Indigenous people of New Guinea 7 letters. Papua New Guinea culture

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Papua - New Guinea- a state in Oceania, the main territory of which is located in the east of the island of New Guinea and neighboring, smaller islands (New Britain, New Ireland, etc.). It is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its seas: Arafura and Coral.

The name of the country is formed from two parts: “Papua”, which translated from Malay means “land of people with curly hair” (that’s what the Malays called the local residents, whose hair is mostly straight) and “New Guinea” - because of the dark the skin color of the aborigines, which seemed to Europeans similar to the skin color of the natives from African Guinea.

Occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (this part of the country is considered the “mainland”), the Bismarck Archipelago (with large islands New Britain and New Ireland), the islands of Bougainville and Buka in the Solomon Islands chain, the archipelagos of Louisiada, D'Entrecasteaux, Trobriand and a number of smaller islands. The territories that are now part of the state were in the past divided into two administrative units: Papua ( the southeastern region of New Guinea with adjacent islands), which belonged to Australia, and the north- eastern part New Guinea with nearby islands, which had the status of a UN Trust Territory and was administered by Australia.

In 1949, both parts were integrated by the Australian authorities into the so-called. administrative union. This association in 1971 received the name Papua New Guinea, and in 1973 acquired internal self-government. On September 16, 1973, the country's independence was proclaimed. Papua New Guinea is a member of the UN and the British Commonwealth. Area 462,840 sq. km. Population 4599.8 thousand people (1998). Capital - Port Moresby southeast coast New Guinea.

The first settlers probably arrived in the area of ​​what is now Papua New Guinea by sea from South-East Asia OK. 30 thousand years ago, when New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania were connected by land bridges and formed a single land mass. These people, speakers of Papuan languages, were hunters and gatherers, and much later, they may have begun to cultivate and grow some plants. The second significant wave of population migration occurred approximately 6 thousand years ago. The newcomers, who spoke Austronesian languages, introduced more advanced economic and cultural traditions. In New Guinea, they began clearing tropical rainforests and draining swamps in the intermountain basins to cultivate sweet potatoes, taro, and other crops brought from Southeast Asia. Narrowly specialized communities of potters, salt makers, canoe builders, and stone cutters appeared. Residents of the coastal areas were skilled sailors and regularly traveled in large canoes to distant islands, offering their products and jewelry there. The shores of New Guinea became known to Portuguese and Spanish merchants heading to the East Indies in the 16th century. They were followed by Dutch, French and English expeditions. The number of foreign ships entering these waters increased due to the establishment of the British colony in Australia in the late 18th century. and the development of whaling in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century. In 1847, Catholic missionaries settled on Murua (Woodlark) Island, located in the Solomon Sea, and traders and travelers established contacts with many coastal tribes.

However, for a long time, Europeans could not penetrate the interior of New Guinea with its rugged terrain, dense forests and vast swamps - breeding grounds for malaria. In addition, the local residents had a bad reputation as cannibals. In 1872 the London Missionary Society founded a mission on the Torres Strait Islands, and then on south coast New Guinea. A Wesleyan Methodist mission was established in the Duke of York Islands in 1875, and a Catholic mission in eastern New Britain in 1882. Other Europeans who entered the area were motivated by more earthly motives: they began to trade with the natives, acquiring copra and sea cucumbers, and fishing for pearls and shells or rushed to search for the legendary gold South Seas. Although Melanesians from the Solomon Islands and New Hebrides were mainly recruited to work on the plantations of Queensland, Fiji and Samoa, the recruiters did not ignore the inhabitants of the coastal and inland regions of modern Papua New Guinea. Australia showed increased interest in this territory, and in 1883 Queensland annexed the eastern part of New Guinea, ostensibly acting on behalf of Great Britain.

