Papua New Guinea:
Population: 1990 (4,011,000)

1995 (4,553,000)

2001 (5,049,055)

Life expectancy: 63.46 years

Area: 463,000 sq. km -- About the size of Cameroon; A little smaller than the combined area of California and West Virginia.

Capital: Port Moresby (155,000)

Other important cities: Lae; Goroka; Mt. Hagen; Madang; Wewak

Official language: English

Other major language: Melanesian Pidgin (Neo-Melanesian)

Total languages: 862

Literacy: 43%

Cash crops: Tea; coffee; copra

Other important exports: Timber; fish; minerals; oil; gas

Politics: Papua New Guinea became an independent state within the British Commonwealth in 1975. The nation is governed by a democratic parliamentary system and administered on a decentralized basis by 20 provincial governments.

Religion: Protestant 61.7%

Catholic 32.8%

Important Note: 96% of the population claims to be Christian. However, most Catholics and many Protestants are highly syncretistic in their beliefs, mixing animistic spiritism with Christianity. Praising God on Sundays while visiting shamans during the week is a common practice. 60-70% of all Papua New Guineans remain in varying degrees of bondage to animism, regardless of what they profess.

There is freedom of religion in PNG. There are many Christians in government and the whole country is increasingly permeated with Christian values. However, local nationalists and humanist anthropologists are exerting pressures to limit the activities of churches and missions.

Over the past 120 years the gospel has spread throughout many regions of Papua New Guinea, first along the coast and then into the highlands. The ready acceptance of the gospel has resulted in a nominal and superficial Christianity of the majority without a radical transformation of basic values and beliefs. Discipleship and leadership training are urgently needed. In some areas there is already disillusionment and a turning back to traditional customs. Pray for true revival and deep repentance which will result in mature disciples and transformed cultures.