Papua New Guinea - Useful information for your trip

Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania, belonging to the Commonwealth and lapped by the Pacific Ocean. It's made up of the eastern part of the island of New Guinea and some islands of the Bismarck archipelago. Its capital city is Port Moresby.

Papua New Guinea features many jagged coasts with plenty of gulfs and coves, even on the islands. Near the coasts lie the main plains. The flat areas are often boggy. The rest of the country is mainly mountainous and the highest peak is Mount Wilhelm (4509 m). Three quarters of the land is covered by tropical rainforest. Main rivers are Sepik and Fly.

It has a tropical monsoon climate, with frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. Rainfalls are always heavy and it often snows in the highest areas, despite the proximity to the Equator. Many bird and mammal species of Papua New Guinea are similar to those of nearby Australia, particularly marsupial mammals such as kangaroos and possums. Vegetation includes podocarps, arauacaria pines and southern beeches. 

Despite not being particularly underdeveloped, the country is the poorest in Oceania. The agriculture is based on the export of coffee, palm oil and cocoa. Exports of timber and mining products such as gold and copper are also important. The government is trying to work on tourism, not always with successful results, mainly due to the high crime rates of the country. In Oceania, Papua New Guinea holds many negative records: the highest Aids incidence, high child mortality rates and widespread illiteracy. 

During your stay in Papua New Guinea, you shouldn't absolutely miss its stunning natural landscapes, from river Sepik to Kokoda Trail, the picturesque islands and Port Moresby Natural Park.