Key facts about Papua New Guinea

About Papua New Guinea:

• Location:  It is an island country that lies in the south-western Pacific.
• It includes the eastern half of New Guinea (the world’s second largest island) and many small offshore islands.
• Neighbours:  Indonesia to the west, Australia to the south and Solomon Islands to the south-east.
• Capital: Port Moresby
• Terrain: It is mainly mountainous but has low-lying plains in southern New Guinea.
• The islands that constitute Papua New Guinea were settled over a period of 40,000 years by the mixture of peoples who are generally referred to as Melanesians.
• Language:
  • English is the main language of government and commerce.  In most everyday contexts the most widely spoken language is Tok Pisin. 
  • Linguistically, it is the world’s most diverse country, with more than 800 languages.
• Religion: The majority of Papua New Guinea’s people are at least nominally Christian.
• Government:
  • Papua New Guinea became self-governing on 1 December 1973 and achieved independence on 16 September 1975.
  • The country is a constitutional monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth.
  • The British monarch, represented by a governor-general, is head of state, and the Prime Minister is head of government.

What is Forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation (FIPIC)?

• It is a multinational grouping for cooperation between India and 14 Pacific Islands nations.
• It include 14 islands named- Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
• The FIPIC initiative marks a serious effort to expand India’s engagement in the Pacific region.

Q1) What is the Forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation (FIPIC)?

 It is a multinational grouping for cooperation between India and 14 Pacific Islands nations. It includes 14 islands named- Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Source: PM Modi leaves for Australia after concluding Papua New Guinea visit