Conventional Long Form Name of country: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Capital City: Port Moresby
Type of Government: constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Date of Independence: September 16th, 1975
National Holiday: Independence Day, September 16th
Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II
Capital City: Port Moresby
Type of Government: constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Date of Independence: September 16th, 1975
National Holiday: Independence Day, September 16th
Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II
Head of Government: Prime Minister Peter Charles Paire O'Neill
Description of Executive Branch: The monarchy is hereditary; the governor general is nominated by parliament and appointed by the chief of state.
Description of Legislative Branch: The unicameral National Parliament has 111 seats, 89 are filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital district; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; the constitution allows up to 126 seats
Description of Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 28 other judges; the National Courts have 10 courts located in the province capitals, with a total of 16 resident judges
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elias Rahuromo Wohengu
Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S.: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036
Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S.: N/A
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM: Ambassador Walter E. North
Location of U.S. embassy THERE: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE: N/A
Name of THEIR representative to UN: Robert Guba Aisi
Description of Legislative Branch: The unicameral National Parliament has 111 seats, 89 are filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital district; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; the constitution allows up to 126 seats
Description of Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 28 other judges; the National Courts have 10 courts located in the province capitals, with a total of 16 resident judges
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elias Rahuromo Wohengu
Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S.: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036
Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S.: N/A
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM: Ambassador Walter E. North
Location of U.S. embassy THERE: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE: N/A
Name of THEIR representative to UN: Robert Guba Aisi
Description of the Symbolism of flag: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered; red, black, and yellow are traditional colors of Papua New Guinea; the bird of paradise - endemic to the island of New Guinea - is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation; the Southern Cross, visible in the night sky, symbolizes Papua New Guinea's connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific
National Symbol(s): bird of paradise
Descriptions of International Disputes: relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
Quantity of refugees inside country AND country(ies) of origin of refugees: 9,368 (Indonesia) (2012)
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons: N/A
Description of current human trafficking issues related to this country: Papua New Guinea is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; women and children are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude; families may sell girls into forced marriages to settle debts, leaving them vulnerable to forced domestic service; local and Chinese men are forced to labor in logging and mining camps; migrant women from Malaysia, Thailand, China, and the Philippines are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude at logging and mining camps, fisheries, and entertainment sites
Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use: major consumer of cannabis
Descriptions of International Disputes: relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
Quantity of refugees inside country AND country(ies) of origin of refugees: 9,368 (Indonesia) (2012)
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons: N/A
Description of current human trafficking issues related to this country: Papua New Guinea is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; women and children are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude; families may sell girls into forced marriages to settle debts, leaving them vulnerable to forced domestic service; local and Chinese men are forced to labor in logging and mining camps; migrant women from Malaysia, Thailand, China, and the Philippines are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude at logging and mining camps, fisheries, and entertainment sites
Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use: major consumer of cannabis