Rainwater and underground streams combined underground to create a labyrinth of tunnels known as Ora Cave in Papua New Guinea. (Stephen Alvarez, National Geographic)

However, due to pressure from Australia and taking into account Germany's intentions to create its own Pacific empire, Great Britain in 1884 captured the southeastern part of New Guinea with neighboring islands and created a colony there called British New Guinea. Germany annexed the northeastern part of New Guinea and the islands to the east of it to its empire; this colony was named German New Guinea. The German administration attempted to establish trade with its colony, but commercial manufacturing projects were hampered by malaria and difficulties in pacifying local tribes and recruiting labor, especially in the coastal lowlands. Nevertheless, German companies began producing copra on plantations in the Bismarck Archipelago. Then plantations appeared on Bougainville Island. The German colonial authorities treated the Melanesians strictly and even harshly, but at the same time sought to impart practical knowledge to them. German Catholic and Protestant missionaries were motivated by the idea that their efforts would contribute to the "enlightenment" of the aborigines.

Missionaries intensified their activities in British New Guinea, which was considered an unpromising territory. In 1888, gold was discovered in the Louisiade Archipelago, and hundreds of Australian prospectors flocked to the interior of New Guinea. In the 1920s, rich gold-bearing placers were discovered along the Bulolo River. In 1906, British New Guinea was transferred to Australia and renamed the Territory of Papua. Governor Hubert Murray was in charge of its affairs from 1908 to 1940. At the beginning of the First World War in 1914, German New Guinea was occupied by Australian troops. At the end of the war, Australia received a mandate from the League of Nations to govern the former German colony, which became known as the Territory of New Guinea. German plantations and trading companies also became Australian property.

The plantation economy in this mandated territory, unlike Papua, developed successfully until the economic crisis of the 1930s. Over the next 20 years, prospectors, missionaries, and government officials flocked to New Guinea's vast intermountain valleys. The population of coastal areas and islands, who were mainly engaged in subsistence farming, gradually began to introduce cash crops into circulation. However, the development of commodity-money circulation was more facilitated by men who were hired to work on plantations or gold mines for modest wages and food. Religious missions provided the Melanesians with some education and medical care. Before World War II, all these changes gradually occurred on the plains, but little affected the mountainous areas.

In 1942, Japanese troops captured the northern part of New Guinea, part of the Bismarck Archipelago and Bougainville Island. They occupied some areas for four years. The rest of what is now Papua New Guinea remained under Australian control. During the war, over a million Australian and American troops visited New Guinea. Part of the indigenous population, especially in the Sepik Valley and Bougainville, suffered greatly due to military operations and bombings.

Killed American soldiers in Papua New Guinea.

In some places, for example on Manus Island, large military bases were located. Residents of mountainous areas were little affected by the war. After the war, the northeastern part of New Guinea came under Australian control as a UN trust territory, and in 1949 it was united with Papua. The new administrative unit was named Papua New Guinea.

Australia tried to promote the country's socio-economic development and improve the welfare of the Melanesian population. Measures have been taken to strengthen centralized management with the participation of representatives local population. Particular attention was paid to overpopulated mountainous areas, contacts with which were established relatively recently. In 1953, the first road from the coast through the Kassam Pass to the mountains was built. The administration sought to improve the systems of medical care and education, and religious missions carried out considerable work in this direction. In 1964, general elections were held and a Legislative Assembly was formed, where the majority of seats were occupied by aborigines. New government agencies emerged and old ones were transformed.

Laws that infringed on the rights of Melanesians were repealed. Also in 1964, the University of Papua New Guinea opened in Port Moresby. In the 1970-1980s the main lever economic development The country has become a mining industry. In 1972, the exploitation of copper and gold deposits began in Bougainville, where plantation farming was replaced by a more modern industry with advanced technologies. Similar trends have emerged in some other areas of Papua New Guinea, where new roads, towns and ports have been built. In 1967, the national political party Pangu Pati was founded. After the 1972 elections, it formed a coalition government led by Michael T. Somare, which decisively sought to grant the country independence. This goal was achieved on September 16, 1975.

