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Huli tribesman, Papua New Guinea
photo: WWF-Canon /
Kevin SCHAFER |
Papua New Guinea
With an estimated population of 5.3 million, Papua New Guinea (PNG) is the largest and most populous island nation in the Pacific, while at the same time, one of the least densely settled. Urban areas have the highest population density (the capital of Port Moresby is the largest with around 250,000 people) and squatter settlements have grown rapidly in recent years to accommodate the influx of people from rural areas. But PNG society continues to be characterized by village communities that own the natural resources on which their livelihoods depend, and over 80 percent of the population lives a largely subsistence lifestyle in rural areas.
It is thought that human habitation of PNG started at least 50,000 years ago and perhaps even earlier. After living for centuries under colonial rule, Papua New Guinea gained independence in 1975. Its subsequent constitution and national laws guaranteed customary ownership of land and resources over the 97 percent of the country where land remains under community control. As a result, any major decisions regarding development that would impact community resources must be made with the participation and consent of those communities, which has been given as one reason for the quality of the country's environment.
Papua New Guinea is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse nations on earth, with 817 living and distinct languages (almost 1100 on the island of New Guinea), which is approximately one eighth of the world's human languages in one thousandth of its land area (17 times the languages of Europe in an area the size of France). Tok Pisin and English are now widely accepted as the national languages. While its constitution states that it is a "Christian country," PNG's people retain many of the traditional and religious beliefs.
Papua Province
Home to more than two million people, Papua Province (formerly Irian Jaya) is Indonesia's least populous province. While it is an underdeveloped area in terms of average per capita income, health indicators, education and infrastructure, it provides Indonesia important resources including its forests, mineral deposits, and oil and gas reserves. Those not involved in resource extraction live a largely subsistence lifestyle. Both indigenous and immigrant populations have grown rapidly in recent decades, and the province is home to a culturally and ethnically diverse people.
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