Updated: March 2009
Papau New Guniea
Overview | World Vision's history in Papau New Guinea | World Vision in Papau New Guinea today
OverviewLocated in the South Pacific, Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and includes many outlying islands to the east. The country borders part of Indonesia, which is positioned on the western half of the island, and has a maritime border with the Solomon Islands to the east and Australia to the south. The terrain features coastal lowlands, dense forests, and a central mountain range running the length of the country. Situated just south of the equator, Papua New Guinea has a tropical climate with slight variations in seasonal temperatures. Natural resources include gold, copper, silver, natural gas, and timber.There are hundreds of indigenous ethnic groups in the country, most of which are classified as Papuan. Other groups include Melanesians, Micronesians, and Polynesians, with small communities of Australians and Chinese. With more than 800 indigenous languages, Papua New Guinea has more than 10 percent of the world’s total number of languages—more than any other country. Melanesian is spoken as a common language between people groups. In 1885, Britain annexed the southern coast of eastern New Guinea, transferring territorial rights to Australia in 1906. By September 1975, Papua New Guinea achieved independence from Britain. A violent nine-year secessionist movement took place on the island of Bougainville beginning in early 1989. Rebels shut down the island’s copper mine, a major source of revenue for the country. A peace treaty was signed in 1998, ending hostilities. Papua New Guinea suffers from a number of economic and social problems. Unemployment is as high as 80 percent in some areas. As a result, more than half of the population lives below the poverty line. Nearly half of all health centers do not have electricity to power medical equipment. In fact, only seven percent of the population has access to electricity. In addition, three-quarters of children and two-thirds of women have reported experiencing violence in their homes. |  |
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Back to top World Vision’s history in Papua New GuineaA pastors conference was held in the capital city of Port Moresby in 1971, marking World Vision’s first involvement in the country. Literacy and agricultural programs were launched in 1978, and three years later the national office opened. In September 1983, severe flooding devastated the Lae area, forcing hundreds of people out of their homes. World Vision responded by offering food, sleeping mats, kitchen utensils, and fuel to 500 Lae settlers. In the past 10 years, World Vision has focused on providing health care, income generation, and improved drinking water.Back to top World Vision in Papua New Guinea todayWorld Vision is committed to partnering with the people of Papua New Guinea to enhance their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities, families, and children. World Vision operates a few community development programs, all of which are supported by donors in other countries. Activities focus on clean water, literacy, health care, nutrition, and agriculture. World Vision United States does not currently fund any programs in Papua New Guinea.For more information on World Vision’s work in Papua New Guinea, contact the United States office. Back to top | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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