What are the inhabitants of New Guinea called? papua new guinea culture

The total population is about 5.6 million people.

The ethnic composition of the country's population is very diverse. The indigenous people of Papua New Guinea are divided into four regional, cultural and political groups - Papua, or as they are not quite correctly called in our country - Papuans (inhabit the southern regions); mountain peoples (northern part of New Guinea); islanders (for the most part - representatives of the Melanesian peoples) and people from other countries. The total share of the Papua peoples reaches, according to official estimates, 84% of the country's population, and the total number of different tribes of this ethnic group is estimated at several hundred! The Melanesian peoples (about 15.5%) are partly part of the indigenous inhabitants of New Guinea and form part of the Papua tribes, partly represented by people from the nearby islands of Oceania, as well as the islanders of the Bismarck archipelago and the Solomon Islands. In addition, Polynesians and Micronesians live in the country, as well as about 43 thousand people from Europe, Australia and countries South-East Asia.

The population distribution across the islands is also heterogeneous - more than half live in the Port Moresby and Rabaul area, while the isolated hinterland of all the islands is extremely sparsely populated.

Political state

Independent State of Papua New Guinea(Independent State of Papua New Guinea or Papuaniugini) is a constitutional parliamentary democratic republic within the British Commonwealth.

The head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, represented by the Governor-General, who is elected by Parliament after legislative elections. The head of government is the prime minister. Cabinet of Ministers (Council of National executive committee) is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Legislative power belongs to the unicameral National Parliament, or the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 deputies are elected on an independent basis, another 20 - one from each administrative region of the country, the term of office of deputies is 5 years).

Administratively, the country is divided into 20 districts (including the special National Capital District of Port Moresby, NCD).

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Papua New Guinea is a state in Oceania, the main territory of which is located in the east of the island of New Guinea and neighboring, smaller islands (New Britain, New Ireland, etc.). It is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its seas: Arafura and Coral.

The name of the country is formed from two parts: "Papua", which in Malay means "the land of people with curly hair" (as the Malays called the locals, whose hair is mostly straight) and "New Guinea" - because of the dark the skin color of the natives, which seemed to Europeans similar to the skin color of the natives from African Guinea.

It occupies the eastern half of New Guinea (this part of the country is considered the "mainland"), the Bismarck archipelago (from large islands New Britain and New Ireland), the islands of Bougainville and Buka in the chain of the Solomon Islands, the archipelagos of Louisiade, D "Antrecasto, Trobriand and a number of smaller islands. The territories that are now part of the state were in the past divided into two administrative units: Papua ( southeastern region of New Guinea with adjacent islands), which belonged to Australia, and north- eastern part New Guinea with nearby islands, which had the status of a United Nations Trust Territory and was administered by Australia.

In 1949, both parts were integrated by the Australian authorities into the so-called. administrative union. This association in 1971 was named Papua New Guinea, and in 1973 acquired internal self-government. On September 16, 1973, the independence of the country was proclaimed. Papua New Guinea is a member of the UN and the British Commonwealth. Area 462,840 sq. km. The population is 4599.8 thousand people (1998). The capital is Port Moresby on the southeast coast of New Guinea.

Probably the first settlers arrived in the region of present-day Papua New Guinea by sea from Southeast Asia c. 30 thousand years ago, when New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania were connected by land bridges and represented a single landmass. These people, speakers of the Papuan languages, were engaged in hunting and gathering, and much later, perhaps, began to cultivate and grow some plants. The second significant wave of population migration occurred about 6 thousand years ago. Newcomers who spoke Austronesian languages ​​introduced more advanced economic and cultural traditions. In New Guinea, they set about clearing wet rainforest and draining swamps in intermountain basins to cultivate sweet potatoes, taro and other crops brought from Southeast Asia. There appeared highly specialized communities of potters, salt-workers, canoe builders, and stonemasons. The inhabitants of the coastal regions were skilled navigators and regularly traveled in large canoes to distant islands, offering their products and jewelry there. The shores of New Guinea became known to Portuguese and Spanish merchants on their way to the East Indies from the 16th century. They were followed by Dutch, French and English expeditions. The number of foreign ships entering these waters increased in connection with the founding of the British colony in Australia at the end of the 18th century. and the development of whaling in the Pacific in the 19th century. In 1847, Catholic missionaries settled on the island of Murua (Woodlark), located in the Solomon Sea, and traders and travelers established contacts with many coastal tribes.

