Situated in Melanesia, Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬 (officially Independent State of Papua New Guinea) is one of the most interesting places you can land on when you spin the globe. With a population of about 10.6 million and a total area of 462,840 km², it offers far more than its statistics suggest.
Whether you discovered Papua New Guinea through our random country spinner or searched for it directly, this guide covers everything you need to know: the flag, the capital city of Port Moresby, population figures, languages, currency, geography and a collection of memorable facts.
Where is Papua New Guinea located?
Papua New Guinea lies in Melanesia, in the Oceania region of the world. Measuring roughly 462,840 square kilometres, it ranks 56th in the world by total area.
Papua New Guinea has a coastline as well as land borders with Indonesia — a crossroads position that has influenced its culture and economy for centuries.
Port Moresby serves as the capital — the centre of government and, for most travellers, the gateway to everything else Papua New Guinea has to offer.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Who lives in Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea is home to approximately 10.6 million residents — the 92nd largest population on the planet. Its people are known as Papua New Guineans.
Papua New Guinea is multilingual: the languages spoken include English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. This linguistic variety reflects the country's layered history and the many communities that shaped it.
Like every country featured on Spin a Country, Papua New Guinea rewards curiosity — its festivals, food and everyday customs tell a story that statistics alone never can.
Good to know before you go
The official currency is the Papua New Guinean kina (PGK, symbol K). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Papua New Guinea is +675. Websites from the country typically use the .pg internet domain.
If Papua New Guinea came up on your random spin, take five minutes to memorise its flag, capital (Port Moresby) and population — these are the three facts most often asked in geography quizzes.
Neighbouring countries
Papua New Guinea shares borders with 1 country:
Fun facts about Papua New Guinea
- Papua New Guinea's flag emoji is 🇵🇬 — its two-letter country code is PG and its three-letter code is PNG.
- Papua New Guinea covers 462,840 km², ranking 56th in the world by area.
- With about 10.6 million people, Papua New Guinea holds the 92nd spot in the world population ranking.
- Papua New Guinea is a member state of the United Nations.
- Papua New Guinea shares borders with 1 country.
Papua New Guinea — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Papua New Guinea?
- The capital of Papua New Guinea is Port Moresby.
- What is the population of Papua New Guinea?
- Papua New Guinea has a population of approximately 10,576,502 people, ranking 92nd in the world.
- Where is Papua New Guinea located?
- Papua New Guinea is located in Melanesia, part of the Oceania region.
- What language is spoken in Papua New Guinea?
- The languages spoken in Papua New Guinea include English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.
- What currency is used in Papua New Guinea?
- Papua New Guinea uses the Papua New Guinean kina (PGK).
