Destinations › Oceania · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Papua New Guinea.
Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia. 462,840 sq km and 10,762,817 people, 5,152 km of coastline, tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation.
Region · OceaniaPopulation · ~10,762,817Languages · Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu. All three official, alongside about 839 living Indigenous languages, the most of any countryEco Index · 68/100 · Passable
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea is among the most culturally diverse nations on earth, with over 800 languages and heritage that remains vividly alive. Sing-sing gatherings bring communities together in dance, kundu and garamut drumming, feather and shell bilas adornment and painted display, from the Huli wigmen to the Asaro mudmen.
Where the name comes from
'Papua' is usually traced to a Malay word for the hair of the region's peoples; 'New Guinea' was applied by a Spanish navigator who thought the coast resembled Guinea in Africa. Both halves were given from outside. Source: national and regional toponymic records.
The land itself: mountainous, with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills. Its high point is Mount Wilhelm, 4,509 m. Source: national mapping and survey records.
Where it starts
Farming invented here
Stone axes and charred pandanus nut shells in the Ivane valley, at 2,000 metres, show people living in and clearing the highlands between 49,000 and 44,000 years ago. Then, in the Wahgi valley at Kuk, drainage ditches dating back around 10,000 years show agriculture developed here independently, one of only a handful of places on earth where that happened. Bananas were being cultivated on drained mounds around 4,000 years ago. This is not a place where farming arrived. It is one of the places it began.
How it got here
Lapita to independence
Lapita pottery-making seafarers passed through the islands from around 1500 BC and went on to settle the wider Pacific. From 1884 the island was divided between German, British and later Australian administration. Heavy fighting and bombing crossed the north coast and islands between 1942 and 1945. Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975, and Kuk was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2008.
The timeline
c. 49,000 to 44,000 years ago
The Ivane valley.
Stone axes and charred pandanus nut shells at 2,000 metres show people living and clearing forest in the highlands. ↗
c. 40,000 years ago
Coast and islands.
Sites on the Huon peninsula and in the Bismarck archipelago record early sea crossings. ↗
c. 10,000 to 7,000 years ago
Kuk.
Drainage ditches in the Wahgi valley show agriculture invented here independently, one of only a handful of places in the world where that happened. ↗
c. 4,000 years ago
Bananas on drained ground.
Organised cultivation of bananas on drained mounds at the same site. ↗
c. 1500 BC
Lapita.
Pottery-making seafarers pass through the islands and go on to settle the wider Pacific. ↗
1884 to 1975
German, British and Australian rule.
The island is divided between colonial powers and later administered by Australia.
1942 to 1945
The Pacific war.
Heavy fighting and bombing across the north coast and islands. ↗
1975
Independence.
Papua New Guinea becomes independent in September 1975, ending Australian administration of a territory that had been divided between German, British and Australian control since 1884. It remains one of the most linguistically diverse countries on Earth. ↗
2008
World Heritage.
Kuk Swamp is inscribed by UNESCO in 2008 as evidence of independent agriculture: drainage ditches show cultivation from around 7,000 to 10,000 years ago, making this one of the few places on Earth where farming was invented rather than imported. ↗
Formal protected areas cover only about 3.7 percent of the land and a negligible 0.1 percent of marine waters (World Bank, 2021), among the lowest formal coverage anywhere. In practice, roughly 97 percent of land is under customary ownership and much forest stays intact through traditional stewardship, with locally managed areas such as the YUS Conservation Area and Torricelli. Formal protection and enforcement are weak, but de facto forest cover is high at 79 percent.
Is wild Papua New Guinea protected? 3.7% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Papua New Guinea?
Forest cover79%
Terrestrial protected area3.69%
Marine protected area0.14%
862 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in Papua New Guinea and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Birds of paradise
Bi
Queen Alexandra's birdwing butterfly
Qu
Tree kangaroos
Tr
The watchlist
ThreatenedBeck's Petrel (Pseudobulweria becki)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedHawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedHammerhead Shark (Sphyrna lewini)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (shark or ray).
ThreatenedDolicholobium rufiflorumCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedLamellomphalus manusensisCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedGiant clam (Tridacna gigas)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedAsplenium tenerumCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedArrowhead (Eusphyra blochii)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Papua New Guinea in GBIF occurrence data (shark or ray).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Papua New Guinea. GBIF holds 84 verified occurrence records.
Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Papua New Guinea. GBIF holds 10 verified occurrence records.
Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna lewini)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Papua New Guinea. GBIF holds 297 verified occurrence records.
Dolicholobium rufiflorum
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Papua New Guinea. GBIF holds 8 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Papua New Guinea filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
National park in Central, mapped and named in the open record for Papua New Guinea. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea has enormous freshwater resources, high rainfall and major rivers such as the Sepik, Fly and Ramu, so scarcity is not the issue. Access and safety are: WHO/UNICEF JMP figures place PNG among the world's lowest for drinking water, with well under half the population reaching even a basic supply and rural villages relying on rivers and rain tanks. Tap water is not reliably safe.
Does Papua New Guinea have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
Bottled or treated water only; malaria prevention matters in lowland areas.
Cleanest water: Kimbe Bay, Milne Bay and the Tufi fjords
How much fresh water does Papua New Guinea have, per person?
78,505 m³
Papua New Guinea
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Papua New Guinea withdraws about 392 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 0.1% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as no water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 0%, homes and towns 57%, industry 43%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Papua New Guinea beaches?
✕Tap water: Not drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: Limited; not comprehensive.
✕Solo travel: rated take care on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 0.14% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Named on the open map: Bulama Beach, Dali Beach, Davage Beach, Kohua Beach, Kone Maraki Beach, Mirikone Beach, Pariva Beach, Roku Beach. That is 13 named beaches in the public record for Papua New Guinea, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
16.7%
of people have safely managed sanitation
16.7% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around Papua New Guinea doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Wet Nov–Apr, dry May–Oct; lowlands are hot and humid all year.
Nearshore
Protected water
0.14% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Kimbe Bay, Milne Bay and the Tufi fjords.
The record
Measured
Papua New Guinea has enormous freshwater resources, high rainfall and major rivers such as the Sepik, Fly and Ramu, so scarcity is not the issue. Access and safety are: WHO/UNICEF JMP figures place PNG among the world's lowest for drinking water, with well under half the population reaching even a basic supply and rural villages relying on rivers and rain tanks.
Sea protected
0.14%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
862 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Kimbe Bay, Milne Bay and the Tufi fjords.
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 0 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 0.0% of what Papua New Guinea renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Papua New Guinea? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Papua New Guinea actually have?
Nature renews about 78,505 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Papua New Guinea 204 of 208 countries measured, placing it among the 10 best-watered countries measured. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Around four in five people live rurally and grow their own food, so subsistence agriculture is the backbone of daily life, built on sweet potato (kaukau), taro, yam, sago, banana, coconut and leafy greens. Staple self sufficiency at the household level is very high, though towns lean on imported rice and tinned fish. Cash crops include coffee, cocoa and copra.
Where does the food in Papua New Guinea come from?
16.5% imported
about US$762m a year
On the plate: Sweet potato (kaukau), taro, yam, sago, banana, coconut, aibika greens, rice in towns
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Taro51%
Sago42%
Banana33%
Coconut24%
Aibika greens15%
2 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$762m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 16.5% of everything Papua New Guinea buys in from abroad is food, roughly 2 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2023, World Bank). Farming itself is 17% of the economy and 3.1% of the land is agricultural, of which 0.7% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Papua New Guinea? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined47.6%
Diabetes14.1%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 51.4%.
Can Papua New Guinea feed itself?
0.7%
Arable land
3.1%
Agricultural land
1,381,109
Farmers
815,446
Arable acres
17.0%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Coffee harvest April to September in the Highlands; garden crops year round
Feeding itself
Around four in five people live rurally and grow their own food, so subsistence agriculture is the backbone of daily life, built on sweet potato (kaukau), taro, yam, sago, banana, coconut and leafy greens. Staple self sufficiency at the household level is very high, though towns lean on imported rice and tinned fish.
Certification
FiBL records about 6.1 percent of agricultural land as certified organic in 2020, roughly 72,000 hectares, a high share reflecting PNG's certified organic coffee and cocoa grown by smallholders with few synthetic inputs.
