New Guinea (island): origin, description, territory, population. Where is the island of New Guinea located? New Guinea

New Guinea

It is located in the western part, at a distance of 150 km north of Australia, from which it is separated by the Torres Strait. From the southern part, the island is washed by two seas: and.

New Guinea is the second largest island in the world (leading off Greenland). total area the island is 829 thousand km 2. The population of the island is just over three million people. On this moment the territory of the island belongs to two states: Indonesia (western part of New Guinea - province of Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea ( southeastern part islands). At the same time, the western part of the island is considered Asia, and the eastern part is Oceania.

New Guinea coastlines are uneven. From the western and eastern parts, they are rather strongly indented by the bays of Sarera, Berau and Huon. From the northern part, the coast is high, often ending in cliffs. In this part of the island there are no large bays protected by the territory of the land. The southern side of New Guinea, on the other hand, has a flat coastline and large bay Papua.

The structure of the coastline of New Guinea is due to the features of the relief of the island. Most his the area is occupied by mountainous hills. The height of individual ridges mountain range, stretching from the eastern to the western part of the island, sometimes reaches 3000 - 4000 m. In the northern part of the island, the height of the mountains is slightly lower - only 1000-2000 m, but on its territory there are a large number of volcanoes, many of which are active. In the southern part there is a plain along which several rivers flow.

The island is located near the equator and has a tropical climate, which causes big variety on it species of plants and animals. There are more than 11,000 species of plants, more than 1,500 species of birds, amphibians and mammals.

They occupy approximately 250 thousand square kilometers, they are islands of coral-limestone origin. Limestones directly occur at a depth of about one and a half thousand meters. The Bahamas archipelago includes about seven hundred islands and reefs. Andros is the largest island in the archipelago. On the islands, karst landforms are very common (that is, deep removal of limestone rocks with further flooding with water or bending down of the relief). [...]

The name of the country comes from the Indonesian "papuwa", which means "curly".

Capital of Papua New Guinea. Port Moresby.

Papua New Guinea Square. 462840 km2.

population of papua new guinea. 5049 thousand people

Location of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is a state in, in the southwestern part, located mainly in New Guinea (eastern part), Bismarck, (northern part) and occupies about 200 more islands.

Administrative division papua new guinea. The state is divided into 19 provinces and 1 metropolitan area.

Form of government of Papua New Guinea. .

Head of State of Papua New Guinea. The Queen, represented by the Governor General.

Higher Legislature papua new guinea. Unicameral National Parliament.

Supreme executive body of Papua New Guinea. Government.

Major cities in Papua New Guinea. Lae, Madang.

Official language papua new guinea. English, pidgin English, hiri-motu.

Religion in Papua New Guinea. 34% traditional, 22% , 16% Lutheran, 8% Presbyterian, Methodist and London Missionary Society, 5% Anglican, 4% Evangelical Alliance, 1% Seventh Day Adventist, 1 % - the rest of the Protestant communities.

Ethnic composition of Papua New Guinea. 84% - Papuans, 16% - Melanesians, Chinese, Anglo,.

Currency of Papua New Guinea. Kina = 100 toya.

Papua New Guinea is an independent state in Oceania. It takes eastern part islands New Guinea, northern part Solomon Islands, the Bismarck and Louisiade archipelago and more than two hundred other small reefs and islands in the southwestern part Pacific Ocean.

The etymology of the name of the state is interesting. It comes from the Malay papua", which is translated into Russian as" curly". The island received this name in 1526 from the Portuguese Menezes, who was surprised by the hair local population. After 20 years, Iñigo Ortiz de Retes arrived on the island, who gave this place the name of New Guinea. In his opinion, the locals were like the Guinean aborigines who lived in Africa.

The name of the country changed several times from the beginning of European colonization to the independence of the state. It wasn't until 1975 that the island became officially known as Papua New Guinea.

The islands of this state are surrounded by thousands of reefs, lagoons, underwater plateaus, on which a unique sea ​​life. Here you can plunge into the world of sunken ships that disappeared from the face of the earth during the era of the Great geographical discoveries and World War II.

Climate and weather

The country reigns tropical climate with high humidity. As a rule, this area is characterized by stable weather throughout the year. Average daily temperature is about +26 ºС, and the seasons differ from each other only in the amount of precipitation, so the division is not made into winter and summer, but into the rainy season and the dry season. True, for each place these seasons come at different times.

Only coastal areas are truly hot. Concerning mountainous areas , then the local climate is significantly different from the plain. The temperature here is much lower, but the precipitation is much more. At an altitude of more than 2500 m, the average temperature does not exceed +10 ºС. For almost all the time in the mountains there is a light drizzle, from time to time you can get under the hail.