However, for a long time, Europeans could not penetrate into the interior of New Guinea with its rugged terrain, dense forests and vast swamps - breeding grounds for malaria. In addition, the locals had a bad reputation as cannibals. In 1872, the London Missionary Society founded a mission on the islands in the Torres Strait, and then - on south coast New Guinea. The Wesleyan Methodist Mission was established in the Duke of York Islands in 1875, and the Catholic Mission in the east of New Britain in 1882. fishing for pearls and shells or rushed to search for the legendary gold South Seas. Although Melanesians from the Solomon Islands and the New Hebrides were mainly hired to work on the plantations of Queensland, Fiji and Samoa, the recruiters did not ignore the inhabitants of the coastal and inland regions of modern Papua New Guinea. Australia showed increased interest in this territory, and in 1883 Queensland annexed the eastern part of New Guinea, ostensibly acting on behalf of Great Britain.

Rainwater and underground streams combined underground to create a maze of tunnels known as Ora Cave in Papua New Guinea. (Stephen Alvarez, National Geographic)

However, due to pressure from Australia and taking into account Germany's intentions to create its own Pacific empire, Great Britain in 1884 captured the southeastern part of New Guinea from neighboring islands and established a colony there called British New Guinea. Germany annexed to her empire the northeastern part of New Guinea and the islands to the east of it; This colony was named German New Guinea. The German administration tried to establish trade with its colony, but commercial production projects were hampered by malaria and difficulties in appeasing local tribes and hiring labor, especially in the coastal lowlands. Nevertheless, German companies launched the production of copra on plantations in the Bismarck archipelago. Then plantations appeared on the island of Bougainville. The German colonial authorities treated the Melanesians strictly and even harshly, but at the same time they sought to impart practical knowledge to them. The German Catholic and Protestant missionaries were guided by the idea that their efforts would contribute to the "enlightenment" of the natives.

Missionaries also intensified their activities in British New Guinea, which was considered an unpromising territory. In 1888, gold was found in the Louisiade archipelago, and hundreds of Australian prospectors rushed to the interior of New Guinea. In the 1920s, rich gold-bearing placers were discovered along the Bulolo River. In 1906, British New Guinea was ceded to Australia and renamed the Territory of Papua. Her affairs from 1908 to 1940 were handled by Governor Hubert Murray. At the start of World War I in 1914, German New Guinea was occupied by Australian troops. At the end of the war, Australia received a mandate from the League of Nations to administer the former German colony, which became known as the Territory of New Guinea. German plantations and trading companies also passed into Australian ownership.

The plantation economy in this mandate, unlike Papua, developed successfully until the economic crisis of the 1930s. In the next 20 years, prospectors, missionaries and government officials rushed into the vast intermountain valleys of New Guinea. The population of the coastal regions and the islands, who were mainly engaged in subsistence farming, gradually began to introduce cash crops into circulation. However, the development of commodity-money circulation was more facilitated by men who were hired to work on plantations or gold mines for modest wages and food. Religious missions provided the Melanesians with some education and medical care. Before the Second World War, all these changes gradually occurred in the plains, but little affected the mountainous regions.

In 1942, the Japanese troops captured the northern part of New Guinea, part of the Bismarck archipelago and the island of Bougainville. They occupied some areas for four years. The rest of what is now Papua New Guinea remained under Australian control. During the war, over a million Australian and American troops visited New Guinea. Part of the indigenous population, especially in the Sepik valley and Bougainville, suffered greatly due to military operations and bombing.

Killed American soldiers in Papua New Guinea.

In some places, for example, on Manus Island, large military bases were placed. The inhabitants of the mountainous regions were little affected by the war. After the war, the northeastern part of New Guinea came under the administration of Australia as a UN Trust Territory, and in 1949 was merged with Papua. The new administrative unit was named Papua New Guinea.

