History & Heritage
People have been living in Papua New Guinea for over 50,000 years, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth!
Papua New Guinea - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Papua New Guinea For Kids
Papua New Guinea became its own country on September 16, 1975 — it’s younger than most countries!
Some coastal and island communities in Papua New Guinea used the stars, ocean waves, winds, and birds to help them travel between islands without modern tools!
The Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea is a famous hiking trail where important World War II battles took place!
Papua New Guinea has ancient rock art that’s thousands of years old, showing how people lived long ago!
Traditional Papua New Guinea societies created complex trading networks between islands hundreds of years before Europeans arrived!
European explorers had visited Papua New Guinea’s coasts long ago, but they didn’t reach the deep jungle Highlands until the 1930s — because the thick rainforest and steep mountains made it really hard to explore!
Papua New Guinea’s diverse cultures developed different types of money, including shells, feathers, and even pig tusks!
Sports & Entertainment
Rugby league is the most popular sport in Papua New Guinea, and people get very excited watching their national team play!
Papua New Guinea’s rugby team is called the Kumuls, named after a type of bird-of-paradise!
Soccer (or football) is also very popular in Papua New Guinea, with kids playing in villages using balls made from anything they can find!
Traditional Papua New Guinea games include competitions with spears, bows and arrows, and strength contests!
Papua New Guinea athletes compete in the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games against the world’s best!
Traditional singing and dancing competitions are like sports in Papua New Guinea, with groups practicing for months!
Papua New Guinea has modern sports stadiums where thousands of people come to watch rugby and soccer games!
Children in Papua New Guinea love playing games with sticks, stones, and other natural materials they find!
Papua New Guinea hosts cultural festivals where different tribes compete in traditional dress, dance, and music!
Swimming and diving are popular activities in Papua New Guinea because of all the beautiful beaches and coral reefs!
Unique Natural Wonders
In Papua New Guinea’s forests, some tiny mushrooms glow softly at night — like little green fairy lights!
Papua New Guinea has underwater volcanoes that release warm, bubbly water deep in the ocean. These spots attract special sea creatures like crabs, shrimp, and even some rare fish that love the heat and minerals!
Papua New Guinea rainforests are home to super‑giant trees—some soar up to 80 m (about 260 ft), and the tallest may even reach 90 m! That’s like a 30‑story building!
Papua New Guinea has natural hot springs where the water is heated by underground volcanic activity!
Papua New Guinea has incredible waterfalls — some fall from about 100 to 200 m high (that’s as tall as a 30‑ to 60‑storey building) and often end in calm natural pools where people can swim.
Papua New Guinea’s mountains are so tall they create their own weather, with clouds forming right around their peaks!
Parts of Papua New Guinea get SO much rain — over 400 inches a year. That’s like the sky dumping enough water to fill a swimming pool every day of the year!
Papua New Guinea has beaches with black sand made from volcanic rock that sparkles in the sunlight!
Special Cultural Practices
Traditional Papua New Guinea weddings can last for several days with dancing, feasting, and gift-giving!
Some Papua New Guinea tribes paint their faces with natural clay and plant dyes for special occasions!
Traditional Papua New Guinea storytellers can remember hundreds of stories and tell them for hours without stopping!
Many Papua New Guinea cultures believe that dreams are messages from ancestors and spirits!
Some Papua New Guinea tribes have special dances that can only be performed by certain people in the community!
Many Papua New Guinea cultures have special songs for different activities like planting, fishing, and building houses!
Some Papua New Guinea tribes create beautiful temporary body art using natural materials that washes off after celebrations!
Amazing Records & Achievements
Papua New Guinea has more languages per square mile than any other country in the world!
Papua New Guinea produces some of the world’s most expensive coffee, with some beans selling for over $100 per pound!
Papua New Guinea has one of the world’s largest copper mines, producing enough copper to make millions of pennies!
Papua New Guinea’s forests absorb more carbon dioxide than most other places, helping fight climate change!
Papua New Guinea has some of the world’s most diverse coral reefs, with more species than the Great Barrier Reef!
Papua New Guinea exports beautiful tropical hardwood that’s used to make furniture and musical instruments worldwide!
Papua New Guinea produces enough palm oil each year to make soap for millions of people around the world!
Papua New Guinea has rich gold mines and rivers where people find gold that’s nearly pure — making it one of the top gold-producing countries in the world!
Papua New Guinea’s tuna fishing industry helps feed people in countries all across the Pacific Ocean!
Papua New Guinea is home to the world’s largest banana plant! Some bananas grow up to 18 cm long, but they’re wild and full of seeds — not the sweet kind we usually eat!
Fun & Surprising Facts
Papua New Guinea has a plant called the “sensitive plant” that folds up its leaves when you touch them!
Papua New Guinea is home to huge tarantula spiders that, on rare occasions, may catch small birds. But don’t worry — they’re not dangerous to people and only hunt small animals, not humans!
Some Papua New Guinea caterpillars are considered a delicious snack and are full of protein!
Papua New Guinea has trees that produce natural soap — you can actually wash your hands with their leaves!
Papua New Guinea is home to giant fruit bats called flying foxes. Some of them can spread their wings wider than a grown-up’s arms — about 3 to 5 feet across!