Nature

The nature of this area is unique. You will not find such a variety of flora and fauna anywhere else.

Most of the surface of all the islands of New Guinea is covered with different-sized mountains. The main part of the territory is raised to a height of 1000 meters above sea level. At the same time, there are also such mountains that reach a height of 4.5 km, which classifies them as belts of eternal snow. Papua New Guinea has 18 active volcanoes.

The flora and fauna of these places is especially diverse. Over 20,000 different types plants can be found in this area. wide band mangrove plants(sometimes up to 35 kilometers) goes along the coast of New Guinea. This area is very swampy, therefore it is impassable. You can cross it only by swimming along the rivers, along which there are wild thickets of sugar cane and groves of sago palms.

Hundreds of species of trees grow in dense tropical rainforests, and in Lately vegetable gardens and entire plantations began to appear more and more often. Here it is customary to grow sugar cane, coconut palms, bananas and tubers such as sweet potato, yams, taro, cassava and others. Only two or three years gardens are to be cultivated. After that, the area is again overgrown with forest for the next 10-12 years. So the locals maintain the fertility of the soil.

Where the forests rise to a height of 1000-2000 meters, the vegetation becomes more and more monotonous. Mostly coniferous species are found here, in particular - araucaria having a large economic importance, as valuable building material is obtained from their wood.

The highlands are dominated meadows and shrubs. And in the hollows of the mountains, where the climate is drier, grassy vegetation is more common.

Animal world it is also varied. There are especially many reptiles, insects and, of course, birds in these places. As in neighboring Australia, mammals are represented more by marsupial breeds of animals - wallabies, bandicoots, couscous. Turtles and crocodiles can be found on the banks of the rivers. The bird world is represented by such unique exhibits as birds of paradise, cassowaries, crowned pigeons, weed chickens and parrots. And with the Europeans, pigs, domestic chickens and dogs came into this world.

Attractions

On the territory of Papua New Guinea there are a lot of natural attractions. One of the main is the two-top shield Giluve volcano, which is located in the Southern Highlands. The volcano is the second highest peak in the country, reaches a mark of 4368 meters and is the highest in the entire territory of Oceania and Australia. Alpine bows are located all over its surface.

In addition to a large number of historical and natural attractions, there is also a huge archaeological monument - the agricultural settlement of Cook, better known in the world under the name cook marshes. It is located in the Western Highlands, at an altitude of more than one and a half kilometers above sea level. The area of ​​this historical monument equals 116 ha. Since 1960, there have been archaeological excavations and research.

Another well-known natural attraction is the river natural bayer nature reserve and others nature reserves, parks, gardens, each of which is inimitable and unique. Bayer Nature Reserve itself is located 55 km from Mount Hagen, in the Bayer River basin. This is the best place to meet animals and flora these places.

A popular place is Lake Kutbu, in the waters of which several species of rare fish live. It is located 800 meters above sea level in the Southern Highlands and covers an area of ​​​​49 km² (only Lake Murray is larger than it). The reservoir is surrounded by wetlands and swampy forests, which are protected by the state.

Varirata National Park, which is the first national park in the country, is located 42 km from the capital and occupies more than a thousand hectares. Once this territory was a hunting ground for the tribes living here. The object is dedicated to these times cult purpose- "tree-house" of the Koyaris tribe.

National botanical park in the capital is ranked among the main tourist sites of the country. This place is regularly visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world, as well as local residents from different regions. The park is famous for its giant collection of orchids, hanging trails and plant map" countries.

Next obligatory place to visit should become " Gardens of Eden» in the Foya mountains — a unique rainforest, untouched by civilization, isolated from the outside world, where there is not a single path or path.

The best place to get acquainted with the local architecture, history, culture and nature can only be National Museum . All the diverse and rich heritage of the state is collected in this truly spiritual center. The museum is made in the form of a complex consisting of many rooms located in different parts of the capital.

Nutrition

National nutrition is quite different from the European type we are used to. Local kitchen represented by meat and fish dishes with the addition of various vegetables (usually stewed) and fruits (papayas, mangoes, pineapples, bananas, passion fruit).

basis traditional cuisine of this country are kaukau, taro, sago, yam and pig. A popular local dish is Mu Mu» - a mixture of sweet potatoes, pork, herbs, rice, spices.

However, thanks very well developed tourism and the flow of foreign (in particular European) guests, Chinese, European, Indonesian restaurants and cafes are increasingly opening here. As alcoholic beverages in Papua New Guinea, Filipino and Australian beer is common.