Australia tried to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country and improve the welfare of the Melanesian population. Measures were taken to strengthen centralized management with the participation of representatives of the local population. Particular attention was paid to overpopulated mountainous areas, contacts with which have been established relatively recently. In 1953, the first road was built from the coast through the Kassam Pass to the mountains. The administration sought to improve the systems medical care and education, religious missions carried out considerable work in this direction. In 1964, general elections were held and a Legislative Assembly was formed, where most of the seats were taken by the natives. New government institutions arose, and old ones were transformed.

Laws that infringed on the rights of the Melanesians were repealed. In the same 1964, the University of Papua New Guinea opened in Port Moresby. In the 1970s and 1980s, the main lever economic development country has become a mining industry. In 1972, the exploitation of copper and gold deposits began in Bougainville, where the plantation economy was replaced by a more modern industry with advanced technologies. Similar trends have emerged in some other areas of Papua New Guinea, where new roads, cities and ports have been built. In 1967, the national political party "Pangu Pati" was founded. After the 1972 elections, it formed a coalition government headed by Michael T. Somare, which resolutely sought to grant the country independence. This goal was reached on September 16, 1975.

Laguna Madang is the largest on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The political situation in the young state became more complicated in connection with the separatist movement on the island of Bougainville. The roots of this movement date back to 1884, when Germany annexed part of the Solomon Islands to its colony of New Guinea, breaking the ethno-linguistic ties of the population of this archipelago. Separatist sentiments hovered in the air for many years and manifested themselves on the eve of the declaration of independence of Papua New Guinea. Establishment of Northern Provincial Government Solomon Islands in 1976 defuse the situation, but did not solve the problem itself. The situation worsened in connection with the construction of a giant complex for the extraction of copper ore in Bougainville. The reason for the armed conflict that broke out in 1988 was initially the dissatisfaction of local landowners with the amount of compensation received from the Bougainville Copper mining company. Other claims followed, and eventually a demand was made for Bougainville's independence. As a result of clashes between the local population and the army units and the police of Papua New Guinea, 15-20 thousand people were killed on both sides. Repeated attempts to achieve calm in the area for a long time remained without results. Only in 1998 did peace negotiations begin and there was hope for their successful completion.

Papua New Guinea is washed by the Arafura, Coral, Solomon and New Guinea Seas, as well as the Pacific Ocean. The country is separated from Australia by the Torres Strait, about 160 km wide. The state has a land border only with Indonesia (in the west), which is drawn along the 141 meridian and only in a small area deviates to the west along with the Fly River. It borders by sea with Australia (in the south), the Solomon Islands (in the southeast), Nauru (in the east) and the Federated States of Micronesia (in the north).

The island of New Guinea and most of the country's other islands are mountainous. The height of a significant part of the territory is more than 1000 m above sea level, and some peaks of New Guinea reach 4500 m, that is, the belt of eternal snow. Many of the mountain ranges are chains of volcanoes. In Papua New Guinea 18 active volcanoes. Most of them are located in the north of the country. Strong, sometimes catastrophic earthquakes are also associated with volcanic activity.

The main ranges of the eastern part of the island of New Guinea begin with a strip of 50 km directly from the border with Indonesia (the Star Mountains, which are a continuation of the Snowy Mountains), gradually expanding to 250 km in the central part (the Central Range, the Bismarck Range with the country's highest point - Mount Wilhelm - 4509 m high, Schroeder Ridge, Muller Ridge and others). Further to the southeast, the mountains become narrower and lower (pass into the Owen Stanley Range, from maximum height 4072 - Mount Victoria) and at the southeastern tip of the island are submerged under water. Some peaks rise above the water forming the Luizada archipelago. The northern slopes of these mountains are steep, while the southern slopes are gentle. The southern foothill zone of the Central Range is commonly referred to as the Papua Plateau. The closer to the sea, the lower this plateau is, and gradually turns into a swampy lowland.