Madang Lagoon is the largest on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The political situation in the young state became complicated due to the separatist movement on Bougainville Island. The roots of this movement go back to 1884, when Germany annexed part of the Solomon Islands to its colony of New Guinea, disrupting the ethnolinguistic ties of the population of this archipelago. Separatist sentiments were in the air for many years and appeared on the eve of the declaration of independence of Papua New Guinea. The creation of the Northern Solomon Islands provincial government in 1976 calmed the situation, but did not solve the problem itself. The situation has worsened due to construction giant complex for the extraction of copper ore in Bougainville. The reason for the armed conflict that broke out in 1988 was initially the dissatisfaction of local landowners with the amount of compensation received from the Bougainville Copper mining company. Other claims then emerged, and eventually a demand was made for Bougainville's independence. As a result of clashes between local groups and army units and the police of Papua New Guinea, 15-20 thousand people on both sides were killed. Repeated attempts to achieve calm in the area remained unsuccessful for a long time. Only in 1998 did peace negotiations begin and there was hope for their successful completion.

Papua New Guinea is washed by the Arafura, Coral, Solomon and New Guinea seas, as well as the Pacific Ocean. The country is separated from Australia by the Torres Strait, about 160 km wide. The state has a land border only with Indonesia (in the west), which is drawn along the 141 meridian and only in a small area deviates to the west along with the Fly River. It borders by sea with Australia (in the south), the Solomon Islands (in the southeast), Nauru (in the east) and Federated States Micronesia (in the north).

The island of New Guinea and most of the country's other islands have mountainous terrain. The altitude of a significant part of the territory is more than 1000 m above sea level, and some peaks of New Guinea reach 4500 m, that is, the belt of eternal snow. Many of the mountain ranges are chains of volcanoes. In Papua New Guinea 18 active volcanoes. Most of them are located in the north of the country. Volcanic activity is also associated with strong, sometimes catastrophic earthquakes.

The main ridges of the eastern part of the island of New Guinea begin as a strip of 50 km directly from the border with Indonesia (the Star Mountains, which are a continuation of the Snowy Mountains), gradually expanding to 250 km in the central part (Central Range, Bismarck Range with the highest point of the country - Mount Wilhelm - 4509 m high, Schröder Ridge, Müller Ridge and others). Further to the southeast, the mountains become narrower and lower (they pass into the Owen-Stanley Range, with a maximum height of 4072 - Mount Victoria) and at the southeastern tip of the island they plunge under water. Some peaks rise above the water forming the Luisada Archipelago. Northern slopes These mountains are steep, and the southern ones are gentle. The southern foothills of the Central Range are commonly referred to as the Papua Plateau. The closer to the sea, the lower this plateau is, and gradually turns into a swampy lowland.

Parallel to the central mountains, low spurs of the Northern Coast Mountains enter the territory of Papua New Guinea from Indonesia: partly the Bevani Mountains (up to 1960 m high), the Torricelli Mountains ( highest point- Mount Sulen, 1650 m high), Prince Alexander Mountains (the highest point is Mount Turu, 1240 m high). The coastal mountains end in lowlands (the valleys of the Sepik and Ramu rivers). As part of these mountains, the Adelbert Mountains are often considered (the highest point is Mount Mengam, 1718 m high), lying on the right bank of the Ramu River near the mouth, as well as Mount Finister and Saruvaged, located on the Huon Peninsula, with a maximum height of 4121 m (Mount Bangueta ). In addition to the main island, there are significant ridges on the islands of New Britain (Whiteman Ridge, Mount Nakani and Bayning, with a maximum height of 2334 m - the Ulawun volcano) and New Ireland (Sheinitz and Worron ridges, with heights up to 2340 m).