Accommodation

In Papua New Guinea, there are many opportunities to spend the night in comfort. In this case, everyone will find an acceptable price category. Those who do not allow finances to live in luxury can stop at local residents practically for free, having spent only symbolically, for breakfast.

Those who want more comfortable conditions are offered a hotel. Kimbe Bay. Around it are tropical gardens and not far from the building Coral reefs where you can ideally spend time diving. The hotel will delight its guests with air conditioning, free internet and cozy rooms. There are also 2 bars and 2 restaurants.

There is another decent hotel in the port of Kimbe, Kimbe Bay West New Britain with windows overlooking the coast. It stands right on the New Britain Island Highway. Every morning in the hotel restaurant you can enjoy " buffet". The rest of the time you can try national exotic dishes from any country in the world. The hotel has a currency exchange office, as well as secure parking.

Entertainment and recreation

In Papua New Guinea, you can find a huge number of different entertainments.

One of the most colorful and original local amusements is the large-scale folk dance festival " sing sing". In September, it is held in the city of Goroka at the foot of the mountain in memory of the country's Independence Day. Every year more than 90 Papuan tribes from all the islands of the state come here (and there are about 600 of them!). Thousands of natives in war paint, national clothes and decorations come together to perform the traditional sing-sing dance together, sing, beat drums, perform ritual ceremonies and just communicate. Due to the fact that the festival is a multinational lively and cheerful musical performance, a huge number of tourists and ethnographers from all over the world flock here. Here guests of the country can buy unique souvenirs of the festival, which will remind you of the holiday for many years.

Fans of club life will definitely enjoy the nightclub Lamana Gold Club. It is located in the heart of the Lamana Hotel in the capital and holds the title of the largest and best nightclub in all of Papua New Guinea. Here fireworks are launched and danced under open sky on two dance floors. It offers tourists five bars, karaoke, game rooms and live music.

Purchases

Papua New Guinea has a huge number of shops where you can buy unique local products. Remember that here in the markets and shops it is not customary to bargain.

All shops are usually open five days a week and are open from 9 am to 5 pm. Saturday is a working day, but not until the evening, but until one in the afternoon. Some shops are open on Sunday.

IN in large numbers large shopping centers and restaurants, you can present for payment international credit cards. But finding ATMs can be problematic. They are available only in the capital, but you can use them only if you have an account in local banks. Using credit cards in the province will be almost impossible.

Most major cities can be exchanged for cash travelers checks. But not all branches can work with traveler's checks, so you should prepare for long queues.

In many remote areas of the country for payment will only accept local currency. At the same time, you can practically not hope for change, because there is a clear shortage of small bills.

Transport

Between New Guinea and the rest of the islands established coastal shipping. Main airport located in the capital - Port Moresby.

In this country it is customary to take rental car to be able to independently explore all the beauties of the area. True, they will give you a car only if you have driver license, driving experience and a credit card.

And here is the system Taxi it is not developed here, because there are practically no central roads in the country.

After you arrive at local airport, we recommend that you immediately purchase a telephone SIM card from a local telecom operator. If you need to call abroad, then you can do this at any call center or through an operator from the hotel where you are staying.

Be sure to write down the emergency numbers you may need - the police can be reached on 000, the fire department on 110, and the ambulance can be called on 3256822.

Safety

The main problem in Papua New Guinea is fraud. There are frequent cases of car theft and petty street crime. And the local police often try to make money on the same tourists. The crime rate is especially high in major cities, for example, in the capital Port Moresby. There you can observe such a bandit phenomenon as " splitism"- a special system of youth gangs that engage in murder, kidnapping, violence, extortion, robbery and theft.

We recommend getting vaccinated against malaria, cholera and typhoid before your trip. True, this does not apply to those tourists who will eat exclusively in hotels and restaurants. All travelers older than one year are also recommended to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, Japanese encephalitis, polio. IN last years the country began to have much more AIDS patients.

Be careful with cuts and other skin injuries, because even the most harmless scratch or skin irritation in reality given climate can bring you a lot of problems.

Business climate

In Papua New Guinea, there are a lot of useful resources, however, in the conditions of this area, their extraction is quite difficult. Nevertheless, two-thirds of the foreign exchange income is brought to the country by the development of gold, copper ore and oil deposits.

The main local industry is the mining and processing of silver, gold, oil, processing of copra, copper ore, wood processing, palm oil production and construction.