Parallel to the central mountains, the low spurs of the Northern Coastal Mountains enter the territory of Papua New Guinea from Indonesia: partly the Bevani Mountains (up to 1960 m high), the Torricelli Mountains ( highest point- Mount Sulen, 1650 m high), Prince Alexander Mountains (the highest point is Mount Turu, 1240 m high). Coastal mountains end in lowlands (valleys of the Sepik and Ramu rivers). As part of these mountains, the Adelbert Mountains (the highest point is Mount Mengam, 1718 m high), lying on the right bank of the Ramu River near the mouth, as well as the Finistere and Saruvaged Mountains located on the Huon Peninsula, with a maximum height of 4121 m (Mount Bangeta ). In addition to the main island, there are significant ridges on the islands of New Britain (Whiteman Ridge, Nakani and Baining Mountains, with a maximum height of 2334 m - Ulawun Volcano) and New Ireland (Scheinitz and Worron Ranges, with heights up to 2340 m).

The national cuisine of Papua New Guinea is a rather colorful mixture of the culinary traditions of various peoples of Oceania and Southeast Asia. As a rule, the basis of most dishes are various root vegetables and meats such as pork and various poultry (including game).
One of the most common dishes among the local population is "mumu", which is an oven-cooked stew of pork, sweet potatoes, rice and several local herbs. The first is usually served with "bugandi" - a simple soup seasoned with eggs. In coastal regions meat dishes are usually replaced by various types of fish, which are caught in abundance in the seas washing the shores of Papua New Guinea. In most cases, rice or sorghum is a side dish for meat or fish, yams and a peculiar taste of taro cereal are also popular.

As appetizers before the main course, various salads made from vegetables and those root crops that can be eaten raw are popular. Bread is often replaced with specially fried breadfruit.
For dessert, a variety of fruits are offered - from bananas and mangoes to passion fruit and pineapples. Also popular is the dessert "dia" - sliced ​​​​bananas, sago and coconut cream. Sago is also used to make sweet pies with various fillings. Sweet sugarcane stalks are especially popular in coastal areas.
You can quench your thirst in Papua New Guinea with local lemonade (“muli-wara”), good local coffee or an incredible variety of fresh fruit juices, including those made from a mixture of various fruits.
European cuisine is distributed mainly in the capital of the country, Port Moresby, and in the areas of the main tourist routes.

Port Moresby is the capital of New Guinea, it is a city that is located in the southeastern part of the young island of New Guinea. In addition to being the capital of the state of Papua New Guinea, it is also the center of the Port Moresby district.

In general, the population here consists of Melanesians and Papuans. official language recognized as pidgin English (adapted English). Despite this, more than 700 languages ​​are spoken here, and this is not counting the various dialects. The thing is that the tribal system thrives on the island, and the language directly depends on belonging to a particular tribe. In addition to the indigenous population, Europeans and Australians also live in Port Moresby.
Christianity flourishes in the city. According to statistics, 30% of the population are Catholics, 60% are Protestants. The remaining 10% consider themselves atheists or profess an animistic faith.

The city was founded in 1873 when John Moresby arrived on the island. The Englishman liked the beautiful and quiet bay and he named it after his own. So this untouched area became Port Moresby.

In 1884 the future capital of papua new guinea became part of New Guinea, which at that time was a colony of Great Britain. Further, the colony of Papua came under the rule of Australia, and only after 43 years merged with New Guinea. In 1964, the first elections were held, as a result of which the Aboriginal people gained power. In the same year, the National University of Papua New Guinea was opened. In 1975, the young state became completely independent and began to actively develop. Port Moresby became the capital of Papua New Guinea.

The central part of the city, along which the port line runs, is simply called by the locals - Town. Ela Beach Park is located in the southern part of the city. Architectural monuments are mainly located in the center, in the historical part. They stand out strongly among modern buildings. For example, between office buildings and hotels, it’s hard not to notice El’s church, built in 1890.

Government buildings, as well as the business part of the city, are located in the north. There is also a large sports center. He has been working here since 1980.
To cultural heritage include the National University and the Museum of Papua New Guinea. The flag is as unusual as the capital itself: a black ship is painted on a yellow background, symbolizing the port city. Under it, the name of the city - Port Moresby - is displayed in black letters.

locals not only honor their city, but also try to develop it in every possible way, so the service is well developed on the island and tourist vacation.

