Geography
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 147 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total area:
461,690 sq km
land area:
451,710 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total:
820 km
border country:
Indonesia 820 km
Coastline:
5,152 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources:
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil potential
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
71%
other:
28%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects
natural hazards:
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides
international agreements:
party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94
Geographic note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
