Capital of New Guinea. Papua New Guinea. Island of New Guinea: population

There are not so many places on the planet that the ubiquitous tentacles of civilization have not reached. And, nevertheless, there is a place where locals they look at a passing plane as a deity and go to war against a neighboring tribe. It's about Papua New Guinea.

Of course it is unique country... Many cultures, languages, customs, landscapes, animals and flora... As already mentioned, absolutely wild tribes live in the local jungle, whose decoration is still considered to be the presence in the hut of a collection of ... enemy skulls. Nevertheless, tourists have nothing to fear, since, firstly, they are always under supervision, and secondly, they do not fall under the category of enemies.

Local valleys, mountains, waterfalls, rivers and swamps are great for hiking. But, of course, the main attraction is underwater world the seas surrounding this virgin land. Recently, Papua- New Guinea, has become one of the world leaders in attractiveness for diving enthusiasts, being also the birthplace of McDiving.

Most best season, in climatic terms, occurs here in the period from May to October, while it should be borne in mind that the climate can change even within a few tens of kilometers. In the summer, the country hosts a lot of events that attract tourists from all over the world.

Although the tribes inhabiting the country speak many dialects, English is the country's official language. So, with a tolerable possession of it, there will be no communication problems.

Of the sights, the capital should be highlighted - Port Moresby. Back in the 19th century, an English captain founded a settlement of his own name here, then various missionaries moored here, so little by little the village turned into a city. However, the capital experienced its most rapid growth during the Second World War. This was due to the fact that the largest American military base, as well as the fact that Port Moresby was the only surviving city in the country, the rest were swept to the ground. In general, the panorama sandwiched between the bay and mountain range the capital, enchants with its beauty, revealing amazing beauty.

What to wish if the heating cannot cope with the heating of the apartment? An excellent option is wall-mounted air conditioners from well-known manufacturers Dantex or Daikin. Summer will come and they will just as well create a cool and fresh microclimate in the room.

In the south-western part of the capital, between the bays, there is Old city... It still has colonial buildings, evoking the atmosphere of the Victorian era, Kipling and the ubiquitous soldiers in red uniforms. Further south is the Paga hill, whose height is 99 meters, and behind it an endless series of city beaches begins. It is worth noting that it is on the beaches that the main festivals and celebrations are held, during which local residents demonstrate to tourists the breathtaking art of dance.

In the northern part of the city there are administrative offices, the Parliament building built in the national style. Not far from the Parliament is located National Museum, which contains a collection of exhibits on the culture, history, ethnography and geography of the country. Also in the area is the State University. A little further west endless botanical gardens, in which more than 3000 orchids are collected alone. The area of ​​the gardens is divided into several parts, each of which is a miniature version of a particular region of the country. The walking paths are made in the form of suspended wooden decks, so that the tourist can move around without fear of damaging one or another blade of grass or leaf.

In general, a tourist traveling to Papua New Guinea has the opportunity to feel like a pioneer, this alone is enough to hit the road!

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

Capital of Papua New Guinea... Port Moresby.

Papua New Guinea Square... 462840 km2.

Population of Papua New Guinea... 5049 K people

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

Administrative divisions of Papua New Guinea... The state is divided into 19 provinces and 1 metropolitan area.

Form of government of Papua New Guinea. .

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

Supreme Legislature of Papua New Guinea... Unicameral National Parliament.

Supreme Executive Body of Papua New Guinea... Government.

Major cities of Papua New Guinea... Lae, Madang.

Official language of Papua New Guinea... English, pidgin-english, hiri-motu.

Religion of Papua New Guinea... 34% adhere to traditional beliefs, 22% -, 16% - Lutherans, 8% - Presbyterians, Methodists and members of the London Missionary Society, 5% - Anglicans, 4% - Members of the Evangelical Alliance, 1% - Seventh-day Adventists, 1 % - the rest of the Protestant communities.

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

Papua New Guinea currency... Kina = 100 toya.

General information

Official name - Independent State of Papua New Guinea... The state is located in Oceania, in the southwestern part The Pacific... The area is 462,840 km 2. Population - 6 187 591 people. (for 2011). The official language is English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu. The capital is Port Moresby. The monetary unit is kina.