Population- 6.1 million (July 2010 estimate)

population growth- 2.0% (fertility - 3.5 births per woman)

Density– 13 people/km²

fertility– 27 per 1000 people

Mortality– 6.6 per 1000 people

infant mortality- 44.6 per 1000 babies

Life expectancy of men- 63.8 years

Women's life expectancy- 68.3 years

Infection with the immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- 1.5% (2007 estimate)

Literacy- 63% of men, 51% of women (according to the 2000 census)

Percentage of urban population — 12 %

Proportion of population over 65 years old — 3,5 %

Percentage of population under 15 — 36,9 %

Ethno-racial composition - Melanesians, Papuans, Negrito, Micronesians, Polynesians.

Languages ​​- official: Tok Pisin (the most common), English (knows 1%), Hiri Motu (knows 2%). Over 800 indigenous languages.

Religions - Roman Catholic 27%, Lutheran 19.5%, One Church 11.5%, Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8 .9%, Baha'is 0.3%, Aboriginal and other faiths 3.3% (according to the 2000 census).

In Papua New Guinea, the majority of the population still lives in villages and engages in subsistence farming, while markets are beginning to take shape. Some of the agricultural products are produced for sale. The number of people employed in the mining and manufacturing industries and in the service sector is growing. The slash-and-burn system of agriculture dominates, focused on the cultivation of tropical starch plants, primarily tubers. New areas are cleared and cultivated every year, and the land set aside for fallow after harvesting is again overgrown with shrubs. In mountainous areas, the main crop is sweet potato. Yams, bananas, taro, coconut palms and a variety of vegetables and fruits are also grown in the lowlands. To prepare land for farming, the men cut and burn trees and shrubs during the dry season, while the women are responsible for sowing, weeding and harvesting. Mixed crops are practiced when several different crops are grown on the same plot. In mountainous areas, slope terracing is carried out to regulate surface runoff, reduce soil erosion on steep slopes, and extend the growing season. Many tribes, engaged in field work, perform rituals in the hope of a rich harvest. Plots are usually fenced off from pigs. These animals are looked after by women and children, although the status of a man in society is determined precisely by the number of pigs he owns.

Pork is eaten exclusively on holidays. It is customary to allocate land plots to members of the community for only one growing season, and after harvesting, return them to the property of the clan or clan. This traditional land use system does not fit the cultivation of such perennial tree and shrub crops as chocolate and coffee trees, coconut and oil palms, tea, which grow in one place for 20-50 years. After the Second World War, the Australian authorities stimulated the development of commodity production in the countryside, which in many areas was combined with the traditional farming system. As a result, small farms outperform plantation farms, which were leaders in the colonial period, in terms of production. At present, coconut palms are grown in the coastal lowlands of New Guinea and other islands, from the nuts of which copra is obtained, and in the north of New Guinea and on a larger scale in New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville, the chocolate tree.

In 1997, palm oil from New Britain ranked second in terms of value (after coffee) in agricultural exports. Coffee, the main commodity in the highlands, was introduced to the culture and became widespread in the 1950s. Another important commodity is exported from the mountainous regions - tea. All market trees and shrubs are grown both on small farms and on plantations, originally created with foreign investment, but gradually being taken over by local cooperative associations. The production of cocoa, coffee, tea and palm oil requires machinery that is usually available only to large plantation-type enterprises. The cultivation of pyrethrum at altitudes above 1,800 m, the production of fruits and vegetables for city bazaars, and animal husbandry are of secondary commercial importance. A special place is occupied by the culture of betel, which has a stimulating effect on humans and is highly valued in local markets. The country has exceptionally rich mineral resources, which led to the development of the mining industry, which in 1996 provided 27% of GDP, i.e. about the same as agriculture, forestry and fisheries combined. Large-scale mining of copper and gold began in Pangun on Bougainville Island in 1972.