The national cuisine of Papua New Guinea is a rather motley mixture of culinary traditions various peoples of Oceania and Southeast Asia. As a rule, the basis of most dishes are various root vegetables and types of meat such as pork and various poultry (including game).
One of the most common dishes among the local population is mumu, which is an oven-cooked stew of pork, sweet potatoes, rice and several local herbs. For the first course, they usually serve “bugandi” - a simple soup seasoned with egg. In coastal regions, meat dishes are usually replaced various types fish that are caught in abundance in the seas washing the shores of Papua New Guinea. In most cases, rice or sorghum is a side dish for meat or fish; yams and the unique-tasting colocasia grass are also popular.

Various salads made from vegetables and those root vegetables that can be eaten raw are popular as appetizers before the main course. Bread is often replaced by specially fried breadfruit.
For dessert, a variety of fruits are offered - from bananas and mangoes to passion fruit and pineapples. Also popular is the dessert "dia" - sliced ​​bananas, sago and coconut cream. Sago is also used to make sweet pies with various fillings. Dishes made from sweet sugar cane stalks are especially popular in coastal areas.
You can quench your thirst in Papua New Guinea with local lemonade (muli wara), good local coffee or an incredible variety of fresh fruit juices, including those made from a mixture of different fruits.
European cuisine is found mainly in the capital, Port Moresby, and in the main areas tourist routes.

Port Moresby is the capital of New Guinea, a city located in the southeastern part of the young island of New Guinea. In addition to being the capital of the state of Papua New Guinea, it is also the center of the Port Moresby district.

In general, the population here consists of Melanesians and Papuans. Official language Pidgin English (adapted English) is recognized. Despite this, more than 700 languages ​​are spoken here, and this is not counting the various dialects. The thing is that the tribal system flourishes on the island, and the language directly depends on belonging to a particular tribe. In addition to the indigenous population, Europeans and Australians also live in Port Moresby.
Christianity flourishes in the city. According to statistics, 30% of the population are Catholics, 60% are Protestants. The remaining 10% consider themselves atheists or profess animist faith.

The city was founded back in 1873, when John Moresby arrived on the island. The Englishman liked the beautiful and quiet bay, and he named it after his. So this untouched area became Port Moresby.

In 1884, the future capital of papua new guinea became part of New Guinea, which at that time was a British colony. Then the colony of Papua came under Australian rule, and only 43 years later it merged with New Guinea. In 1964, the first elections were held, as a result of which the aborigines gained power. In the same year, the National University of Papua New Guinea was opened. In 1975, the young state finally became independent and began to actively develop. Port Moresby became the capital of Papua New Guinea.

The central part of the city, along which the port line runs, is simply called Town by local residents. Ela Beach Park is located in the southern part of the city. Architectural monuments are mainly located in the center, in the historical part. They stand out among modern buildings. For example, between office buildings and hotels, the El Church, built in 1890, is hard to miss.

Government buildings, as well as the business part of the city, are located in the north. There is also a large sports center there. He has been working here since 1980.
Cultural assets include the National University and the Papua New Guinea Museum. The flag is as unusual as the capital itself: a black ship is drawn on a yellow background, symbolizing port city. Below it in black letters is the name of the city - Port Moresby.

Locals They not only honor their city, but also try to develop it in every possible way, so the island has excellent service and tourist holiday.

Population— 6.1 million (estimate as of July 2010)

Population growth- 2.0% (fertility - 3.5 births per woman)

Density— 13 people/km²

Fertility— 27 per 1000 people

Mortality— 6.6 per 1000 people

Infant mortality- 44.6 per 1000 babies

Life expectancy of men— 63.8 years

Life expectancy of women— 68.3 years

Infection with the immunodeficiency virus (HIV)— 1.5% (2007 estimate)

Literacy- 63% men, 51% women (according to the 2000 census)

Urban population share — 12 %

Proportion of population over 65 years of age — 3,5 %

Proportion of population under 15 years of age — 36,9 %

Ethno-racial composition - Melanesians, Papuans, Negritos, Micronesians, Polynesians.

