Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea achieved independence on 16 September 1975. The 1977 national elections confirmed Michael Somare as Prime Minister at the head of a coalition led by the Pangu Party. However, his government lost a vote of confidence in 1980 and was replaced by a new cabinet headed by Sir Julius Chan as prime minister. The 1982 elections increased Pangu's plurality, and parliament again chose Somare as prime minister.

In November 1985, the Somare government lost another vote of no confidence, and the parliamentary majority elected Paias Wingti, at the head of a five-party coalition, as prime minister. A coalition, headed by Wingti, was victorious in very close elections in July 1987. In July 1988, a no-confidence vote toppled Wingti and brought to power Rabbie Namaliu, who a few weeks earlier had replaced Somare as leader of the Pangu Party.

Such reversals of fortune and a revolving-door succession of prime ministers continue to characterize Papua New Guinea's national politics. A plethora of political parties, coalition governments, shifting party loyalties and motions of no confidence in the leadership all lend an air of instability to political proceedings.

A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville claimed some 20.000 lives. The rebellion began in early 1989, active hostilities ended with a truce in October 1997 and a permanent ceasefire was signed in April 1998. A peace agreement between the Government and ex-combatants was signed in August 2001. A regional peace-monitoring force and a UN observer mission monitor the government and provincial leaders who have established an interim administration and are working toward complete surrender of weapons, the election of a provincial government and an eventual referendum on independence.

Capital: Port Moresby

Government: monarchy

Area: 462.840 km²

Population: 5.670.544 (July 2006)

Currency: Kina (100 Toea)

Internet TLD: .pg

Dialling code: +675

For more stamps see:

Papua and New Guinea

Links

Papua New Guinea in Wikipedia.

Flag of Papua New Guinea in Flags of the World.

The website of the Philatelic Service.

Country description from the BBC.

Country description from the CIA.

Official website of the prime minister of Papua New Guinea.

Permanent Mission of Papua New Guinea at the United Nations (not yet fully active)

Stamp catalogue

International Year of the Child

date: 24 October 1979

designer: Graham Wade

printer: Johan Enschede & Zonen, Haarlem, Netherlands

perforated: 14:13½

1 7 t mother breast-feeding baby, IYC emblem, text "THE RIGHT TO AFFCTION AND LOVE"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 377/SG 376/Yvert 376)

2 15 t baby being weighed, IYC emblem, text "THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE NUTRITION AND MEDICAL CARE"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 378/SG 377/Yvert 377)

3 30 t boy playing with a dog and ball, IYC emblem, text "THE RIGHT TO PLAY"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 379/SG 378/Yvert 378)

4 60 t girl in class writing, IYC emblem, text "THE RIGHT TO A FREE EDUACTION"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 380/SG 379/Yvert 379)

Membership of the Universal Postal Union

date: 23 January 1980

designer: Graham Wade

printer: Johan Enschede & Zonen, Haarlem, Netherlands

perforated: 13½:14

5 7 t man sorting letters, post office with van, post emblem, text "POST OFFICE SERVICE"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 381/SG 380/Yvert 380)

6 25 t war scene, soldiers reading letters, army emblem, text "WAR TIME MAIL"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 382/SG 381/Yvert 381)

7 35 t UPU emblem, officials on Port Moresby air field, officials in Rio de Janeiro (UPU Congress 1979),

text "ADMISSION TO UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION 1979"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 383/SG 382/Yvert 382)

8 40 t German post official, native with letter, German and British flags, text "EARLY POSTAL SERVICES"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 384/SG 383/Yvert 383)

World Communications Year

date: 7 September 1983

designer: Graham Wade

printer: John Waddington Security Print, Leeds, United Kingdom

perforated: 14½:14¼

9 10 t means of communication and transport, text "WORLD / COMMUNICATION YEAR / 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 463/SG 468/Yvert 458)

10 25 t Japanese boy writing letter, Papuan boy receiving letter, text "WORLD / COMMUNICATION

YEAR / 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 464/SG 469/Yvert 459)

11 30 t native woman on solar cell telephone calling man in New York, UN Headquarters, text "WORLD /

COMMUNICATION YEAR / 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 465/SG 470/Yvert 460)

12 60 t boy greeted by family, air plane, air mail bags, postmen, text "WORLD / COMMUNICATION YEAR / 1983"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 466/SG 471/Yvert 461)

International Letter Writing Week

date: 22 March 1989

designer: Richard Bates

printer: Leigh-Mardon, Melbourne, Australia

perforated: 14¼

13 20 t boy writing letter, text "International / letter writing week"

multicoloured, blue frame

(cat. Michel 588/SG 589/Yvert 583)

14 35 t girl placing stamp on letter, text "International / letter writing week"

multicoloured, green frame

(cat. Michel 589/SG 590/Yvert 584)

15 60 t boy mailing letter, text "International / letter writing week"

multicoloured, yellow frame

(cat. Michel 590/SG 591/Yvert 585)

16 70 t girl reading letter, text "International / letter writing week"

multicoloured, purple frame

(cat. Michel 591SG 592/Yvert 586)

21st UPU Congress, Seoul/Philakorea 1994, Seoul

date: 10 August 1994

designer: Richard Bates

printer: Leigh-Mardon, Melbourne, Australia

perforated: 14

size souv. sh.: 106 x 70 mm

17 souvenir sheet, exhibition emblem, text "Papua New Guinea / at PHILAKOREA 1994"