Agriculture also brings considerable profit to the state. Cocoa, coffee, coconuts, copra, sugarcane, tea, sweet potatoes, rubber, vegetables, fruits, vanilla are grown here. Shrimps, crabs and other seafood are also exported. The main buyers of all these natural resources are Japan, Australia and China.

• Upon arrival in the country, you can almost everywhere change the currency for local banknotes. This can be done not only in bank branches, but also in hotels, airports, large shopping malls. There are also private exchange offices that deal with the exchange.
• In Papua New Guinea, it is not customary to leave a tip. The amount shown on the invoice is usually the final amount.
• You should be aware that any non-bottled water here is unfit for drinking.
• Some species of sharks swim around the island, as well as many different poisonous sea creatures.
• It is forbidden to import antiques, weapons, wild animals and birds, seeds and plants, pornographic items and drugs into the country. But it is forbidden to export antiques and everything that was found on the seabed from the country.

Visa information

Russian citizens must open a visa before traveling to papua new guinea. Embassies of this country in Russian Federation no, therefore, for clearance tourist visa you will have to apply to the consulate in Brussels, the consular department in London or the Australian embassy in Moscow. Depending on the option you choose to open a visa, the procedure for paying the consular fee, the procedure for submitting documents and the terms for issuing a visa change.

To date consular fee is 35$.

Address of the Australian embassy in Moscow: Podkolokolny lane, 10A/2.

Phone: (+7 495) 956 6070.

The Consulate in St. Petersburg is located on Petrovsky Prospekt, 14, office. 22-N.

Phone: (+7 812) 334 3327.

New Guinea is an island in the west of the Pacific Ocean, the second largest island on Earth (after Greenland), the island's area is 786 thousand km². Separated from Australia by the Torres Strait. From the south it is washed by Arafura and coral seas. The climate is equatorial and subequatorial. Grow wet rainforests. West Side The islands are the territory of Indonesia, and the eastern one is occupied by the state of Papua New Guinea. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, the island of New Guinea is located to the north of Australia (separated from it by the Torres Strait) and is its link with Asia. From point of view physical geography usually refers to Oceania. Politically, the island is divided approximately equally between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, so the western Indonesian part is often part of Asia politically and economically.

The island is largest island divided between countries. Rising in the western part mountain range Maoke, whose highest peak under the name of Puncak Jaya reaches 4884 m above sea level. To the east are the Bismarck Mountains, whose highest point- Mount Wilhelm - has 4509 m. long river island is the Sepik River.

flora, fauna

New Guinea is a tropical island and therefore has a very large variety of species. It is home to 11,000 plant species, 600 unique bird species, over 400 amphibian species, 455 butterfly species, and about a hundred known mammal species.
Along the coast of the island of New Guinea, a wide (in some places up to 35 km) strip of mangrove vegetation stretches. This swampy zone is completely impassable and can only be crossed by sailing along the rivers. Thickets of wild sugarcane grow along the rivers, and groves of sago palms grow in wetlands.
Dense rainforests, formed by hundreds of tree species, rise up the slopes of the mountains. However, now there are also plantations and orchards. Grow coconut palms, bananas, sugar cane, melon tree, tubers - taro, yams, sweet potato, cassava and other crops. Gardens alternate with forests. Plots of land are cultivated for only 2-3 years, then overgrown with forest for 10-12 years. Thus fertility is restored. Above 1000-2000 m, the forests become more uniform in composition, coniferous species, especially araucaria, begin to predominate in them. These trees are of economic importance: their wood
is a valuable building material. However, the delivery of cut wood is difficult due to the small number of good roads. The highlands of New Guinea are covered with shrubs and meadows. In the intermountain basins, where the climate is drier, herbaceous vegetation is widespread, which arose in place of forests mainly as a result of fires. The fauna is represented by reptiles, insects and especially numerous birds. For the fauna of mammals, as in neighboring Australia, only representatives of marsupials are characteristic - bandicoot (marsupial badger), wallaby (tree kangaroo), couscous, etc. In the forests and on the coast there are many snakes, including poisonous ones, and lizards. Along the coasts and big rivers there are crocodiles and turtles. Of the birds, cassowaries, birds of paradise, crowned pigeons, parrots, weed chickens are characteristic. Europeans brought domestic chickens, dogs and pigs to the island. Feral pigs, as well as rats, field mice and some other animals have spread widely throughout the island.

Information

• water area: Pacific Ocean
• Countries: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
• Regions: West Papua, Papua, Momase, Papua, Highlands
• Square: 786,000 km²
• highest point: 4884 m
• Population (2010): 9 500 000 people
• Population density: 12,087 people/km²