Languages ​​- official: Tok Pisin (most common), English (knows 1%), Hiri Motu (knows 2%). Over 800 indigenous languages.

Religions - Catholics 27%, Lutherans 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Adventists 10%, Pentecostals 8.6%, Evangelicals 5.2%, Anglicans 3.2%, Baptists 2.5%, other Protestants 8 .9%, Baha'is 0.3%, aboriginal and other beliefs 3.3% (according to the 2000 census).

In Papua New Guinea, the bulk of the population still lives in villages and engages in subsistence farming, while at the same time market relations are beginning to take shape. Some agricultural products are produced for sale. The number of people employed in the mining, manufacturing and service industries is growing. The dominant slash-and-burn farming system is focused on the cultivation of tropical starch-bearing plants, primarily tubers. Every year new areas are cleared and cultivated, and the land allocated for fallow land after the harvest is again overgrown with bushes. IN mountainous areas The main crop is sweet potato. Yams, bananas, taro, coconut palms and a variety of vegetables and fruits are also grown in the lowlands. To prepare plots for farming, men cut down and burn trees and bushes during the dry season, while women do the sowing, weeding and harvesting. Mixed crops are practiced, when several different crops are grown on one plot. In mountainous areas, slope terracing is carried out to regulate surface runoff, reduce soil erosion on steep slopes and extend the growing season. Many tribes, engaged in field work, perform rituals in the hope of a rich harvest. Plots are usually fenced off from pigs. These animals are cared for by women and children, although a man's status in society is determined by the number of pigs he owns.

Pork is eaten exclusively on holidays. It is customary to highlight land members of the community for only one growing season, and after harvesting, return them to the property of the clan or clan. This traditional land use system does not accommodate the cultivation of such perennial tree and shrub crops as chocolate and coffee trees, coconut and oil palms, tea, which grow in one place for 20-50 years. After the Second World War, Australian authorities encouraged the development of commodity production in the countryside, which in many areas was combined with traditional farming systems. As a result, small farms are outpacing plantation farms, which were leaders during the colonial period, in terms of production. Currently, in the coastal lowlands of New Guinea and other islands, coconut palms are grown, from the nuts of which copra is obtained, and in the north of New Guinea and on an even larger scale in New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville, chocolate trees are grown.

In 1997, the second most valuable agricultural export (after coffee) was palm oil from New Britain. Coffee, the main commodity in the mountainous regions, was introduced and became widespread in the 1950s. Another important product is exported from mountainous regions - tea. All market tree and shrub crops are grown both on small farms and on plantations, initially created thanks to foreign investment, but gradually passing into the hands of local cooperative associations. The production of cocoa, coffee, tea and palm oil requires equipment that, as a rule, is available only to large plantation-type enterprises. Of secondary commercial importance are the cultivation of pyrethrum at altitudes above 1800 m, the production of fruits and vegetables for city markets, and livestock raising. A special place is occupied by betel nut culture, which has a stimulating effect on humans and is highly valued in the world. local markets. The country has exceptionally rich mineral resources, which led to the development of the mining industry, which in 1996 provided 27% of GDP, i.e. about the same as agriculture, forestry and fishing combined. Large-scale copper and gold mining began in Panguna on Bougainville Island in 1972.