The state is located in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, occupying eastern part the islands of New, as well as located on the islands of Bougainville and Beech (), the islands of the Louisiada archipelago and the Bismarck archipelago. On the island of New Guinea, the country borders on Indonesia, which occupies the western part of the island. In the east, Papua New Guinea is washed by the Solomon Sea, in the south - by the Coral Sea, Torres Strait and Papua Bay, in the north - by the Bismarck Sea. The total length of the border is 820 km, length coastline- 5,152 km.

The climate of the country is subequatorial and in most of the territory is humid. The average temperature all year round is about + 26 ° С. The seasons differ only in the amount of precipitation - dry and wet seasons... In total, it falls from 1,000 mm in the plains to 4,000 mm and more in the mountains per year. In the mountains, at an altitude of 2,500-3,000 m, the average temperature is constantly around + 10 ° C, and there is also almost continuous light rain, sometimes hail.

History

The island of New Guinea was discovered by the Portuguese Georg de Menezes in 1526. The island got its name in 1545. Ortiz de Rete named it that way because of the similarity of the Papuans to the inhabitants of African Guinea. In the XVI century. New Guinea was considered northern part the Australian mainland, but in 1606 Torres established that it was an island.

Then, for more than 250 years, the Europeans hardly remembered the existence of this island. True, the Dutch founded a colony on the west coast in 1828, but after eight years all the colonists died out. Since 1828, the western part of the island was considered a Dutch possession, but there was not a single Dutchman here and only by chance Dutch warships came here.

In 1884 the northeastern part of New Guinea was seized by Germany, the southeastern part by England. This southeastern part - the present Territory of Papua - was initially under the administration of the Queensland authorities, and from 1906 under the administration. Coastal tribes (dorei, monumbo, bongu, kate, marind-anim) and tribes of the southeastern peninsula (roro, koita, mekeo) came into contact with the white colonizers. The tribes of the inner regions of the island remained and still remain partly outside the "sphere of influence" of the colonialists. However, even some coastal tribes, about which it is customary to speak as "come into contact with European culture", for the most part have a very poor idea of ​​this "European culture".

After the First World War, the German part of New Guinea ceded as a "mandate" territory to Australia. After the Second World War, it became a "trust" territory under the same administration. The administration center was in Rabaul ( about-in new Britannia).

In 1948, the Territory of Papua and the Trust Territory were merged by the Australian government into a so-called Administrative Union, centered in Moresby. The United Territory has its own legislative council, but its power is small, because on any of its decisions the administrator appointed by Australia can veto. The composition of the council itself is rather a mockery of self-government: of its 29 members, 17 are appointed directly by the administrator, of the remaining 12 "unofficial" members, three represent missions, three are planters and miners, three are elected by the rest of the population of European descent and, finally, three represent the Papuans and Melanesians , but they are not elected, but are also appointed by the administrator. The administrator has dictatorial rights. As for the participation of the aboriginal population in governing their country, it is virtually reduced to zero. The council has 25 people of European descent and three Aboriginal people. Ten thousand people of European descent elect three members of the council, and two million Papuans and Melanesians do not elect anyone, they have only three "representatives" appointed from above.

The western part of New Guinea, which was called the Dutch for decades, now, after the formation of the Indonesian republic, gravitates towards the latter, although its political position has not yet been completely determined. It is now called West Irian.

The Anglo-Australian colonial administration officially divides the entire part of New Guinea under its jurisdiction into five zones, according to the degree of its real power: 1) areas under the complete control of the colonial administration (mainly coastal); 2) areas under "partial control"; 3) areas "under the influence" of the administration; 4) "uncontrolled"; 5) "unknown areas". In the fourth and fifth zones - the inner regions of the island - colonial officials and people of European descent in general do not dare to enter, and even armed detachments are afraid to send into "unknown areas".

In 1938, about 60 thousand Papuans were discovered in the valley of the river. Balim (on northern slopes Snowy mountains). A number of tribes were discovered in 1942 - 1943, during the hostilities in New Guinea. There is information about the tribes discovered in 1945. There is no doubt that in the central mountainous regions of New Guinea, especially in Zatsadny Irian, there are tribes that have not yet seen a European.

Papua New Guinea landmarks

Long Island(Long Island) is a volcanic island off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. Long Island is located in the New Guinea Sea and is separated from New Guinea by the Vityaz Strait. Included in the Bismarck archipelago. The area of ​​the island is 414 km 2. The island is of volcanic origin; the last three largest eruptions occurred here 16,000, 4,000 and 300 years ago.

