Papua New Guinea. Life of the inhabitants of the tribes of papua new guinea

Papua New Guinea- a country that evokes a lot of emotions, however, not always pleasant ones. This direction is not very popular among ordinary tourists.

The territory of the state is small, the population barely exceeded 5 million people. The settlement, proudly called the city, consists of barracks and bungalows, among which five-story buildings of banks, hotels or other institutions stand forlornly. The Papuans live in small settlements. Houses, if you can call them that, serve only as protection from rain and the scorching sun.

If suddenly the village grows, part of the inhabitants spontaneously separates. So in the villages you can’t count more than a thousand people.

By the way, pay attention to the nozzles for the penis. The longer the nozzle, the higher the status of its owner. The longest nozzle, of course, is owned by the leader of the tribe

In 2012, Papua New Guinea topped the list of the most dangerous countries for tourists. The tourist has no time to set foot on this blessed land, as the eyes of local thieves and scammers immediately turn to him. Therefore, you can’t carry a decent amount with you, someone’s nimble hands can quickly get rid of it.

Contacting the local police is no easy task. With a high degree of probability, you can run into "werewolves" in uniform. If the authorities began demanding payment from you for violating some kind of law in Papua New Guinea, ask them to take you to the station to draw up a report. This is usually more than enough for the law enforcement officer to retreat in search of more gullible prey.

The city of Mount Hagen with the adjacent territory is a hot place. His reputation has left far behind the capital of the country - Port Moresby. The locals will never smile or greet a tourist. Most of them follow the cargo cult, in which all items that can be possessed are sent by their ancestors, and the evil white people take them. So the stern Papuans are praying that some of this good will fall to them too. Who will make a car from palm branches, and who will make an automatic machine.

Local residents do not abuse smoking, preferring to chew betel nut. Guides do not recommend tourists to try it. Although it is not officially equated to drugs, it can make it impossible to move normally for several hours, leading to a loss of coordination. In addition, if you swallow this chewing gum, you can cause serious harm to the stomach. Betel chewing in public places is banned. This is done due to the fact that when it reacts with saliva, it turns red, and traces of this gruel cannot be washed off either from clothes, or from tiles, or from any other surface. In hotels and public places, you can even see a sign with a crossed-out betel nut.

The climate in the city is the most suitable for white tourists - the temperature does not rise above 25C. But despite this, few people dare to visit these places. Every hotel, even the smallest, and even more so a bank, is surrounded by a high fence with barbed wire - not every prison in Russia can boast of such protection.

It is not recommended to even leave the hotel building and walk around the protected area at night - with a high degree of probability, some popuas can climb a palm tree and shoot, mistaking a tourist for game.

During the day, it’s also impossible to walk around the city on foot - this is strictly prohibited by the local police. If you happen to pass by, then only in a car with closed windows and under reliable guard.

There is no road communication between towns and villages. There are no usual asphalt roads, at best you can drive along a forest path. Due to heavy rains for several days, even on them it is impossible to move.

This is how the Vevak – Vanimo highway looks like

Planes do not fly directly to Papua New Guinea. You can get there only with a change in Bali or in Australia. You have to travel either by car or by water. And those who would like to look at the beauty of a tropical paradise from a bird's eye view are unlikely to agree to pay $ 2,000 for a plane ticket - such prices for domestic flights were set by the only local air carrier, Air Niugini.

The local population, of course, cannot afford anything like this, so people get to their destination mainly on home-made boats - there is no centralized communication between the islands.

Cannibalism on the islands is gradually disappearing into oblivion. Previously, during tribal wars, the winners ate the defeated tribe and left their skulls as a keepsake.

However, until now, in some settlements, a suspect in witchcraft can be eaten or burned alive. So in 2012, 29 people were arrested. They are charged with premeditated murder of seven people and cannibalism. In February of this year, a woman died as a result of lynching - she was burned alive.

During excursions, guides show tourists with strong nerves mountains of skulls, preserved from those times when it was a matter of honor for the Papuans to eat a neighbor.

According to the tradition of the local population, the skulls of eaten neighbors were stored in "men's" houses. Note the symbolic “hole” in the center of the skull

And How Miklukho Maclay managed to live here for a whole year?!

