Geography of Papua New Guinea
Continent | Pacific Ocean |
---|---|
Region | Oceania |
Coordinates | 6°00′S 147°00′E / 6.000°S 147.000°E |
Area | Ranked 54th |
• Total | 462,840 km2 (178,700 sq mi) |
• Land | 98% |
• Water | 2% |
Coastline | 5,152 km (3,201 mi) |
Borders | 820 kilometres (510 mi) |
Highest point | Mount Wilhelm 4,509 metres (14,793 ft) |
Lowest point | Pacific Ocean 0 m |
Exclusive economic zone | 2,402,288 km2 (927,529 sq mi) |
The geography of Papua New Guinea describes the eastern half of the island of
Papua New Guinea is largely
Papua New Guinea has one land border—that which divides the island of New Guinea. Across the 820 km (509 mi) border is the Indonesian provinces of Papua, Highland Papua and South Papua. Papua New Guinea's border with Indonesia is not straight; the border loops slightly to the west along the Fly River in the south-central part of New Guinea, on the western edge of Papua New Guinea's Western Province. There are maritime borders with Australia to the south and Solomon Islands to the southeast.
Physical geography
Papua New Guinea has a total area of 462,840 km2 (178,700 sq mi), of which 452,860 km2 (174,850 sq mi) is land and 9,980 km2 (3,850 sq mi) is water. This makes it the 3rd largest island country in the world.[1] Its coastline is 5 152 km long.
The northernmost point is
Papua New Guinea has
Offshore islands include the small, forested Admiralty Islands, the largest of which is Manus, to the north of the main island of New Guinea. These have a distinct plant and animal life from the main island but the natural forest has been cleared in places for logging and agriculture.[2]
A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 1,308 km² of tidal flats in Papua New Guinea, making it the 25th ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.[3]
Rivers
Climate
Climate data
Climate data for Port Moresby (Köppen Aw) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 36.2 (97.2) |
36.1 (97.0) |
35.4 (95.7) |
34.2 (93.6) |
33.8 (92.8) |
33.9 (93.0) |
33.3 (91.9) |
33.8 (92.8) |
34.8 (94.6) |
35.5 (95.9) |
36.3 (97.3) |
36.3 (97.3) |
36.3 (97.3) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.1 (89.8) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.3 (86.5) |
29.9 (85.8) |
30.3 (86.5) |
31.0 (87.8) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.5 (90.5) |
32.4 (90.3) |
31.3 (88.3) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.4 (81.3) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.1 (80.8) |
27.0 (80.6) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.1 (79.0) |
25.7 (78.3) |
26.1 (79.0) |
26.5 (79.7) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.6 (81.7) |
27.8 (82.0) |
26.9 (80.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.7 (74.7) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.1 (73.6) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.6 (72.7) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
Record low °C (°F) | 20.4 (68.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
16.8 (62.2) |
14.5 (58.1) |
14.5 (58.1) |
10.4 (50.7) |
14.8 (58.6) |
14.4 (57.9) |
16.3 (61.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
19.6 (67.3) |
10.4 (50.7) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 192.2 (7.57) |
140.6 (5.54) |
189.8 (7.47) |
105.2 (4.14) |
56.2 (2.21) |
21.6 (0.85) |
13.8 (0.54) |
12.0 (0.47) |
14.4 (0.57) |
15.2 (0.60) |
40.0 (1.57) |
97.8 (3.85) |
898.8 (35.38) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 18 | 16 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 114 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
79 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 81 | 79 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 77 | 78 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 182 | 158 | 184 | 200 | 211 | 200 | 203 | 222 | 213 | 231 | 243 | 216 | 2,463 |
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization[8] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes, mean temperature, humidity and sun)[9][10] |
Climate data for Mount Hagen (Köppen Cfb) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
29 (84) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
29 (84) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12 (54) |
13 (55) |
13 (55) |
12 (54) |
12 (54) |
11 (52) |
11 (52) |
11 (52) |
11 (52) |
12 (54) |
12 (54) |
12 (54) |
12 (54) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 283 (11.1) |
299 (11.8) |
309 (12.2) |
249 (9.8) |
180 (7.1) |
122 (4.8) |
135 (5.3) |
163 (6.4) |
193 (7.6) |
218 (8.6) |
208 (8.2) |
279 (11.0) |
2,638 (103.9) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 288 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 155 | 113 | 124 | 120 | 124 | 120 | 124 | 124 | 120 | 155 | 150 | 155 | 1,584 |
Source: Weather2Travel[11] |