Port Moresby- the capital of the country, a city conveniently located in a natural harbor and rightfully earned the title of "gateway" to the country. In 1873, Port Moresby was founded as a small colonial settlement, but, thanks to numerous Christian missions and a good location, literally a few years later it turned into an important commercial and administrative center.

Architecturally, Port Moresby is an eclectic mix of historic colonial buildings, modern office buildings and shopping centers as well as a variety of poor dwellings on the outskirts.

During World War II (again due to its location in the harbor) Port Moresby was one of the main staging areas for the allied forces, and as a result of fierce battles, there are not too many really old buildings left in the city. It is worth paying attention to the colorful Parliament Building, located in the northern part of Port Moresby. The oldest building in the city is the El United Church, which was built in 1890 and miraculously survived during the hostilities.

Of the sights, you can also name the Pag Hill (almost 100 meters high), which offers a wonderful view of Port Moresby and its surroundings.

National botanical park located in Port Moresby is real paradise for numerous flocks of birds and a unique island tropical nature... An incredible collection of orchids attracts not only numerous tourists to the park, but also local residents.

Diverse flora (more than 20,000 plant species) and fauna of Papua New Guinea is considered one of the important state treasures of the country and is protected in national parks (there are four of them in the country) and reserves(more than twenty).

A unique zone of mangrove vegetation located along the shores of the island of New Guinea is a wetland, overgrown with various rare species of herbaceous plants and shrubs. Sugar cane thickets and groves of sago palms are also not uncommon in these places.

At an altitude of 1500 meters, conifers begin to dominate in the forests of Papua New Guinea, including araucaria, known for their valuable timber.

The most famous mammals that can be found in the country's national parks are marsupials such as bandicoot and wallabies. In nature reserves located in coastal zones, the main object of interest is turtles of various species and sizes, as well as crocodiles.

Near the capital of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, is one of the most visited national parks — Varirata park. Hiking trails parks are very picturesque, safe and quite suitable for independent study of the extraordinary flora and fauna of tropical forests.

Mount Gahavisuka National Park famous for its mountain orchids and unique wild rhododendrons, as well as hiking and climbing trails.

Most of the territory of Papua New Guinea is represented by mountainous reliefs and volcanic chains. In total, there are 18 active volcanoes in the country, and even more inactive or dormant ones. Often volcanic activity leads to devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. Such activity of volcanoes in Papua New Guinea is explained by the fact that the country's territory is located at the junction of two lithospheric plates, which move very slowly, causing tremors of the earth's crust.

One of the most active volcanic mountain ranges is located on the island of New Britain, which is part of the Bismarck archipelago. The most famous are three active volcano islands - Langila, Bamus and Ulavun. Volcanoes are of great interest to both climbers and cavers, as their slopes are rich in caves of various sizes, secret grottoes and unique vegetation.

Papua New Guinea cuisine

The national cuisine of Papua New Guinea is a rather variegated mixture of culinary traditions of various peoples of Oceania and South-East Asia... As a rule, most dishes are based on various root vegetables and such types of meat as pork and various poultry.

One of the most common dishes among the local population is " Mu Mu"which is an oven-baked stew of pork, sweet potatoes, rice and several local herbs. The first is usually served." bugandi"- a simple soup seasoned with an egg.

In coastal regions, meat dishes are usually replaced different kinds fish that is caught in abundance in the seas washing the shores of Papua New Guinea. In most cases, rice or sorghum is a garnish for meat or fish; yams and taro cereal of a peculiar taste are also popular.

As appetizers before the main course, various salads from vegetables and those root vegetables that can be eaten raw are popular. Bread is often replaced by specially roasted breadfruit.

For dessert, a variety of fruits are offered - from bananas and mangoes to passionfruit and pineapples. Dessert is also popular " dia"- sliced ​​bananas, sago and coconut cream. Sago is also used to make sweet cakes with a variety of fillings. Sweet sugar cane stalks are especially popular in coastal areas.

You can quench your thirst in Papua New Guinea with local lemonade (muli wara), decent local coffee, or an incredible variety of fresh fruit juices, including those made from a mixture of different fruits.

Papua New Guinea on the map

Humid tropical forests grow. The western part of the island is the territory of Indonesia, and the eastern part is occupied by the state of Papua New Guinea.