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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" (the so-called local residents Malays, whose hair is mostly straight) and "New Guinea" - because of the dark 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 ( the southeastern part of New Guinea with adjacent islands), which belonged to Australia, and the northeastern part of New Guinea with nearby islands, which had the status of a UN 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). Capital - Port Moresby southeast coast 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 land bridges and constituted 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 tropical rainforests 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 pacific ocean 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 established a mission on the islands in the Torres Strait and then on the south coast of 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 of the 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 with neighboring islands and created 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. The 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. Special attention was given to overpopulated mountainous areas, contacts with which were 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. The creation of the provincial government of the Northern Solomon Islands in 1976 defused 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 have mountainous relief. 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. Papua New Guinea has 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 Bewani Mountains (up to 1960 m high), the Torricelli Mountains (the highest point is Mount Sulen, 1650 m high), the Prince Alexander Mountains (the highest point is Mt. 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 culinary traditions 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 usually replaced various types fish that 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. Pidgin English (adapted English) is recognized as the official language. 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. Opened in the same year National University Papua New Guinea. In 1975, the young state became completely independent and began to actively develop. Port Moresby became the capital of Papua New Guinea.

central part 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.
Cultural assets include the National University and the Papua New Guinea Museum. The flag is as unusual as the capital itself: a black ship is painted on a yellow background, symbolizing port city. Under it, the name of the city - Port Moresby - is displayed in black letters.

Local residents not only honor their city, but also try to develop it in every possible way, so service and tourist recreation are well developed on the island.

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 bulk of the population still lives in villages and engages in subsistence farming, while at the same time market relations. 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 traditional system agriculture. 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. Special place occupies 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. IN 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 destined for the Japanese and South Korean markets, and therefore the economic crisis that swept Asian countries in the second half of the 1990s led to a noticeable decrease in the income received by Papua New Guinea from 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.

New Guinea is an island in the Pacific Ocean, which has maritime borders with Australia along the Torres Strait. It is also washed by the Arafura and Coral Seas. West Side the islands belong to Indonesia, the eastern one belongs to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea also includes the Bismarck Islands, part of the Solomon Islands (Bougainville and Buka) and many smaller ones.

The basis of the relief is mountains. The highest points are Punchak-Jaya peak (4884 m) in the west and Mount Wilhelm (4509 m) in the east. Papua New Guinea has 18 active volcanoes.

Total area - 786,000 sq. km (the second, after Greenland, the largest island on Earth), the population is about 9,500,000 people.

The total area of ​​Papua New Guinea is 462,840 sq. km, population - more than 7,000,000 people, most of which are the Papuans and Melanesians. The majority of the population professes the Christian religion, the rest are local traditional beliefs. The official languages ​​are English, Tok Pisin (the most common) and Hiri Motu. Papua New Guinea is the most multilingual country on the planet (about 820 languages ​​and dialects).

The capital of Papua New Guinea is Port Moresby.

Cities of Papua New Guinea

Acquaintance with Papua New Guinea is best to start from the capital - the city of Port Moresby. Port Moresby is a colonial architecture, comfortable climate, beautiful nature.

Tourists gather in the city of Goroka for the annual Festival of Folk Songs and Dances held in August.

The city of Lae is the second largest in the country. Calling card Lae - botanical gardens with a huge amount rare plants and animals.

Representatives of all ethnic groups of the country live in Mount Hagen. This is truly a cultural capital - it is held here a large number of festivals and national holidays. The most favorite among the locals is the August Festival of the city.

How to get to Papua New Guinea

There is no direct air connection between Belarus and Papua New Guinea.

by the most the best option there will be a flight on the route Minsk - Port - Moresby with two connections (for example, in Amsterdam and Tokyo) by Belavia, KLM and Air Niugini. Travel time will be about a day (including connections), the cost of a round-trip ticket is from 2,000 US dollars per person.

Climate of Papua New Guinea

The territory of Papua New Guinea is under the influence of two climatic zones- equatorial and subequatorial.

The average air temperature in summer is +24 - +32 degrees (it can reach +40 degrees), in the mountains - +14 - +17 degrees.

The annual rainfall is 1300 - 5000 mm depending on the area. Rains usually fall between December and March.

The best time to travel around the country is from May to October. When planning a trip, one should take into account the constant high humidity in the country, which is poorly tolerated by European residents.

