Information and Facts About Papua New Guinea — World Vision
| Overview Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, just north of Australia, and many outlying islands. The Indonesian province of West Papua (Irian Jaya) is to the west. To the north and east are the islands of Manus, New Britain, New Ireland, and Bougainville, all part of Papua New Guinea. About one-tenth larger than California, its mountainous interior has only recently been explored. Two major rivers, the Sepik and the Fly, are navigable for shallow-draft vessels. Papua New Guinea's tropical climate varies by region and altitude. In the north, the wet season lasts from December to March and the dry season from May to October. The south and east are subject to different weather patterns, with a wet season from March to August. Temperatures average around 80°F (27°C) for the lowlands and between 65 and 70°F (18–21°C) for the highlands. Some outlying islands get much hotter. The government also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it has relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approach. Numerous challenges still face the government, including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV and AIDS epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of the national budget. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85 percent of the population. |  |
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| In 1988, an environmental protest over a copper mine on Bougainville Island escalated into a decade-long guerrilla war for the island's secession, during which some 20,000 people died, many through indirect causes such as malnutrition and disease. In 2001, the government of Papua New Guinea agreed to allow Bougainville greater autonomy and an eventual referendum on secession. The residents of Bougainville elected their first autonomous government in 2005; the federal government retains jurisdiction over defense and economic matters. Papua New Guinea suffers from a number of social and economic problems, including widespread corruption and crime, chronic unemployment, underdeveloped infrastructure, an economy heavily reliant on international aid, and a national government with little control over affairs in outlying provinces. This complex set of challenges presents an ongoing threat to Papua New Guinea's stability and progress. Many analysts say Papua New Guinea is in danger of political and economic collapse. The country's political system is unstable, the crime rate has soared, corruption is rampant, and essential services including health care and education continue to decline. According to the World Bank, 70 percent of the country lives in poverty. In 2006, Australia announced that it was gravely concerned about the country and had peacekeeping forces at the ready. World Vision’s Work World Vision’s earliest involvement began in 1971 to host a pastors’ conference. World Vision sponsorship involvement began in Papua New Guinea in 1979. The World Vision office was opened in 1981. Current efforts focus on helping children reach their full potential by breaking the cycle of poverty, and include initiatives like the following:
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