Geography

Flora and fauna

Along the shores of the island of New Guinea, there is a wide (in some places up to 35 km) strip of mangrove vegetation. This swampy zone is completely impassable and can only be crossed by sailing along the rivers. Wild sugarcane thickets grow along rivers, and sago palm groves grow in wetlands.

Dense tropical rainforests formed by hundreds of tree species rise up the mountain slopes. However, there are now plantations and vegetable gardens there as well. Coconut palms, bananas, sugarcane, melon trees, tubers - taro, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava and other crops grow. Vegetable gardens alternate with forests. Plots of land are cultivated for only 2-3 years, then overgrown with forest for 10-12 years. Thus, fertility is restored.

Above 1000-2000 m, forests become more uniform in composition, conifers, especially araucaria, begin to predominate in them. These trees are of economic importance: their timber is a valuable building material. However, the delivery of the cut timber is difficult due to the scarcity of good roads.

The highlands of New Guinea are covered with shrubs and meadows. In the intermontane basins, where the climate is drier, there is widespread herbaceous vegetation that arose in the place of forests mainly as a result of fires.

The fauna is represented by reptiles, insects and especially numerous birds. For the mammalian fauna, as in neighboring Australia, only representatives of marsupials are characteristic - bandicoot (marsupial badger), wallaby (tree kangaroo), couscous, etc. In the forests and on the coast there are many snakes, including venomous ones, and lizards. Off the coast and in big rivers there are crocodiles and turtles. Of the birds, cassowaries, birds of paradise, crowned pigeons, parrots, and weed chickens are characteristic. Europeans brought domestic chickens, dogs and pigs to the island. Feral pigs, as well as rats, field mice and some other animals have spread widely across the island.

"Garden of Eden"

In 2005, a group of American researchers discovered a place in the tropical forests of the mountainous region of New Guinea, which they called the "Garden of Eden".

This area of ​​about 300 thousand hectares is located on the slopes of the Foggia Mountains in the western part of New Guinea and was isolated from the influence of the outside world.

Scientists have discovered in the "Garden of Eden" more than 20 previously unknown species of frogs, four new species of butterflies, five species of palm trees unknown to science and many other plants. Several species of the rarest marsupials, arboreal kangaroos, have been found, as well as the six-feather "bird of paradise" Berlepsha, which was previously considered extinct.

All animals - inhabitants of the highlands - are not afraid of humans, in particular, the rare long-billed prochidna allowed scientists to pull themselves together.

History

Early history

In ancient times, New Guinea was united with Australia. The division occurred as a result of the rise in world sea level relatively recently. This explains the presence of numerous species of marsupials living in Australia in New Guinea. Human settlement took place at least 45 thousand years BC. NS. from Asia. Subsequently, more than a thousand Papuan-Melanesian tribes came from the settlers. The lack of large animals suitable for domestication on the island hindered the development of agriculture and made cattle breeding impossible. This contributed to the preservation of the primitive communal system in large areas of New Guinea up to the present day. The diversity of languages ​​and the many tribes was due to the isolation of people from each other due to the mountainous landscape and the lack of technical means to facilitate communication and cultural exchange.

The ancient agricultural settlement of Cook is located in New Guinea, showing isolated development Agriculture for 7-10 millennia and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Discovery by Europeans

Long before the discovery of New Guinea by Europeans, the inhabitants of the ancient Indonesian states hunted for slaves and exotic birds here. Already in the VIII century, the rulers of the Srivijaya empire from the island of Sumatra presented the Chinese emperors of the Tang dynasty with black slaves and many parrots caught on the New Guinean shores. On the bas-reliefs of the largest Javanese temple of Borobudur (first half of the 9th century), one can see images of such "orang papua" - curly-haired people.

The pioneers of New Guinea were Spanish and Portuguese navigators at the beginning of the 16th century. In 1526, the Portuguese Don Jorge di Menezis landed on the northwestern coast of the island, according to legend, he named the lands he discovered Ilhas dos Papuas- "Papua Islands", from the Malay word meaning "curly"; apparently referring to the coarse curly hair of the Melanesian aborigines.

In the 1870s, the territory was explored by Russian scientists. In 1875, the scientist N.N. Miklouho-Maclay asked the government of the Russian Empire to establish a Russian protectorate over a part of the island, which was later named after the scientist Miklouho-Maclay Coast, but Alexander II rejected his proposal.