Ore reserves were estimated at 800 million tons, with a copper content of 0.46% and gold - 15.83 g per 1 ton. Production was carried out by the Bougainville Copper company, owned by the Konzinc Riotinto international monopoly. The huge Ok-Tedi copper deposit in the northwestern part of the mountainous New Guinea is estimated at 250 million tons (in 1 ton of copper ore 0.852% and gold 0.653 g). In the late 1980s, gold mining began at Porgera near Ok Tedi, on Misima Island off the southeast coast of New Guinea, and on Lihir Island off the coast of New Ireland. According to experts, Papua New Guinea can become the world's largest supplier of gold (displacing South Africa). Porgera is already in the top ten producing gold deposits in the world. Any disruption to the mining industry has a profound effect on the entire economy of Papua New Guinea. Due to the closure of the mine in Bougainville in 1989, an armed conflict broke out between local separatists and the central government, which could not come to terms with the loss of an important source of income. In 1997, due to a severe drought, the surface runoff in the Fly River basin, through which the products of the Ok-Tedi and Porgera deposits are transported, sharply decreased. Oil and natural gas reserves have been discovered in Papua New Guinea.

The first project for a gas pipeline to Australia has been proposed and other projects are likely to follow. About 60% of the energy used in the country comes from charcoal, 35% from imported petroleum products, and only 5% from hydropower. AT last years logging is carried out by foreign companies, mainly Asian ones. In 1994, when world timber prices soared, timber products accounted for 19% of Papua New Guinea's exports. They are almost entirely intended for the Japanese and South Korean markets, and therefore economic crisis covering Asian countries in the second half of the 1990s, led to a marked decrease in the income received by Papua New Guinea through this industry. The beauty of the nature of Papua New Guinea and the originality of the cultures of the peoples inhabiting it should also be considered as a potential resource for the development of foreign tourism. Undoubtedly, this country is more promising for the development of tourism than the Cook Islands or Samoa.

From time immemorial, Russian and foreign sailors began to explore the islands located in the Pacific Ocean. These natural complexes so amazing and unusual that they are considered to be separate continents with their own culture and way of life. From school, we all remember that in Oceania after Greenland is Papua New Guinea.

The island is washed by several seas: New Guinea, Solomon, Coral, as well as the Gulf of Papua. close study natural resources N. N. Miklukho-Maclay, a Russian biologist and navigator who made a significant contribution to geography, history and science, was engaged in local culture and the indigenous population. Thanks to this man, the world learned about the existence of wild jungles and original tribes.

True, tours to the island in Oceania are not in great demand, while they remain rare. But travelers who have visited the local jungle, untouched by civilization, recall their vacation with rapture and delight. rich vegetation, exotic animal world, amazing landscapes, a variety of languages, customs and cultures leave an indelible impression in the memory. Our publication is dedicated to this state.

Geographical description of the island of New Guinea

The tropical island is located in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, connecting two parts of the world: Asia and Australia. It has been an independent state since 1975, is also part of the British Commonwealth and is a member of the UN. Its capital is the city of Port Moresby. The origin of the island of New Guinea is mainland. Almost the entire territory is covered with massive hills, rocky ridges.

Most of them are of volcanic origin, rising to 3000 meters above sea level. According to scientific data, the most high mountain considered Wilhelm, which reaches 4509 meters. Between the hills there are wide hollows filled with water, densely planted with tropical trees.

Several rivers flow on the island: Ramu, Sepik, Markham, Purari, Fly. Scientists involved in the geological study of the island claim that the continent has a high seismic activity. The last eruption was recorded in the last century, during which thousands of people suffered, and agriculture was also greatly damaged.

New Guinea Island: population

Life on tropical islands originated thousands of years ago, no one can name the exact date. The last census took place in 1900, at that time the population was about 10 million people. The indigenous people are the Papuans, belonging to the equatorial race. In addition to the Melanesians - as this nation is also called - Asians and even Europeans live.

The lack of civilization, jobs, as well as unfavorable living conditions and the presence of a high crime situation are forcing the natives to migrate from the "mainland" of New Guinea. The island lives according to its customs and laws. Papuans create clans, tribes, choose elders, without whom important tasks and decisions are not made.

The main occupation of the population is agriculture. Wild tribes plow the land, plant palm trees with bananas, coconuts, and pineapples. Fishing and hunting are no less popular. Some natives mine precious metals, after which they sell them on the black market.

