Names: conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea local short form: Papuaniugini former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea abbreviation: PNG

Capital City: Port Moresby

Population: 5,670,544 (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $2,700 (2006 est.)

Currency: kina (PGK)

Languages: Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)

Total Area: total: 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km slightly larger than California

Region: Oceania

Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction, tourism

Agriculture: coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork

Resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Labor Force: 3.477 million (2006 est.)
agriculture: 85% industry: NA% services: NA%

Exports: $4.096 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Imports: $1.686 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. The economy has improved over the past three years because of high commodity prices following a prolonged period of instability. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power and should be the first government in decades to serve a full five-year term. The government has also brought stability to the national budget thus far, largely through expenditure control. Numerous challenges still face the government including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, the former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/Aids epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $51,585 in goods to Papua New Guinea. This ranks Papua New Guinea 157^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Papua New Guinea decreased from the previous year by $112,913 a change of -68.64%. State exports to Papua New Guinea have decreased over the last 5 years by $120,980 a change of -70.11%. Missouri exports account for .00%. of all 2007US exports to Papua New Guinea.