The country of Papua New Guinea and several offshore islands
can be found in the south-western Pacific Ocean. The nation has
a population of close to seven million with the capital and
largest city being Port Moresby. The country is known as one of
the most diverse on the planet as it features hundreds of
traditional societies and over 850 local languages. You’ll also
find most of the people live in rural areas instead of towns and
cities.
Most of Papua New Guinea has yet to be explored both
geographically and culturally and there are dozens of
undiscovered plants and animals thought to be living in the
interior of the country. Most residents still live in
traditional societies and villages and survive by farming. The
nation gained independence in 1975 from Australia.
It’s believed people inhabited the area up to 50,000 years
ago and that early settlers came from Southeast Asia. Portuguese
and Spanish explorers visited it in the 16th century. In 1884
the northern area of the country became known as German New
Guinea and in World War I
Australian troops occupied it. The
country saw a lot of fighting during the Second World War and
the north and south regions were then united.
The landscapes are almost as diverse as the people as it
features rugged mountains, volcanoes, dense, tropical
rainforests, jungles, coral reefs, swamps, grasslands, and
wetland areas. The terrain makes it almost impossible to travel
in some areas other than by small airplane or foot. The country
has two international airfields and over 500 airstrips, with an
international airport being located in Port Moresby. The eastern
side of New Guinea is home to the largest towns such as Port
Moresby and Lae. Some of the other main islands include New
Britain, Manus, Bougainville, and New Ireland.
Even though it’s located close to the equator, the country
sometimes gets snow in the highlands. The diverse landscapes
also lead to the existence of a wide assortment of amazing
wildlife and flora. Some of the world’s strangest animals can be
found here.
Because there are hundreds of different ethnic groups and
tribes in Papua New Guinea, it’s hard to pin down one main
culture or influence. In fact, many remote tribes don’t have
much contact at all with the outside world. But just about every
group expresses its own culture through its costumes, songs,
language, dance, weapons, architecture, and art, etc.
But while there are well over 800 languages spoken, one of
the official ones is English. However, you might not find too
many people who speak it. One thing most residents agree on
though is sport as rugby league is considered to be the most
popular. Others include rugby union, football, Australian Rules
football and cricket.
While the nation remains relatively unexplored, there are
plenty of things to see and do for visitors in its 20 provinces.
These include diving, surfing, fishing, hiking, and visiting
festivals and markets as well as exploring the wonderful fauna
and flora. Most of the public festivals take place from May to
November while the markets feature local arts, crafts, and
foods.
Divers will be able to explore numerous shipwrecks from World
War II and surfing is an ideal activity all year round. For
hikers, the famous Kokoda Track trail takes you to the site of
the intense World War II battle Japan and Australia and climbing
Mount Wilhelm is also a challenge as it’s the country’s highest
mountain. Accommodations can be found in the country from all
types of budgets, from backpackers to high end.
A trip to Papua New Guinea will allow you to explore one of
the most diverse m ant interesting countries tries in the world
as well as its many cultures.
About Papua New Guinea