Most hotels in Papua New Guinea are complexes consisting of bungalows and located away from the bustle of the city, in picturesque places. As a rule, 2 * - 3 * hotels are located in the capital, as well as hotels belonging to world-famous chains, the infrastructure of which includes sports fields, casinos and nightclubs. The cost of living is quite high (from 80 US dollars per night in a 3 * hotel).

You can rent a cottage or a guest house (without amenities and hot water). Breakfast is usually included in the price.

In the mountains, accommodation options are traditional lodges with amenities and national cuisine(from 7 USD per day).

Economy - accommodation options are private boarding houses (from 3 - 7 US dollars per day) and motels (7 - 15 US dollars per day).

When you check in, make sure you have mosquito nets on the windows.

The beaches of Papua New Guinea

The city of Port Moresby has excellent conditions for classes water sports sports - scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, water skiing, sea fishing, as well as golf, squash and tennis.

White sand and picturesque coral reefs Idlers Beach is famous, located east of Port— Moresby.

Further east is best resort islands – Loloata Island Resort with good developed infrastructure and Oceanarium Park.

Very nice place for beach holiday located at Cape Moem.

Diving and snorkelling are popular on the island of Duke - of - York, surfing - on the island of New Ireland.

Kulau Lodge Resort will appeal to lovers of folk traditions.

In the vicinity of the village of Wau, there is the most picturesque Salamaua beach, where you can just soak up the sun, or you can do outdoor activities- swimming, diving, windsurfing.

Banks, money, exchange offices

The currency of Papua New Guinea is the kina, which is divided into 100 toe. Circulation has paper banknotes in denominations of 2,5,10,20,50 kinas and coins of 1 kina, 1,2,5,10,20,50 toe.

Banking hours:

From Monday to Thursday - from 8.45 - 9.00 to 15.00

Fridays - from 8.45 - 9.00 to 16.00

Currency exchange can be done in banks (a commission of 0.2 - 1% is charged), in private exchange offices, at the airport, in hotels and in large shopping malls. There are ATMs only in the capital, and they can only be used if you have an account with a local bank.

Credit cards of the world's main payment systems (American Express, Visa) are accepted for payment almost everywhere. Cashing out travel checks (preferably in US dollars, pounds sterling, Australian dollars) is carried out only in banks of large cities.

In the provinces, only cash is accepted for payment.

Tipping is not accepted in the country, the service charge is included in the total price.

Tourist safety

The security situation in Papua New Guinea is not entirely clear, so it is simply necessary to follow the basic rules of conduct:

• Valuables, large sums of money and documents should be left in the hotel safe
• In crowded places, it is recommended to monitor personal belongings and not leave them unattended
• Do not visit remote areas alone at night
• You should not exchange currency at "street" money changers
• Before going outside, use sunscreen put on sunglasses and a hat
• Before traveling, you should take preventive measures against malaria, typhoid, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, Japanese encephalitis and cholera
• Only bottled or boiled water should be used for drinking, brushing teeth, and making ice
• Meat, fish and seafood should be pre-cooked
• Vegetables and fruits should be thoroughly washed, vegetables should be thermally processed, fruits should be peeled

Transport

Due to the mountainous terrain of Papua New Guinea, there is only air traffic between the main settlements. Regular flights are operated by Air Niugini.

You can get from the mainland to the island part of the country by motor boat.

IN major cities you can use the services of a taxi or bus (cheaper).

Entertainment, excursions, attractions

The sights of the city of Port Moresby are houses in the colonial style, the modern Parliament building, sports complex, the National Museum with unique exhibits, the Art Gallery, the Catholic Cathedral and the pile village of Khanuabad. In the National Botanical Garden you can see many exotic plants and birds.

Among the attractions of the city of Goroka are the McCartney Museum and the Raun Raun Theater, whose repertoire is exclusively folk legends. Not far from the city is the village of Bena - Bena - the center of hand weaving - and the ethnic village of Asaro. You can relax in the bosom of nature in Mount Gahavisuke Provincial Park.

Main tourist sites The cities of Lae are, first of all, the Botanical Gardens, as well as the Melanesian Center for the Arts and the Center for Arts and Crafts. Not far from the city, you can visit the village of Wau with the Institute of Ecology, a museum, a zoo and the Mac-Adam National Park. And on the Watut River you can go rafting.