90 t Grizzled Tree Kangaroo, exhibition emblem, text "Dendrolagus inustus"

K 1.20 Doria's Tree Kangaroo, exhibition emblem, text "Dendrolagus dorianus"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel block 6/SG MS 729/Yvert BF 6)

Mother Teresa

date: 29 April 1998

designer: Banian Masiboda

printer: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand

perforated: 14½

remark: printed in pairs

18 65 t portrait, clouds, text "Mother Teresa" and "Mother Teresa 1910-1997"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 821/SG 830)

19 K 1 portrait, clouds, text "Mother Teresa" and "Mother Teresa 1910-1997"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 822/SG 831)

International Year of Mountains

date: 20 November 2002

designer: IGPC Art and Production Department

printer: DFT International Security Printing Company, Ireland

perforated: 14

20 50 T mountain, IOM emblem, text "Mt. Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 963/SG 948)

21 K 1.25 mountain, IOM emblem, text "Matterhorn, Switzerland"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 964/SG 949)

22 K 1.45 mountain, IOM emblem, text "Mount Fuji, Japan"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 965/SG 950)

23 K 2.65 mountain, IOM emblem, text "Massif des Aravis, France"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 966/SG 951)

Pope John Paul II

date: 8 August 2005

designer: Richard Bates

printer: Leigh-Mardon, Melbourne, Australia

perforated: 12¾

size souv. sheet: 152 x 127 mm

remark: the four stamps have identical images, the colour of the value and country name varies

24 portrait of John Paul II praying, text "Pope John Paul II / 1920-2005", four stamps

K 2 pope greeted by local inhabitants in traditional dress, text "POPE JOHN PAUL II VISITS THE PACIFIC /

ISLAND OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA (1995)."

multicoloured; value and country name in blue, green, orange, purple

(cat. Michel block 35/SG 1097-1100/Yvert 1073-1076)

World AIDS Day

date: 1 December 2008

designer: PostPNG Philatelic Production

printer: Southern Colour Print, New Zealand

perforated:

size sheetlet:

size souv. sheet:

25 5 t office workers, red ribbon, text "HIV and the / Workplace / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

26 10 t hand with blood drop, red ribbon, text "Voluntary / Counselling / and Testing / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

27 50 t artefact with couple holding condom, red ribbon, text "Role of Men / and Women / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

28 85 t school teacher and pupils, red ribbon, text "Education / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

29 K 1 artefact with "NEW ATTITUDE", red ribbon, text "Eradicating / Stigma and / Discrimination /

2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

30 K 2 three persons, red ribbon, text "Living with / the Virus / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

31 K 3 man and woman, red ribbon, text "Care, Support / and the Role / of Family / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

32 K 3.70 painting with red ribbons, red ribbon, text "Building / Leadership / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

33 K 6 ribbon, medicine, food, red ribbon, text "Health and / Nutrition / 2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

34 sheetlet, painting with red ribbons, text "2008 World AIDS Day"

stamps nrs. 28, 31, 32 and 33 in smaller format

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

35 souvenir sheet, artefact with "NEW ATTITUDE", text "2008 World AIDS Day"

K 10 artefact with "NEW ATTITUDE", text " Eradicating / Stigma and / Discrimination /

2008 World AIDS Day"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

International Day of Non-Violence

date: 6 August 2009

designer: PostPNG Philatelic Production/IGPC

printer: Cardon Enterprise, Taiwan

perforated:

size sheetlet:

size souv. sheet:

36 85 t portrait of Abraham Lincoln, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE /

OCT. 2. 2009" and "Abraham Lincoln"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

37 K 3 portrait of Princess Diana, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE / OCT.

2. 2009" and "Princess Diana"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

38 K 3.70 portrait of Nelson Mandela, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE / OCT.

2. 2009" and "Nelson Mandela"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

39 K 6 portrait of Barack Obama, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE / OCT.

2. 2009" and "President Barack Obama"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

40 sheetlet, globe, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF NON-VIOLENCE / OCT. 2. 2009"

85 t portrait of Barack Obama, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE / OCT.

2. 2009" and "President Barack Obama"

K 3 portrait of Martin Luther King, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE /

OCT. 2. 2009" and "Martin Luther King, Jr."

K 3.70 portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE / OCT.

2. 2009" and "Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi"

K 6 portrait of Princess Diana, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE / OCT.

2. 2009" and "Princess Diana"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

41 souvenir sheet, globe, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF NON-VIOLENCE / OCT. 2. 2009"

K 10 portrait of Barack Obama, peace doves, text "INTERNATIONAL / DAY OF / NON-VIOLENCE / OCT.

2. 2009" and "President Barack Obama"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel /SG / Yvert )

League of Nations Stamp catalogue

Mandated New Guinea Constabulary

date: 26 October 1978

designer: R. Bates

printer: Harrison & Sons, London

perforated: 15:14½

remark: part of a series of five stamps depicting the history of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary; the

Mandated New Guinea Constabulary functioned from 1921 to 1941 in the League of Nations Mandated

Territory of New Guinea

1 15 police officers, emblem, trees, text "Mandated New Guinea Constabulary" and "1921 / 1941"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 356/SG 355/Yvert 355)

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last revised: 7 November 2009