Climatic conditions

The huge masses of water and the insignificant size of the land have influenced the climate as a whole. In the north, there is a humid equatorial climate, characterized by heavy rains, slight winds. The summer temperature regime fluctuates between +30...+32 °С, slightly decreasing at night.

The southern part of the mainland is under the rule of the subequatorial climate zone. In the winter months (January-February), strong winds dominate the island of Papua New Guinea. The island, or rather the southeast (May-August) and the central part, is heavily flooded with tropical rains.

The rest of the coastal area (lowland) undergoes drought until late autumn. In areas with high mountains and ridges receive a small amount of precipitation, since the hills act as a protective barrier to cold air masses and rains.

Economic situation

The relief of the ridges prevents the construction of highways and connecting paths. To date, there is no land communication with large New Guinea. The island has only air communication with the Pacific regions. To maintain and develop the economy, the state in Oceania regularly receives financial support from Australia.

However, the infrastructure remains at an antediluvian level. The main reason is non-compliance with the law on the part of local residents. Crime and civil strife flare up in rural areas. In order to protect their property from robbery and ruin, residents create communities.

The main activity of the population is agriculture. Thus, market relations are established between tribes and regions. Sweet potatoes and tea are cultivated in the mountainous regions; vegetables, bananas, yams, and taro are cultivated in the lowlands. They grow different cereals, fruit, coffee and chocolate trees. Animal husbandry is practiced. Papua New Guinea is rich in mineral resources. The mining industry is actively developing.

Flora

The territory of the island of New Guinea is covered with evergreen savannas. Valuable species of plants and relic trees grow in the jungle: sago and coconut palms, melon and mango, rubber plants, ficuses, bamboos, pandanuses, casuarinas. The forests contain pines and ferns. And in the swampy areas grow mangroves. Along the banks of the rivers you can see thickets of sugar cane.

Fauna

The animal world is rich and varied. Alligators, dangerous and poisonous snakes, as well as lizards and chameleons are found in local rivers. The fauna is represented by amazing insects, exotic birds and reptiles. Birds of paradise, cassowaries, large parrots live on the mainland. Large turtles crawl along the coast. In the forests there are marsupial badgers, kangaroos, couscous. Local residents breed animals familiar to our region: pigs, cows, horses, goats and other livestock.

Tourist orientation

Inveterate travelers know where the island of New Guinea is located, and therefore strive to get here in summer months to see the colorful and varied jungle world. In warm weather, enchanting festivals with national dances of the natives are organized here. Many are attracted sightseeing vacation in the wild jungle with a local guide, others - acquaintance with the sights of nearby resorts.

Things to do?

Having purchased a tour to Papua New Guinea, be sure to go diving. Every hotel and inn offer similar services. The waters of the Pacific Ocean are an unusually colorful world, teeming with coral reefs, amazing sea creatures, and large predators. At the bottom of the ocean you can see sunken ships and planes.

Surfing and windsurfing are equally popular. The best beaches for this extreme occupation are the coasts of the resorts of Vevak, Madang, Vanimo, Alotau. It is allowed to fish in coastal waters, which is what guests of the island do. It is possible to catch mackerel, giant trevally, dog-toothed tuna, barracuda, salmon, perch and many other trophies. Rafting, canoeing, kayaking, boat trips are in great demand.

Papua New Guinea is a natural wonder of the world, fraught with many mysteries and seductive with its resources. If you are not afraid of tropical mosquito bites and the aggressive behavior of the Papuans, then feel free to purchase a tour to the picturesque island.

Despite the fact that outside the window is the fast-paced XXI century, which is called the century of information technology, here in the distant country of Papua New Guinea, time seems to have stopped.

State of Papua New Guinea

The state is located in Oceania, on several islands. Total area about 500 square kilometers. Population 8 million people The capital is the city of Port Moresby. The head of state is the Queen of Great Britain.

The name "Papua" is translated as "curly". So the island was named in 1526 by a navigator from Portugal - the governor of one of the islands of Indonesia, Jorge de Menezes. After 19 years, the Spaniard, one of the first explorers of the Pacific Islands, Iñigo Ortiz de Retes, visited the island and called it "New Guinea".