You can get acquainted with the culture of local residents in the city of Mount Hagen, where a large number of ethnic festivals and holidays are held. IN cultural center there are many handicrafts, many of which you can buy for yourself.

Lake Kutubu is located at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level and is included in the List natural monuments planetary significance. There are unique fish here that do not live anywhere else on the planet.

The largest butterfly on the planet, the Queen Alexandra butterfly, the second largest, the Goliath butterfly, and the largest Hercules moth on Earth, live on the territory of New Guinea.

Cuisine and restaurants

The main ingredients of local dishes are root vegetables, sweet potatoes, yams, cereals, meat (pork, game, poultry). The most popular national dishes are the following:

• "kumu" - pork fried in an earthen oven with sweet potatoes, served with rice and herbs
• "balli-beef" - fried beef served with rice
• bugandi - egg soup
• fish cooked in all sorts of ways
• "hula" - fried crab meat with taro
• variety of fruits
• "dia" - sago and bananas in coconut cream
• "saksak" - sago pies
• "pit-pit" - sugarcane stalk boiled in coconut milk with ginger and tomatoes
• "cake" - pies with fruit fillings

From drinks - coffee, "Muli - vara" (lemonade), fruit juices

Alcohol is represented by imported drinks

Shopping and shops

Shop opening hours:

IN weekdays– from 9.00 to 17.00

Saturdays - from 9.00 to 13.00

As a souvenir from Papua New Guinea, as a rule, they bring various wooden products, products from crocodile skin, wicker baskets, decorative axes, bows and arrows, beads made of fangs of a wild pig, a symbol of happiness in the house - wooden birds of paradise.

Customs

You can import and export local and foreign currencies in unlimited quantities.

Allowed to import:

• Up to 260 cigarettes or 250 g of cigars or tobacco (for over 18s)
• Up to 1 liter of alcohol (for persons over 18 years old)
• Perfumes - in reasonable quantities for personal use
• New products - no more than 200 kin (for persons under 18 - no more than 100 kin)

It is forbidden to import:

• drugs
• antiques
• Weapons (without special permission)
• pornography
• Non-canned food of animal origin (excluding those produced in Australia and New Zealand)
• Animals, plants and seeds without special permission

Pets are imported with an international veterinary certificate.

It is forbidden to export:

• Antiques
• Objects and things found at the bottom of the ocean
• Exotic animals and plants

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New Guinea is the least populated territory in Indonesia.

The population is 1.56 million inhabitants, which gives an average density of 4 people. per 1 sq. km.

The majority of the population of New Guinea is made up of the Papuan tribes, belonging to the Austroloid race, but speaking different (mutually incomprehensible) New Guinean languages, forming separate language families.

More than ¾ of the population lives in rural areas in small scattered groups. All settlements are usually located in coastal zone or in a few fertile valleys, there are also a few frontier towns within the province.

Large areas within the province are uninhabited. Between cities, people move by plane or by sea.

The main population centers are Jayapura (149,618), Mankovari, Soron, Merauke and Biak.

Jayapura is the provincial capital of Irian Jaya and its largest city.

About 80% of the population are Papuans and Melanesians, the former live in mountainous areas, the latter along the coast.

Most Papuans live in small clan groups isolated from each other. Of the highlands of the province of Irian Jaya, the most extensive and accessible, located in its central part, is the Grand Baliem Valley - a 72-kilometer stone corridor along which the Baliem River flows. Here, in small villages scattered throughout this wide valley, more than 100 thousand people from the Dani tribe live.

In Irian Jaya there are also places of compact residence of other peoples of Indonesia (Javanese, Malays, Ambonese), as well as descendants of Chinese and Dutch settlers.

The southern wetlands of the island are inhabited by warlike Asmats (formerly headhunters) and almost completely isolated from the world Korowai, who build their houses in trees. Korovaev, due to the inaccessibility of their habitat, has practically not been touched by modern civilization, they still retain a unique social way of life and traditions.

Approximately 300 languages ​​are spoken in West Irian, most of which are dissimilar. Bahasa Indonesia, along with local dialects, is used as a language of interethnic communication.