Country Facts

• Papua New Guinea is Australia’s closest neighbour, located just 150km from our shores.
• PNG is the most linguistically diverse country in the world with more than 700 native languages spoken.
• The country is famous for the Kokoda Track, which attracts thousands of trekkers each year.

Why children need your help

• Health, sanitation and nutrition are among the major issues impacting children, as well as the alarmingly high HIV and AIDS infection rate.
• PNG has the lowest primary school enrolment rate in the East Asia and Pacific region, with as many as half of all children not attending school.
• Around 85% of Papua New Guineans live in rural areas with few or no facilities. High unemployment, poor infrastructure and the sheer inaccessibility of many parts of the country makes progress incredibly difficult.