5 Most Fascinating things about Papua New Guinea
Posted by Maris on 16th Oct 2023
Languages
Papua New Guinea is home to around 850 different languages and over 1000 different cultures. It is undeniably one of the world's most diversified countries. To put this in context, PNG has a land area of 462 840 square kilometers, over 600 islands, and a population of somewhat more than 7 million people. So, on average, 8200 persons speak the same language across an area of 540 square kilometers. In some regions, just 2000 people can speak a single language and live in a 5 square kilometer area. Learn more about our culture.
Papua New Guinea is home to 5% of the world's biodiversity.
Papua New Guinea boasts 5% of the world's biodiversity despite covering only 1% of the total land area. It boasts around 20,000 plant species, 800 coral species, 600 fish species, and 750 bird species. Because the country has been less explored and exploited than other locations, it has kept much of its richness. Learn more about our diving adventures.
The country is home to one of the world's few known poisonous birds.
The hooded pitohui is a bird native to the island of New Guinea. It has black and chestnut plumage and is medium in size. Pitohui feathers, skin, and other tissues contain batrachotoxin chemicals. The toxin guards the birds against predators and parasites. Local hunters make every effort to avoid killing these birds. Find out more about our Bird Watching packages.
Snows
Although Papua New Guinea is located 160 kilometers north of Australia, just below the equator, and has a tropical climate, snow has been observed to fall on the mainland's mountaintops. Learn more about Mt. Wilhelm and other hiking destinations.
The world's third-largest rainforest
After the Amazon and the Congo, the island of New Guinea is home to the world's third biggest rainforest. From Papua New Guinea to West Papua in Indonesia, this rainforest occupies over 288 000 square kilometers of the island's total mass. Learn more about our destinations.