Climate data for Lae (Köppen Af) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.5 (88.7) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.5 (86.9) |
29.8 (85.6) |
28.8 (83.8) |
28.1 (82.6) |
28.0 (82.4) |
28.7 (83.7) |
29.6 (85.3) |
30.5 (86.9) |
31.1 (88.0) |
29.9 (85.8) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.3 (75.7) |
24.2 (75.6) |
24.2 (75.6) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.6 (72.7) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.4 (74.1) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 241.6 (9.51) |
239.9 (9.44) |
281.1 (11.07) |
347.4 (13.68) |
348.9 (13.74) |
502.8 (19.80) |
477.9 (18.81) |
516.9 (20.35) |
360.9 (14.21) |
442.4 (17.42) |
334.9 (13.19) |
338.2 (13.31) |
4,432.9 (174.52) |
Average rainy days | 16 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 246 |
Source: World Meteorological Organisation[12]
|
Climate data for Wewak (Köppen Af) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) |
30.4 (86.7) |
30.5 (86.9) |
30.9 (87.6) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31 (88) |
30.8 (87.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31 (88) |
30.7 (87.3) |
30.9 (87.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.8 (80.2) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.8 (80.2) |
27.1 (80.8) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27 (81) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.8 (80.3) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) |
23 (73) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23 (73) |
22.8 (72.8) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 143 (5.6) |
144 (5.7) |
165 (6.5) |
181 (7.1) |
208 (8.2) |
191 (7.5) |
166 (6.5) |
161 (6.3) |
177 (7.0) |
216 (8.5) |
207 (8.1) |
157 (6.2) |
2,116 (83.2) |
Average rainy days | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 215 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Source 1: Climate-Data.org (altitude: 0m)[13] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weather2Travel for rainy days and sunshine[14] |
Climate data for Daru (Köppen Am) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.7 (89.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.6 (87.1) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.9 (84.0) |
28.2 (82.8) |
28.4 (83.1) |
29.2 (84.6) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.8 (89.2) |
32.4 (90.3) |
30.4 (86.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.5 (81.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.0 (80.6) |
26.8 (80.2) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.8 (78.4) |
26.8 (80.2) |
27.6 (81.7) |
28.0 (82.4) |
26.7 (80.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.4 (74.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.5 (72.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 265 (10.4) |
264 (10.4) |
291 (11.5) |
333 (13.1) |
224 (8.8) |
110 (4.3) |
80 (3.1) |
54 (2.1) |
45 (1.8) |
55 (2.2) |
109 (4.3) |
191 (7.5) |
2,021 (79.5) |
Source: [15] |
Climate data for Goroka (Köppen Am/Af/Cfb) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.5 (77.9) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.1 (77.2) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.3 (77.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
25.3 (77.5) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.1 (77.1) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.9 (67.8) |
20.1 (68.2) |
19.8 (67.6) |
19.8 (67.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
18.8 (65.8) |
18.6 (65.5) |
18.9 (66.0) |
19.1 (66.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.7 (67.5) |
19.8 (67.6) |
19.5 (67.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.4 (57.9) |
14.7 (58.5) |
14.6 (58.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
14.2 (57.6) |
13.3 (55.9) |
13.2 (55.8) |
13.3 (55.9) |
13.4 (56.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
13.5 (56.3) |
14.3 (57.7) |
13.9 (57.0) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 229 (9.0) |
249 (9.8) |
232 (9.1) |
181 (7.1) |
117 (4.6) |
62 (2.4) |
55 (2.2) |
65 (2.6) |
99 (3.9) |
159 (6.3) |
163 (6.4) |
229 (9.0) |
1,840 (72.4) |
Source: [16] |
Climate data for Madang (Köppen Af) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 33.2 (91.8) |
33.3 (91.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
33.7 (92.7) |
32.2 (90.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.7 (89.1) |
33.4 (92.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.5 (90.5) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.7 (92.7) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.8 (87.4) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.7 (87.3) |
30.4 (86.7) |
30.2 (86.4) |
30.2 (86.4) |
30.5 (86.9) |
30.9 (87.6) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.9 (87.6) |