Water for crops
Papua New Guinea has enormous freshwater resources, high rainfall and major rivers such as the Sepik, Fly and Ramu, so scarcity is not the issue. Access and safety are: WHO/UNICEF JMP figures place PNG among the world's lowest for drinking water, with well under half the population reaching even a basic supply and rural villages relying on rivers and rain tanks.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Papua New Guinea, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 3.1% of the country is agricultural land and 0.7% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Papua New Guinea are oil palm fruit, bananas, coconuts, palm oil and sweet potatoes (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: Andewale Marketplace, Angore Marketplace, Arawa Main Market, Baimuru Market, Bendaun Market, Binsnol Market. Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
Is this grown in Papua New Guinea?
Tap a food for the honest answer.
TaroYamSagoBananaCoconutAibika greensRice in towns
.
TaroYamSagoBananaCoconutAibika greensRice in towns
Papua New Guinea's grid drew only about a quarter of its electricity from low carbon sources in 2023, mostly hydropower at around 21% with some geothermal, and fewer than one in five people have grid access. Fossil carbon dioxide emissions are very low at roughly 0.79 tonnes per person in 2024 because energy use is minimal for most of the population. The country is nonetheless a significant liquefied natural gas exporter and faces heavy pressure from commercial logging and forest loss, which weigh against the low domestic figure. Its enhanced climate pledge aspires to net zero and targets a far higher renewable grid share, but delivery remains limited.
What powers Papua New Guinea?
Renewable 23.7%Fossil 76.3%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
0.52 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
0.55 tonnes
The grid
Papua New Guinea's grid drew only about a quarter of its electricity from low carbon sources in 2023, mostly hydropower at around 21% with some geothermal, and fewer than one in five people have grid access. Fossil carbon dioxide emissions are very low at roughly 0.79 tonnes per person in 2024 because energy use is minimal for most of the population.
Pollution
Ambient PM2.5 averages about 12.3 micrograms per cubic metre (World Bank, 2017), relatively clean thanks to low industrialisation, and away from towns the environment is largely unpolluted. Solid waste management is weak in urban centres and formal plastic policy is limited, so town litter is a problem.
Water stress
Papua New Guinea has enormous freshwater resources, high rainfall and major rivers such as the Sepik, Fly and Ramu, so scarcity is not the issue. Access and safety are: WHO/UNICEF JMP figures place PNG among the world's lowest for drinking water, with well under half the population reaching even a basic supply and rural villages relying on rivers and rain tanks.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.77%
2IndustryLarge scale logging and mining, including the Ok Tedi mine notorious for Fly River tailings pollution.named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.12.3
4On the recordAmbient PM2.5 averages about 12.3 micrograms per cubic metre (World Bank, 2017), relatively clean thanks to low industrialisation, and away from towns the environment is largely unpolluted.
What has Papua New Guinea promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today40% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target3.7% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target0.1% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in policy document. Measured against it, 40% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 60% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year0.52 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
New York return, economy2.65 t CO2e
Paris return, economy2.62 t CO2e
London return, economy2.61 t CO2e
Frankfurt return, economy2.54 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy2.22 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Papua New Guinea emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Papua New Guinea.
Data centres
2
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
23.7 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Papua New Guinea?
Almost everything a machine here consumes is burned fossil fuel.
Renewable 23.7%Fossil 76.3%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 40% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Papua New Guinea has 2 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Port Moresby (2), alongside 3 internet exchanges (PNG Neutral IX POM, PNG Neutral IX Lae, PNG Neutral IX Hagen). Named sites include Datec Port Moresby, PNG Nambawan Trophy.
Where the cables land. 15 landing points · Alotau, Arawa, Daru, Kavieng
98% residents to 2% visitors across a year. 211,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 10,762,817 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Papua New Guinea
39k
Visitors a year
0.0
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Papua New Guinea?· for every $100 Papua New Guinea earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2023 peak
$ 54The worst year on the IMF record. Papua New Guinea owed $54 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2023signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 49What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 34The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $34 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Papua New Guinea earns in a year, it owes $49 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Papua New Guinea?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 211,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 10,762,817 residents, one visitor a year for every 51 residents (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Papua New Guinea is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is 16.5% of everything Papua New Guinea imports (2023, World Bank), so a large part of every restaurant bill is paid to a supplier abroad. Eating what the land here actually grows, oil palm fruit, coconuts, bananas, fruits, sweet potatoes, yams, root vegetables, vegetables, sugarcane, keeps that money with the grower.
sails in
4
The power
60% of the electricity is fossil (2021, World Bank). Lighting, cooling and hot water are paid for largely in imported fuel.
burns away
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power mostly leave Papua New Guinea. Choosing locally grown food is the part of that a visitor can actually control.
less than you think
6
Pay the bank first
Papua New Guinea owes $49 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$49 per $100
7
No plan B
42.6% of everything Papua New Guinea sells abroad is mineral fuels and oils (2023, UN Comtrade). One market moving takes the whole board with it.
42.6% one export
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 0% of everything Papua New Guinea makes from exports (2018, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
0% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From New York a return economy seat is 2.65 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.65 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$34 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$34bn
GDPUS$32.5bn
Agriculture, share of GDP17%
Visitors a year39,000
Visitors per resident0
Residents~10,762,817
Agriculture
Farming is 17% of the economy. Around four in five people live rurally and grow their own food, so subsistence agriculture is the backbone of daily life, built on sweet potato (kaukau), taro, yam, sago, banana, coconut and leafy greens.
Natural materials
Natural fibre craft is woven into daily life, above all the bilum, a looped string bag made from plant fibres and now also wool, recognised as intangible cultural heritage, alongside bark cloth (tapa), woven mats, grass skirts and shell and feather adornment. These are made and used across the country.
Energy
Papua New Guinea's grid drew only about a quarter of its electricity from low carbon sources in 2023, mostly hydropower at around 21% with some geothermal, and fewer than one in five people have grid access. Fossil carbon dioxide emissions are very low at roughly 0.79 tonnes per person in 2024 because energy use is minimal for most of the population.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Papua New Guinea?
By rooms · company records and press.
Tufi Dive Resort · ~26 roomsIndependentnot published
Walindi Plantation Resort · ~20 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
2015199k
2016198k
2017182k
2018195k
2019211k
202039k
International tourism receipts run at about US$0.00 billion in 2018 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 0% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking sweet potato (kaukau), taro, yam, sago, banana, coconut, aibika greens; rice in towns over imported menus. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Domestic flights are essential because few roads link regions; public motor vehicles (PMVs) and boats for local travel
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Papua New Guinea is one of Earth's most biologically and culturally diverse countries, nearly four fifths forested and largely held under customary ownership, though basic services such as safe water lag badly.
Best time: Dry season for the Highlands and diving
Getting around
Domestic flights are essential because few roads link regions; public motor vehicles (PMVs) and boats for local travel
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is oil palm fruit, coconuts, bananas, fruits, sweet potatoes, yams, root vegetables, vegetables and sugarcane. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cash mostly, Kina; cards only in Port Moresby hotels. Crime caution in cities.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Tufi Dive ResortWalindi Plantation Resort
.
Who owns the places to stay
Tufi Dive ResortIndependent · 26 rooms
Walindi Plantation ResortIndependent · 20 rooms
None of the 2 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Papua New Guinea.
How well is Papua New Guinea actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Papua New Guinea scores 39 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
How well is Papua New Guinea run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 32 of 100
Control of corruption scores 31.7 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is below the halfway mark of governments measured.
32
Freedom and rights, scored 51 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 51.1 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens have some room to question their government.
51
Government effectiveness, scored 34 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 33.8 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated below average, so a pledge on paper is not the same as a pledge kept.
34
Income equality, scored 42 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 41.9 (2009, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Above 40 is the level usually treated as socially strained, and Papua New Guinea sits above it.
42
LGBTQ+ status: IllegalSolo female travel: Take care87% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Large scale logging and mining, including the Ok Tedi mine notorious for Fly River tailings pollution
What is daily life in Papua New Guinea really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Domestic flights are essential because few roads link regions; public motor vehicles (PMVs) and boats for local travel
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 12.3. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest The Highlands and remote islands
·Tap water Not drinkable
✓What to drink Bottled or treated water only; malaria prevention matters in lowland areas.
✓Plastic rules Limited; not comprehensive
✓Sockets and voltage Type I, 230V
87.0%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 0.8% of GDP and 3.5% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 52.1% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023).
Made in Papua New Guinea.