Ore reserves were estimated at 800 million tons, with a copper content of 0.46% and gold - 15.83 g per 1 ton. Production was carried out by the Bougainville Copper company, owned by the international monopoly Conzinc Riotinto. The huge Ok Tedi copper deposit in the northwestern part of mountainous New Guinea is estimated at 250 million tons (1 ton of copper ore contains 0.852% and gold 0.653 g). In the late 1980s, gold mining began at Porgera near Ok Tedi, on Mishima Island off the southeastern coast of New Guinea, and on Lihir Island off the coast of New Ireland. According to experts, Papua New Guinea can become the world's largest supplier of gold (displacing South Africa). Porgera is already one of the top ten exploited gold deposits in the world. Any problems in the mining industry have profound effects on the entire economy of Papua New Guinea. Due to the closure of the Bougainville mine in 1989, an armed conflict broke out between local separatists and the central government, which could not come to terms with the loss of an important source of income. In 1997, due to severe drought, the surface flow in the Fly River basin, through which the products of the Ok-Tedi and Porgera fields are transported, sharply decreased. Oil and natural gas reserves have been discovered in Papua New Guinea.

The first gas pipeline project to Australia has been proposed, and more are likely to follow. About 60% of the energy used in the country comes from charcoal, 35% from imported petroleum products and only 5% from hydropower. In recent years, foreign companies, mainly Asian, have been involved in logging. In 1994, when world timber prices rose sharply, forest products accounted for 19% of Papua New Guinea's exports. They are almost entirely destined for the Japanese and South Korean markets, and therefore the economic crisis that has engulfed Asian countries in the second half of the 1990s, led to a noticeable decrease in the income Papua New Guinea received from this industry. The natural beauty of Papua New Guinea and the unique cultures of the peoples inhabiting it should also be considered as a potential resource for the development of foreign tourism. Undoubtedly, this country is more promising for tourism development than the Cook Islands or Samoa.

The indigenous population of Guinea will be the PAPUANS.

The Papuans are engaged in agriculture, as well as gathering - almost like ancient people, they also go hunting.

And for many today the Papuans are a wild tribe.

Basics indigenous people the state of Papua New Guinea is called Papuans (required seven letters). This state is located in Oceania. The territory area is 462,840 square kilometers, the population is 7,275,300 people.

Papuans are the indigenous people of New Guinea.

This name comes from the name of the state of Papua New Guinea, which occupies the eastern half of the island.

The word Papua comes from the Malay papuwa, meaning curly. The natives of New Guinea look like this - dark-skinned and curly-haired.

The indigenous people of the island of New Guinea are PAPUANS.

The main occupation of these island residents is agriculture. They mainly grow coconuts, bananas, yams, and taro. They also engage in pig breeding and hunting.

Actually, if you don’t immediately slap down the obvious name of the inhabitants, but do a little research and read about them, then Papua were and are called indigenous. The two letters SY have already been attached to the name of the aborigines. And there should have been five letters. But the modern interpretation dictates that they still be called PAPUANS, although they say they (the natives) are offended by this-)

PAPUANS, apparently. Or a GUINEAN, but it’s somehow quite simple...

New Guinea is very big Island, it is the second largest in the world. Due to its unique topography with an abundance of isolated valleys and dense tropical vegetation, it is inhabited by many nationalities and tribes. How many of them are still not known exactly, there are up to 800 languages. And they call them all PAPUANS.

In Papua and New Guinea live the Papuans, who were engaged not only in farming and hunting, but also, until very recently, in cannibalism. According to some assumptions, it was they who ate the missing son of Rockefeller, who went to study the life of the Papuans.

However, to the credit of the Papuans, it must be said that, according to their concepts, they do not engage in cannibalism, because in their language only the inhabitants of a given tribe are called people, and everything outside is already animal world.

In a corner of nature that is amazing for us - Fr. New Guinea - the population lives mainly in villages and has the following racial composition:

Based on the fact that a seven-letter word is needed for the answer, we can choose both Papuans and Negritos.

But based on the name of the country Papua New Guinea, most likely you should select Papuans.

The people of Papua New Guinea are called Papuans. They have been engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding since ancient times.

The correct answer is seven letters - Papuans.

It will be very easy to answer this question if you remember the full name of the above-mentioned country - the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. All basic information about this country can be found here. The peoples inhabiting New Guinea are the Papuans and Malaysians. There are also pygmies (Negroids), but there are very few of them. The bulk - 78% - is Papuans- the answer to our question.