In the 1880s, the rest of the island was divided between the Netherlands, Great Britain and the German Empire. The Netherlands retained the western half of New Guinea, the British acquired the southeast, the Germans - the northeast, which they called the Land of Kaiser Wilhelm. In 1885 and 1895, Great Britain and Germany, who owned lands in the eastern part of New Guinea, recognized the authority of the Netherlands over the western part of the island. The border between Dutch New Guinea and its eastern part was 141 degrees east longitude.

The British part was given to Australia in, and the German part after

This state is located in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean and occupies the eastern part of New Guinea, as well as many nearby islands, as well as the Bismarck archipelago, part of the Solomon Islands. etc. For a long time it was a colony European countries, recently Great Britain, whose influence is great here and now.

Papua New Guinea is a strange, mysterious country filled with aboriginal tribes and endlessly beautiful nature.

Immigrants from other lands reached Papua New Guinea from the Asian mainland more than 50 thousand years ago. Numerous waves of migration passed through the territory of these islands, going to Australia and the islands of Oceania. As a result, many unique ethnic groups often isolated from each other.

The first Europeans to reach in the XVI western shores Papua New Guinea - there were Portuguese. They named it - "Ilhas dos Papuas" - the island of the Papuans. The name "New Guinea" was given to the island by the Dutch, who saw in the black local residents an analogy with the blacks of African Guinea. Europeans did not penetrate into the eastern part of New Guinea until the end of the 18th century. It is believed that they were afraid of the very warlike and cruel cannibals who ate Cook.

Slice of paradise

And now Papua New Guinea is practically a land of wild and unexplored nature, with harsh conditions and unique landscapes. The area of ​​this country is slightly larger than Germany, but the local diversity of living beings and natural complexes can be compared with all of Eurasia.

Here you will find stifling areas with humid jungle alternating with cold mountainous terrain... Near each other are centuries-old swamps and coral reefs, limestone cliffs and emerald green plains. Unique animals live here, ranging from tiny tree kangaroos or birds of paradise, and up to huge butterflies. It is this diversity, still completely untouched by man, that attracts thousands of researchers, anthropologists and travelers here.

Attractions Papua New Guinea

On the territory of Papua New Guinea, as you already understood, there are a lot of natural attractions. For example, the two-peaked volcano Giluwe, located in the Southern Highlands. The volcano has a height of 4368 meters and is the second highest peak in the country, and the highest in all of Oceania and Australia. Alpine meadows are spread over its entire surface.

The agricultural settlement of Cook, also known as the Cook Marshes, is a huge archaeological site. It is located in the West, in the highlands, at an altitude of more than one and a half kilometers above sea level and has an area of ​​116 hectares. Archaeological excavations and research has been carried out here since 1960.

Bayer Reserve is located 55 km from Mount Hagen, in the Bayer Basin

Papua has many natural river nature reserves, parks, inimitable and unique gardens.

A popular destination is Lake Kutubu (see photo above), which is home to several species of rare fish. It is located 800 meters above sea level in the Southern Highlands and covers an area of ​​49 km². The reservoir is surrounded by wetlands and swampy forests, which are protected by the state.

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

The National Botanical Park in the capital is ranked among the main tourist attractions in the country. This place is regularly visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world, as well as locals from different regions. The park is known for its gigantic collection of orchids, hanging paths and a "plant map" of the country.

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

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

Now in Papua

Over the past 100 years, the territory of Papua New Guinea has also been affected by the Second World War. Actually, the very name of the country appeared only in 1949, when its territory came under the control of Australia as a trust territory of the UN.

Australians have taken steps to strengthen centralization in governance with the participation of local tribesmen. Stronger ties began to be established with the overpopulated mountainous regions. In 1953, the first road was built from the coast through the Kassam Pass to the mountains. The administration sought to improve the systems of medical care and education; religious missions carried out considerable work in this direction.

The national political party Pangu Party was founded in 1967. After the 1972 elections, this party formed a coalition government, which achieved the country's independence on September 16, 1975. Nevertheless, Papua New Guinea is not always calm and now, there are separatists.

So if someone from the wealthy Russian and tourists in general gets there, you need to find out where you can go and where not. It is far from Russia to travel there, and it is clearly expensive. But where ours were not ... see for yourself: