Air travel is an essential mode of transportation in Papua new Guinea, a mountainous country located on the eastern half of an island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and north of Australia. There are few roads linking Port Moresby with other Papua New Guinean cities or towns and villages.
Nevertheless, the country’s economic future is promising given rich in natural resources.
Papua New Guinea exported US$8.7 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2016. Highest-value Papua New Guinean exports are petroleum, gold, lumber, palm oil, copper, nickel and silver according to the International Trade Centre.
Capital Facts for Port Moresby: Quick Reference
Geography
Capital landmarks: Port Moresby Nature Park, National Parliament House, National Museum and Art Gallery and Sir John Guise Stadium
Famous People
Below, you will find 10 of the most famous people born in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea:
- Amy Sheppard, singer-songwriter (born Sep. 22, 1990)
- Erika Heynatz, TV host, actress & singer (born Mar. 25, 1975)
- Abel Redenut, soccer player/footballer (born Apr. 17, 1995)
- Henari Veratau, rugby player (born Jan. 3, 1984)
- Reggie Davani, soccer player/footballer (born Feb. 5, 1980)
- Will Genia, rugby player (born Jan. 17, 1988)
- Joshua Talau, soccer player/footballer (born Apr. 19, 1996)
- David Mead, rugby player (born Nov. 4, 1988)
- Andrew Lepani, soccer player/footballer (born Aug. 28, 1979)
- Reggie Davani, soccer player/footballer (born Feb. 5, 1980)
Note: Data for our Famous People tab was sourced from Google searches mostly targeting published Wikipedia articles specific to each person’s name.
Population
Demonym for a resident of Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinean
Population: 355,000 (Port Moresby)
Density: 9,342 people per square mile (3,607 per square kilometer)
Population: 6,791,317 (Papua New Guinea)
Density: 39 people per square mile (15 per square kilometer)
Financial
GDP: US$28.02 billion in October 2016 (for Papua New Guinea, per CIA World Factbook)
GDP per person: $3,500
Note: The above country-level GDP metrics are on a Purchasing Power Parity basis and are in U.S. dollars. Credible city GDP statistics for Port Moresby were unavailable.
Official currency used in Port Moresby: Papua New Guinean kina
Research
Research Sources:
Brookings Institution, Global Metro Monitor Report (includes GDP data). Accessed on January 17, 2017
Demographia, World Urban Area, 12th Annual Edition. Accessed on January 17, 2017
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 31, 2017
Official Government Website, National Capital District Commission. Accessed on January 17, 2017
The World Factbook, East & Southeast Asia: Papua New Guinea, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on January 17, 2017
Wikimedia Commons, City Flags. Accessed on January 17, 2017
Note: Some city flags were unavailable. If so, attribution belongs to Wikimedia Commons for pertinent country flags.
Wikipedia, Port Moresby. Accessed on January 17, 2017
Wikipedia, Papua New Guinea. Accessed on January 17, 2017
Including municipal city limits plus nearby communities, Port Moresby’s built-up urban land area measures 38 square miles (98 square kilometers) with an estimated population of 355,000 residents in 2015.
Papua Guinea’s national population was 6.8 million inhabitants at July 2016. The country’s land area equals 174,850 square miles (452,860 square kilometers).
Population density is much more concentrated within Port Moresby, with an average 9,300 residents per square mile (3,600 per square kilometer).
Given the many remote areas at the country level, population density drops significantly to an average 39 people per square mile (15 per square kilometer) for Papua New Guinea overall.
Papua New Guinea gained its independence from an Australian-administered UN trusteeship on September 16, 1975. Fittingly named Independence Day, Papua New Guineans celebrate each September 16 as a national holiday.