Natural fibre craft is woven into daily life, above all the bilum, a looped string bag made from plant fibres and now also wool, recognised as intangible cultural heritage, alongside bark cloth (tapa), woven mats, grass skirts and shell and feather adornment. These are made and used across the country. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Papua New Guinea actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Papua New Guinea sells the world is mineral fuels and oils, 42.6% of all exports in 2023 (about US$4.24 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are pearls, gemstones and precious metals at 19.9%, ores, slag and ash at 9.6%, animal and vegetable fats and oils at 9.2%, fish and seafood at 4.6%.
Made now · natural materials
Natural fibre craft is woven into daily life
Worked in Papua New Guinea from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Above all the bilum
Worked in Papua New Guinea from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Looped string bag made from plant fibres
Worked in Papua New Guinea from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Now also wool
Worked in Papua New Guinea from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Recognised as intangible cultural heritage
Worked in Papua New Guinea from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Alongside bark cloth (tapa)
Worked in Papua New Guinea from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Buys in · 16.2% of imports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
Papua New Guinea imported US$1.00 billion of machinery and mechanical appliances in 2023, 16.2% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 8.0% of imports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Papua New Guinea imported US$0.49 billion of electrical machinery and electronics in 2023, 8.0% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 7.2% of imports
Vehicles
Papua New Guinea imported US$0.45 billion of vehicles in 2023, 7.2% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 5.3% of imports
Cereals
Papua New Guinea imported US$0.33 billion of cereals in 2023, 5.3% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Papua New Guinea produces about US$32 billion a year, which is roughly US$3,020 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 17% of that, while food is 16.5% of everything the country imports.
A living tradition of Papua New Guinea, still practised rather than archived.
Kundu
A living tradition of Papua New Guinea, still practised rather than archived.
Garamut drumming
A living tradition of Papua New Guinea, still practised rather than archived.
Huli wigmen
A living tradition of Papua New Guinea, still practised rather than archived.
Asaro mudmenA living tradition of Papua New Guinea, still practised rather than archived.
Bilas adornmentA living tradition of Papua New Guinea, still practised rather than archived.
Does Papua New Guinea protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Papua New Guinea is among the most culturally diverse nations on earth, with over 800 languages and heritage that remains vividly alive. Sing-sing gatherings bring communities together in dance, kundu and garamut drumming, feather and shell bilas adornment and painted display, from the Huli wigmen to the Asaro mudmen. Ancestral and spiritual traditions, initiation rites and clan cosmology continue to shape daily life across the highlands, islands and Sepik River.
Who it belongs to. Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally intact nations on Earth, with more than 800 languages, most people living rurally on clan land, and vibrant living traditions from Highlands sing sings to Sepik carving. Customary ownership of about 97 percent of the land keeps decisions with communities, and community based ecotourism operates around village stays, the Kokoda Track and the YUS area. Culture here is lived, not curated.
Only here. Queen Alexandra's birdwing, the world's largest butterfly, found only in PNG's Oro Province.
Three futures for Papua New Guinea, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Museum Street (Rabaul), PNG National Museum and Art Gallery (Port Moresby), Madang Museum (Madang), Kokopo Museum (Kokopo), JK McCarthy Museum (Goroka). OpenStreetMap.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
-2%
Forest cover
1995: 80.2 % → 2023: 79 %
-4%
Renewable electricity
2000: 41.5 % → 2021: 40 %
-2%
CO2 per person
1995: 0.528 t → 2024: 0.517 t
-68%
Tourist arrivals
2008: 120 k → 2020: 39 k
+19%
Protected land
2013: 3.1 % → 2025: 3.7 %
+35%
Farm workforce
1995: 27.3 % → 2025: 36.9 %
-50%
Protected sea
2013: 0.2 % → 2025: 0.1 %
+41%
Agricultural land
1995: 2.2 % → 2023: 3.1 %
+10%
Urban population
1995: 14.4 % → 2025: 15.8 %
-5%
Air pollution
1995: 14.9 µg/m³ → 2023: 14.1 µg/m³
-54%
Fresh water per person
1995: 172470.3 m³ → 2022: 78505 m³
+34%
Adult overweight
1995: 38.3 % → 2022: 51.4 %
+294%
Electricity access
1996: 11 % → 2024: 43.3 %
+203%
GDP per person
1995: 998 → 2025: 3020
+132%
Population
1995: 4644 k → 2025: 10763 k
-23%
Renewable energy use
1995: 70.7 % → 2022: 54.6 %
+0%
Protected area, total
2013: 0.7 % → 2025: 0.7 %
+9%
Life expectancy
1995: 60.9 yrs → 2024: 66.3 yrs
+60%
Cereal yield
1995: 2984 ha → 2023: 4787 ha
+85%
Fertiliser use
1995: 67 ha → 2023: 123.7 ha
-2%
Rural population
1995: 85.7 % → 2025: 84.2 %
+58%
Water productivity
2000: 40.6 $/m3 → 2022: 64.2 $/m3
+42%
Health spending
2000: 2.02 % → 2023: 2.87 %
-2%
Forest area
1995: 363388 km2 → 2023: 357552 km2
+52%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 1.76 e → 2023: 2.67 e
+186%
Emissions: Building
1990: 0.07 e → 2023: 0.2 e
