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BackgroundTwo territories administered by Australia merged in 1949 and became independent in 1975. An abundance of minerals and petroleum brightens the outlook for this tropical nation comprising eastern New Guinea and many small islands, including Bougainville and the Bismarck Archipelago. A patchwork of mountains, jungles, and swamplands, the country is home to some 700 Papuan and Melanesian tribes, each with its own language. The 20th century has hardly touched many interior tribespeople.Most of the inhabitants are subsistence farmers, although some grow cash crops. Papua New Guinea seeks foreign investment to finance industry and hydropower projects. In the past decade Australian aid has shrunk from a third to less than a fifth of the national budget. |