinea became the 142nd member of the United Nations on October, 10, 1975 and is also a member of the British Commonwealth. Strong ties to Australia remain
PEOPLE Papua New Guinea has a total population of approx 5.8 million comprised mainly of Melanesian race with dark skin, fuzzy hair and friendly smiles. There are more than 800 distinct languages. Melanesian Pidgin (Tok Pisin) and Hiri Motu are the two most widely used, but English is the official language in education, businesses and government circles.
CULTURE Largely Melanesian, the traditional cultures of PNG (more than 200 have been identified) are kept alive in elaborate rituals surrounding initiation rites, feasts, compensation ceremonies, marriage and death, and in country provinces, there are often variations in village construction, dialect and dress. Traditional Bilas (costumes) utilise natural dyes, wigs, shells, headdresses and body painting. Cultural heritage is celebrated in annual Sing Sing shows, at which village groups display their traditional singing, dancing and costumes. The shows at Goroka and Mount Hagen attract thousands of spectators each year. Christian influence predominates, but traditional beliefs and ceremonies are still practised in the more remote areas.
LANDSCAPE Papua New Guinea lies entirely within the tropics, just south of the Equator and 160km to the north of Australia. With a total land mass of about 473.189sq.km, the country encompasses the eastern part of New Guinea Island - the second largest island in the world, plus some 600 other islands, atolls and coral reefs. A central core of mountains, the Owen Stanley Range, runs east to west rising steeply from the coastal plains. From its highest peaks, 4500 metre high Mt Wilhelm and from downs of other peaks, great rivers like the Sepik and Fly River begin their journey to the sea. Below the mountain chain, fertile coastal plains, flooded delta regions and mangrove swamps exist alongside broad sandy beaches, colourful sheltered bays and dense rainforest.
CLIMATE PNG’s coastal climate is tropical warm to hot most of the year round. Temperatures average 30º-34ºC, with temperatures in the Highlands cooler (average 25ºC) and in the evenings (average 15ºC). Seasons are wet and dry, the dry season around May to October and the wetter months from December to March. The air is clean; watch out for sunburn, particularly in the Highlands, even on overcast days.
ENTRY VISA A 60-day Tourist Visa is available on arrival in Port Moresby at a fee of K100.00 (AUD40.00). To obtain a visa before you enter the country costs K75.00. You will need travel documents, sufficient funds for your stay in the country and an airline ticket with confirmed outbound flights before expiry date of your Visa. As some restrictions apply to several Asian, Eastern European and African countries, please check with the nearest Papua New Guinea Mission or the nearest Australian mission, which is allocated in each country for visa requirements before traveling to the country.
HEALTH REGULATIONS Certification or vaccination against yellow fever or cholera is requiring for travelers over one year of age coming from or through infected areas. Malaria is the only serious health risk. Visitors are strongly advised to consult your local doctor or tropical disease clinic to commence anti-malarial preparations before arrival. Use insect repellent and cover your body in the evenings Water quality is within World Health Organization standards in most towns. Bottled water is readily available in metropolitan areas but in rural areas it is advisable to boil water at all times.
CUSTOMS & QUARANTINE Adults over 18 have a general allowance of new goods to the value of K250 and are allowed duty free:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco
2 litres of alcohol.
A reasonable amount of perfume.
Drugs, pornographic literature or video tapes, firearms and weapons are prohibited. Food items, seeds, spices, live or dry plants, animals, animal products and biological specimens such as cultures and blood need special import approval. For more information on Customs Procedures and Services visit the PNG Customs website www.customs.gov.pg
CURRENCY The unit of currency is kina, which is divided into 100 Toea (pronounced Toya). Notes: K50, K20, K10, K5, and K2. Coins: K1, 50t, 20t, 10t, 5t. The 2t, and 1t were recently abolished. The Kina coin has a hole through the middle. All transactions within hotels, restaurants and bars are subject to a 10% GST tax which is included in published prices. Hotels, restaurants, shops, rental car companies, cruise operators and travel agents accept most major credit cards including Amex, Diners, Master cards and Visa Cards.
ECONOMY Papua New Guinea has a vibrant and multifaceted economy with two distinct systems operating side by side. The vast majority of our people live in a traditional, non-monetary barter economy that existed long before European colonization began. Co-existing with this is modern economic system based on mining, petroleum, fishing, forestry and agriculture. The main exports are gold, copper, oil, coffee, tea, copra, oil palm, forest and marine products.
HANDICRAFTS/SOUVENIRS One of the many pleasant surprises of Papua New Guinea is the wide range of art forms in diverse styles. Among the many tempting souvenirs you will encounter are:
Bilums - string bags made from natural fibre.
Masks - woven from cane or rattan: made of wood and clay and decorated with shells, hair and pig's teeth or incise with brown and white patterns and finished in glossy black.
Wooden bowls - bowls fashioned from prized local timbers, including ebony. Carved walking sticks, stools and tables are often inlaid with mother of pearl.
Baskets/Trays - Many different patterns and styles can be found. Those from Bouganville are regarded as some of the finest in the Pacific.
Drums - the most common musical instrument in Papua New Guinea: those made from a hollow tree trunk are called Garamuts while the smaller Kundu is shaped like an hour glass and has snake or lizard skins sketched over one end.
Story Board - made on the Karam River, they illustrate in raised relief incidents of village life.
Spirit Boards - act as guardians of the village with those from the Gulf Province believed to possess the spirits of powerful warriors.
We want to keep our cultural heritage intact, so items made before 1960 are restricted exports. National Museum Staff must inspect them before an export permit can be considered. Export of Bird of Paradise plumes as well as stone artifacts - except stone axes - is prohibited.
LANGUAGE English / Pidgin Yes = Yes No = Nogat Good morning = Monin Good afternoon = Apinun Good night = Gut nait Thank you = Tenkyu How much does it cost? = Em i hamas? / hamas long em? I would like to buy = Mi laik baim Where is the toilet? = Lik lik haus i stap weh? Please help me = Halivim mi, plis I don't like it = Mi no laikim Where are we going? = Yu mi go weh? Food = Kai (or Kai Kai) What is your name? = Wanem nem bilong yu? Where are you from? = Ples bilong yu weh? Hospital = Haus sik May I take a photo? = Inap mi kisim piksa?
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