+403%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 0.78 e → 2023: 3.92 e
+318%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 3.5 e → 2023: 14.5 e
+400%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 0.02 e → 2023: 0.1 e
+589%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 0.27 e → 2023: 1.86 e
+160%
Emissions: Transportation
1990: 0.65 e → 2023: 1.69 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 80.2% to 79.0% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 41.5% to 40.0% across 21 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 0.5 t to 0.5 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 120k to 39k across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 3.1% to 3.7% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 27.3% to 36.9% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 0.2% to 0.1% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 2.2% to 3.1% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 14.4% to 15.8% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 14.9 µg/m³ to 14.1 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 172470.3 m³ to 78505.0 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 38.3% to 51.4% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 11.0% to 43.3% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 998 to 3020 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 4644k to 10763k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 70.7% to 54.6% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 0.7% to 0.7% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 60.93 yrs to 66.26 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 2984 kg/ha to 4787 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 67.01 kg/ha to 123.66 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 85.65% to 84.22% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 40.59 $/m3 to 64.2 $/m3 across 22 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 2.02% to 2.87% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 363388 km2 to 357552 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 1.76 to 2.67 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 0.07 to 0.2 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 0.78 to 3.92 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 3.47 to 14.49 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 0.02 to 0.1 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 0.27 to 1.86 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have transportation emissions moved?
Transportation emissions moved from 0.65 to 1.69 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, recycling at 1/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Papua New Guinea already shows it can do this: wildlife scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift recycling
It scores 1 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Papua New Guinea's record. There is effectively no formal municipal recycling infrastructure, and most urban waste is landfilled or dumped. Any recovery is informal and small scale. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift conservation
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Papua New Guinea's record. Formal protected areas cover only about 3.7 percent of the land and a negligible 0.1 percent of marine waters (World Bank, 2021), among the lowest formal coverage anywhere. In practice, roughly 97 percent of land is under customary ownership and much forest stays intact through traditional stewardship, with locally managed areas such as the YUS Conservation Area and Torricelli. Formal protection and enforcement are weak, but de facto forest cover is high at 79 percent. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift water
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Papua New Guinea's record. Papua New Guinea has enormous freshwater resources, high rainfall and major rivers such as the Sepik, Fly and Ramu, so scarcity is not the issue. Access and safety are: WHO/UNICEF JMP figures place PNG among the world's lowest for drinking water, with well under half the population reaching even a basic supply and rural villages relying on rivers and rain tanks. Tap water is not reliably safe. Abundant water, poor delivery. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Papua New Guinea.
Who is in charge of Papua New Guinea now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
James Marape
Prime Minister
James Marape is the head of government of Papua New Guinea, in office since 30 May 2019. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 51.1 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 31.7 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 54.7 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 47.1 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 45.4 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
James MarapePrime Minister
National ParliamentLegislature, unicameral
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1975
Government typeparliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealt
Papua New Guinea national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Policy Document
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Policy Document (12/16/2021) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Papua New Guinea sustainable?
Papua New Guinea scores 68 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Papua New Guinea is one of Earth's most biologically and culturally diverse countries, nearly four fifths forested and largely held under customary ownership, though basic services such as safe water lag badly.
Is the water in Papua New Guinea safe and plentiful?