Official language of Papua New Guinea

Tok Pisin is recognized as the official language. It is spoken by the majority of the population. And also English, although only one person out of a hundred knows it. Basically, these are government officials. Interesting feature: the country has more than 800 dialects and therefore Papua New Guinea is recognized as the country with the largest number of languages ​​(10% of all world languages). The reason for this phenomenon is the almost complete absence of ties between the tribes.

Tribes and families in New Guinea

Papuan families still live in a tribal regime. A separate “cell of society” is simply not able to survive without contact with its tribe. This is especially true of life in cities, of which there are quite a lot in the country. However, here a city is considered to be any locality with over a thousand people.

Papuan families unite in tribes and live next to other urban people. Usually children do not attend schools located in cities. But even those who go to study very often return home after one or two years of study. It is also worth noting that girls do not study at all. Since the girl helps her mother with the housework until the moment she is married.

The boy returns to his family to become one of the equal members of his tribe - a "crocodile". That's what men are called. Their skin should be similar to the skin of a crocodile. Young men undergo initialization and only then have the right to communicate on an equal footing with the rest of the men of the tribe, they have the right to vote at a meeting or other event taking place in the tribe.

The tribe lives as one big family, supports and helps each other. But he usually does not contact with a neighboring tribe or even openly feuds. Recent times the Papuans have cut their territory quite a lot, it is increasingly difficult for them to maintain the old order of life in nature in natural conditions, their millennial traditions and their unique culture.

Families in Papua New Guinea have 30-40 people each. The women of the tribe run the household, take care of livestock, give birth to children, collect bananas and coconuts, and cook food.

Papuan food

Not only fruits are the main food of the Papuans. Pork is used for cooking. Pigs in the tribe are protected and their meat is eaten very rarely, only public holidays and memorable dates. More often they eat small rodents that live in the jungle and banana leaves. All dishes from these ingredients, women know how to cook amazingly delicious.

Marriage and family life in New Guinea

Women have practically no rights, obeying first to their parents, and then entirely to their husband. By law (in the country the majority of the inhabitants are Christians), the husband is obliged to treat his wife well. But in reality this is far from the case. The practice of ritual murders of women continues, on which at least a shadow of suspicion of witchcraft falls. According to statistics, more than 60% of women are constantly exposed to domestic violence. International public organizations and the Catholic Church are constantly sounding the alarm on this issue.

But, unfortunately, everything remains the same. A girl at the age of 11-12 is already being married off. At the same time, parents lose “another mouth”, as a younger girl becomes an assistant. And the groom's family acquires free labor, so they look closely at all the girls of six to eight years old. Often a man can become a groom 20-30 years older than a girl. But there is no choice. Therefore, each of them resignedly accepts her fate for granted.

But a man does not himself choose his future wife, whom he can see only before the traditional wedding ceremony. The choice of bride will be decided by the tribal elders. Before the wedding, it is customary to send matchmakers to the bride's family and bring a gift. Only after such a rite is the wedding day appointed. On this day, the ritual of "abduction" of the bride takes place. A worthy ransom must be paid into the bride's house. It can be not only various valuable things, but also, for example, wild boars, banana branches, vegetables and fruits. When the bride is given to another tribe or another house, her property is divided among the members of the community from which this girl comes.

Life in marriage is not easy. According to ancient traditions, a woman lives separately from a man. In the tribe there are so-called women's and men's houses. Adultery, on either side, can be punished very severely. There are also special huts where the husband and wife can retire from time to time. They can retire in the forest. Girls are brought up by mothers, and boys from the age of seven are men of the tribe. Children in the tribe are considered common, they are not particularly on ceremony with them. Among the Papuans you will not find such a disease as overprotection.

Here is such a difficult family life for the Papuans.

witchcraft law

In 1971, the country passed the Law on Witchcraft. It says that a person who considers himself "bewitched" is not responsible for his actions. The murder of a sorcerer is a mitigating circumstance in legal proceedings. Very often, women from another tribe are the victims of the accusation. Four years ago, a gang of cannibals who called themselves witch hunters killed men and women and then ate them. The government is trying to fight this terrible phenomenon. Perhaps the law on witchcraft will finally be repealed.