The indigenous people of New Guinea are called PAPUANS. Location of New Guinea - Oceania. Speaking about the number, it is worth noting that it is almost 8 million people. Papuans are mainly still engaged in traditional farming. They grow many useful products

Since time immemorial, Russian and foreign sailors began to explore the islands located in the Pacific Ocean. These natural complexes so amazing and unusual that they are considered to be separate continents with their own culture and way of life. From school we all remember that in Oceania after Greenland is Papua New Guinea.

The island is washed by several seas: New Guinea, Solomon, Coral, as well as the Gulf of Papua. Close study natural resources, local culture and the indigenous population were studied by N. N. Miklouho-Maclay, a Russian biologist and navigator who made a significant contribution to geography, history and science. Thanks to this man, the world learned about the existence of wild jungles and original tribes.

True, tours to an island in Oceania are not in great demand and remain a rarity. But travelers who have visited the local jungle, untouched by civilization, remember their vacation with rapture and delight. Rich vegetation, exotic wildlife, amazing landscapes, diversity of languages, customs and cultures leave an indelible impression on the memory. Our publication is dedicated to this state.

Geographical description of the island of New Guinea

A tropical island is in the waters Pacific Ocean, connects two parts of the world: Asia and Australia. It has been an independent state since 1975, also a member of the British Commonwealth and a member of the UN. Its capital is the city of Port Moresby. The origin of the island of New Guinea is continental. Almost the entire territory is covered with massive hills and rocky ridges.

Most of them volcanic origin, rise 3000 meters above ocean level. According to scientific data, the most high mountain Wilhelm is considered to reach 4509 meters. Between the hills there are wide basins filled with water, densely planted with tropical trees.

Several rivers flow through the island: Ramu, Sepik, Markham, Purari, Fly. Scientists involved in the geological study of the island claim that the continent has high seismic activity. Last eruption recorded in the last century, during which thousands of people were injured, and enormous damage was also caused to agriculture.

Island of New Guinea: population

Life on tropical islands began thousands of years ago, but no one can name the exact date. The last census took place in 1900, at that time the population was about 10 million people. The indigenous people are the Papuans, who belong to the equatorial race. In addition to the Melanesians - this is also the name of this nation - there are Asians and even Europeans.

The lack of civilization, jobs, as well as unfavorable living conditions and the presence of a high crime situation forces the aborigines to migrate from the “mainland” of New Guinea. The island lives by its own customs and laws. Papuans create clans, tribes, elect elders, without whom important tasks and decisions are not made.

The main occupation of the population is agriculture. Wild tribes plow the land, plant palm trees with bananas, coconuts, and pineapples. Fishing and hunting are no less popular. Some natives mine precious metals and then sell them on the black market.

Climatic conditions

Huge masses of water and small land sizes influenced the climate as a whole. In the north there is a humid equatorial climate, characterized by heavy rainfall and slight winds. Summer temperatures fluctuate between +30...+32 °C, decreasing slightly at night.

The southern part of the continent is under the authority of the subequatorial climate zone. During the winter months (January-February) strong winds prevail on the island of Papua New Guinea. The island, or rather the southeast (May-August) and central part, heavy tropical rains.

The rest of the coastal area (lowland) experiences drought until late autumn. In areas with high mountains and ridges receive little precipitation, since the elevations act as a protective barrier against cold air masses and rain.

Economic situation

The relief of the ridges prevents the construction of highways and connecting routes. There is currently no land connection with major New Guinea. The island has only air connections with the Pacific regions. To maintain and develop the economy, the state in Oceania regularly receives financial support from Australia.

However, the infrastructure remains at antediluvian levels. The main reason is the lack of respect for law and order on the part of local residents. Crime and civil strife flare up in rural areas. In order to protect their property from robbery and ruin, residents create communities.