Papua New Guinea has enormous freshwater resources, high rainfall and major rivers such as the Sepik, Fly and Ramu, so scarcity is not the issue. Access and safety are: WHO/UNICEF JMP figures place PNG among the world's lowest for drinking water, with well under half the population reaching even a basic supply and rural villages relying on rivers and rain tanks. Tap water is not reliably safe.
Can Papua New Guinea feed itself?
Around four in five people live rurally and grow their own food, so subsistence agriculture is the backbone of daily life, built on sweet potato (kaukau), taro, yam, sago, banana, coconut and leafy greens. Staple self sufficiency at the household level is very high, though towns lean on imported rice and tinned fish. Cash crops include coffee, cocoa and copra.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Papua New Guinea?
The everyday diet is dominated by whole plant foods: root crops, sago, banana, coconut and greens such as aibika, with meat and fish reserved largely for feasts. Fresh produce fills local markets daily. Unprocessed plant eating is the norm rather than a niche.
How much of Papua New Guinea is actually protected?
Formal protected areas cover only about 3.7 percent of the land and a negligible 0.1 percent of marine waters (World Bank, 2021), among the lowest formal coverage anywhere. In practice, roughly 97 percent of land is under customary ownership and much forest stays intact through traditional stewardship, with locally managed areas such as the YUS Conservation Area and Torricelli. Formal protection and enforcement are weak, but de facto forest cover is high at 79 percent.
What wildlife is left in Papua New Guinea?
New Guinea is a global biodiversity summit, and PNG holds the lion's share of the world's birds of paradise, dozens of species most of them endemic, along with tree kangaroos, the world's largest butterfly (Queen Alexandra's birdwing, found only in Oro Province) and the coral rich waters of Kimbe and Milne bays. Endemism is exceptional across birds, mammals, reptiles and insects. The World Bank and IUCN list about 51 threatened mammal and 38 threatened bird species (2022).
Is Papua New Guinea on clean energy?
Papua New Guinea's grid drew only about a quarter of its electricity from low carbon sources in 2023, mostly hydropower at around 21% with some geothermal, and fewer than one in five people have grid access. Fossil carbon dioxide emissions are very low at roughly 0.79 tonnes per person in 2024 because energy use is minimal for most of the population. The country is nonetheless a significant liquefied natural gas exporter and faces heavy pressure from commercial logging and forest loss, which weigh against the low domestic figure.
How polluted is Papua New Guinea?
Ambient PM2.5 averages about 12.3 micrograms per cubic metre (World Bank, 2017), relatively clean thanks to low industrialisation, and away from towns the environment is largely unpolluted. Solid waste management is weak in urban centres and formal plastic policy is limited, so town litter is a problem. Overall pollution is low but poorly managed where it occurs.
Does recycling work in Papua New Guinea?
There is effectively no formal municipal recycling infrastructure, and most urban waste is landfilled or dumped. Any recovery is informal and small scale.
Is the farming in Papua New Guinea organic?
FiBL records about 6.1 percent of agricultural land as certified organic in 2020, roughly 72,000 hectares, a high share reflecting PNG's certified organic coffee and cocoa grown by smallholders with few synthetic inputs.
Are there natural materials and craft in Papua New Guinea?
Natural fibre craft is woven into daily life, above all the bilum, a looped string bag made from plant fibres and now also wool, recognised as intangible cultural heritage, alongside bark cloth (tapa), woven mats, grass skirts and shell and feather adornment. These are made and used across the country.
Is there living culture in Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally intact nations on Earth, with more than 800 languages, most people living rurally on clan land, and vibrant living traditions from Highlands sing sings to Sepik carving. Customary ownership of about 97 percent of the land keeps decisions with communities, and community based ecotourism operates around village stays, the Kokoda Track and the YUS area. Culture here is lived, not curated.
What heritage does Papua New Guinea keep alive?
Papua New Guinea is among the most culturally diverse nations on earth, with over 800 languages and heritage that remains vividly alive. Sing-sing gatherings bring communities together in dance, kundu and garamut drumming, feather and shell bilas adornment and painted display, from the Huli wigmen to the Asaro mudmen. Ancestral and spiritual traditions, initiation rites and clan cosmology continue to shape daily life across the highlands, islands and Sepik River.
So is Papua New Guinea actually green? The measured answer
What is working: the record is thin on the headline measures, and the sourced numbers below say why.