30.6 (87.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.9 (75.0) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.8 (74.8) |
Record low °C (°F) | 21.0 (69.8) |
20.7 (69.3) |
20.8 (69.4) |
21.1 (70.0) |
20.1 (68.2) |
19.9 (67.8) |
20.0 (68.0) |
18.9 (66.0) |
20.8 (69.4) |
20.3 (68.5) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
18.9 (66.0) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 343.8 (13.54) |
292.0 (11.50) |
329.8 (12.98) |
389.4 (15.33) |
343.4 (13.52) |
186.4 (7.34) |
144.2 (5.68) |
93.8 (3.69) |
82.6 (3.25) |
239.2 (9.42) |
280.2 (11.03) |
382.0 (15.04) |
3,106.8 (122.31) |
Average rainy days | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 224 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 84 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 84 | 84 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 160 | 140 | 144 | 162 | 193 | 195 | 198 | 210 | 227 | 210 | 185 | 160 | 2,184 |
Source 1: World Meteorological Organisation[17]
| |||||||||||||
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes, humidity and sun)[18][19] |
Human geography
Maritime claims: These are measured from claimed archipelagic baselines.
- Continental shelf:
- 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
- Exclusive economic zone:
- 2,402,288 km2 (927,529 sq mi). 200 mi (320 km) nautical miles
- Territorial sea:
- 12 nautical miles (22 km)
Land use
Natural resources:
Land use:
- arable land: 0.49%
- permanent crops: 1.4%
- other (forests, swamplands, etc.): 98.11% (2005 estimate)
Environmental issues
The rainforest is subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; forest clearance, especially in coastal areas, for plantations; pollution from mining projects. If the trend continues, more than half the forest that existed when Papua New Guinea became independent from Australia in 1975 will be gone by 2021.[20]
Environment - international agreements
signed, but not ratified
- Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
signed and ratified
- Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Extreme points
Extreme points
- Northernmost point – Suf Island
- Northernmost point (mainland) – Sandaun Province
- Southernmost point – Vanatinai
- Southernmost point (mainland) – Near Suau, Samarai-Murua District
- Westernmost point – Border with Indonesia, Western Province
- Easternmost point – Nukumanu Islands, North Solomons
- Easternmost point (mainland) – Milne Bay
- Highest point – Mount Wilhelm: 4,509 m
- Lowest point – Pacific Ocean: 0 m
See also
- List of rivers of Papua New Guinea
- List of volcanoes in Papua New Guinea
- List of highest mountains of New Guinea
- List of protected areas of Papua New Guinea
- Ecoregions of New Guinea
- Australia-New Guinea(continent)
References
- ^ a b "Island Countries Of The World". WorldAtlas.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
- ^ "Admiralty Islands lowland rain forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- S2CID 56481043.
- ^ "Papua New Guinea - Climate". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
- ^ https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/132966/1/BG_04.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- S2CID 213917240.
- ISBN 978-1-315-43476-6.
- ^ "World Weather Information Service — Port Moresby". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ "Klimatafel von Port Moresby (Flugh.) / Papua-Neuguinea" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ "Station 92035 Port Moresby W.O." Global station data 1961–1990—Sunshine Duration. Deutscher Wetterdienst. Archived from the original on 2017-10-17. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ Climate of Mount Hagen
- ^ "World Weather Information Service — Lae City". World Meteorological Organisation. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ^ "Climate: Wewak – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
- ^ "Wewak Climate and Weather Averages, Papua New Guinea". Weather2Travel. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
- ^ "Daru Climate (Papua New Guinea)". climate-data.org.
- ^ "Goroka climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Goroka weather averages - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org.
- ^ "World Weather Information Service — Madang". World Meteorological Organisation. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ^ "Klimatafel von Madang / Papua-Neuguinea" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ "Station 92014 Madang W.O". Global station data 1961–1990—Sunshine Duration. Deutscher Wetterdienst. Archived from the original on 2017-10-17. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ University of Papua New Guinea The State of the Forests in Papua New Guinea Archived 2008-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
- "CIA World Factbook". Retrieved 2006-05-25.