The main activity of the population is agriculture. Thus, market relations are established between tribes and regions. In the mountainous regions they cultivate sweet potatoes and tea, in the lowlands - vegetables, bananas, yams, and taro. They grow various cereals, fruit, coffee and chocolate trees. Animal husbandry is practiced. Papua New Guinea is abundant in mineral resources. The mining industry is actively developing.

Flora

The territory of the island of New Guinea is covered with evergreen savannas. Valuable plant species and relict trees grow in the jungle: sago and coconut tree, melon and mango, rubber plants, ficus, bamboos, pandanus, casuarina. The forests contain pine trees and ferns. And mangroves grow in swampy areas. Along the banks of the rivers you can see thickets of sugar cane.

Fauna

The fauna is rich and diverse. Local rivers are home to alligators, dangerous and poisonous snakes, as well as lizards and chameleons. The fauna is represented by amazing insects, exotic birds and reptiles. Birds of paradise, cassowaries, and large parrots live on the mainland. Large turtles crawl along the coast. Marsupial badgers, kangaroos, and cuscus are found in the forests. Local residents raise animals familiar to our region: pigs, cows, horses, goats and other livestock.

Tourist orientation

Avid travelers know where the island of New Guinea is located, and therefore strive to get here summer months to see the colorful and diverse world of the jungle. In warm weather, enchanting festivals with national Aboriginal dances are organized here. Many people are attracted to excursion holiday in the wild jungle with a local guide, others - exploring the sights of nearby resorts.

Things to do?

When purchasing a tour to Papua New Guinea, be sure to go diving. Every hotel and inn offers similar services. The waters of the Pacific Ocean are an incredibly colorful world, replete with coral reefs, amazing sea creatures, and large predators. You can see sunken ships and planes on the ocean floor.

Surfing and windsurfing are no less popular. The best beaches For this extreme activity, there are the coasts of the resorts Wewak, Madang, Vanimo, Alotau. Fishing is allowed in the coastal waters, which is what guests of the island do. You can catch mackerel, giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, barracuda, salmon, perch and many other trophies. Rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and boat trips are in great demand.

Papua New Guinea - natural miracle world, fraught with many mysteries and seductive with its resources. If you are not afraid of tropical mosquito bites and the aggressive behavior of Papuans, then feel free to purchase a tour to the picturesque island.

The total population is about 5.6 million people.

The ethnic composition of the country's population is very diverse. The indigenous people of Papua New Guinea are divided into four regional, cultural and political groups - Papua, or as they are not entirely correctly called in our country - Papuans (inhabit the southern regions); mountain peoples (northern New Guinea); islanders (mostly representatives of Melanesian peoples) and people from other countries. The total share of Papua nationalities reaches, according to official estimates, 84% of the country's population, and the total number of different tribes of this ethnic group is estimated at several hundred! Melanesian peoples (about 15.5%) are partly part of the indigenous people of New Guinea and form part of the Papua tribes, partly represented by people from the nearby islands of Oceania, as well as islanders of the Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Islands. In addition, the country is home to Polynesians and Micronesians, as well as about 43 thousand people from Europe, Australia and Southeast Asian countries.

The distribution of the population across the islands is also uneven - more than half live in the area of ​​Port Moresby and Rabaul, while the isolated interior areas of all the islands are extremely sparsely populated.

Political state

Independent state Papua New Guinea (Independent State of Papua New Guinea or Papuaniugini) is a constitutional parliamentary democratic republic within the British Commonwealth.

The head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, represented by the Governor-General, elected by Parliament after legislative elections. The head of government is the prime minister. The Cabinet (National Executive Council) is appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Legislative power is vested in the unicameral National Parliament, or House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 deputies elected independently, another 20 - one from each administrative area country, the term of office of deputies is 5 years).

The country is administratively divided into 20 districts (including the special National Capital District of Port Moresby, NCD).

olly_ru | spring 2016

dariamontreal | summer 2010