What is not: land protected at 3.7% against a 30% mark, sea protected at 0.1% against a 30% mark, renewable electricity at 40% against a 100% mark.
Papua New Guinea sits 37 of 77 at 68/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Papua New Guinea particularly good at?
✓Culture, scored 5/5. Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally intact nations on Earth, with more than 800 languages, most people living rurally on clan land, and vibrant living traditions from Highlands sing sings to Sepik carving. Customary ownership of about 97 percent of the land keeps decisions with communities, and community based ecotourism operates around village stays, the Kokoda Track and the YUS area. Culture here is lived, not curated.
✓Heritage, scored 5/5. Papua New Guinea is among the most culturally diverse nations on earth, with over 800 languages and heritage that remains vividly alive. Sing-sing gatherings bring communities together in dance, kundu and garamut drumming, feather and shell bilas adornment and painted display, from the Huli wigmen to the Asaro mudmen. Ancestral and spiritual traditions, initiation rites and clan cosmology continue to shape daily life across the highlands, islands and Sepik River. Distinct regional forms such as Malagan carving and Sepik masks carry deep ancestral meaning.
✓Wildlife, scored 5/5. New Guinea is a global biodiversity summit, and PNG holds the lion's share of the world's birds of paradise, dozens of species most of them endemic, along with tree kangaroos, the world's largest butterfly (Queen Alexandra's birdwing, found only in Oro Province) and the coral rich waters of Kimbe and Milne bays. Endemism is exceptional across birds, mammals, reptiles and insects. The World Bank and IUCN list about 51 threatened mammal and 38 threatened bird species (2022).
Where does Papua New Guinea score worst?
✕Conservation, scored 2/5. Formal protected areas cover only about 3.7 percent of the land and a negligible 0.1 percent of marine waters (World Bank, 2021), among the lowest formal coverage anywhere. In practice, roughly 97 percent of land is under customary ownership and much forest stays intact through traditional stewardship, with locally managed areas such as the YUS Conservation Area and Torricelli. Formal protection and enforcement are weak, but de facto forest cover is high at 79 percent.
✕Water, scored 2/5. Papua New Guinea has enormous freshwater resources, high rainfall and major rivers such as the Sepik, Fly and Ramu, so scarcity is not the issue. Access and safety are: WHO/UNICEF JMP figures place PNG among the world's lowest for drinking water, with well under half the population reaching even a basic supply and rural villages relying on rivers and rain tanks. Tap water is not reliably safe. Abundant water, poor delivery.
✕Recycling, scored 1/5. There is effectively no formal municipal recycling infrastructure, and most urban waste is landfilled or dumped. Any recovery is informal and small scale.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
New ZealandScored on the same twelve pillars as Papua New Guinea.80
FijiScored on the same twelve pillars as Papua New Guinea.72
AustraliaScored on the same twelve pillars as Papua New Guinea.70
French PolynesiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Papua New Guinea.62
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Papua New Guinea's grid drew only about a quarter of its electricity from low carbon sources in 2023, mostly hydropower at around 21% with some geothermal, and fewer than one in five people have grid access. Fossil carbon dioxide emissions are very low at roughly 0.79 tonnes per person in 2024 because energy use is minimal for most of the population.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Papua New Guinea's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 4/5
Around four in five people live rurally and grow their own food, so subsistence agriculture is the backbone of daily life, built on sweet potato (kaukau), taro, yam, sago, banana, coconut and leafy greens. Staple self sufficiency at the household level is very high, though towns lean on imported rice and tinned fish.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Papua New Guinea's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 5/5
Papua New Guinea is among the most culturally diverse nations on earth, with over 800 languages and heritage that remains vividly alive. Sing-sing gatherings bring communities together in dance, kundu and garamut drumming, feather and shell bilas adornment and painted display, from the Huli wigmen to the Asaro mudmen.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Papua New Guinea's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Papua New Guinea Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Papua New Guinea, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
33.8 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
47.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
54.7 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
51.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
36.9 / 100 · 148 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 148 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
36.3 / 100 · 157 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 157 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
19.8 / 100 · 166 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 166 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
68.2 / 100 · 106 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 106 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
11.8 / 100 · 157 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 157 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
100.0 / 100 · 23 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 23 of 131 countries assessed.
How Papua New Guinea Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
