Age structure:
0-14 years:
39% (male 972,289; female 940,049)
15-64 years:
58% (male 1,470,158; female 1,365,523)
65 years and over:
3% (male 84,942; female 94,023) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.47% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 32.68 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.9 male(s)/female
total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 59.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
63.1 years
male:
61.05 years
female:
65.26 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.38 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective:
Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist?/London? Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
Languages:
English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
note:
715 indigenous languages
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
72.2%
male:
81%
female:
62.7% (1995 est.)