PNG is endowed with rich natural resources and culture and is known as one of the cultural and mega biodiversity hotspots globally. Located on the eastern part of the island of New Guinea, PNG contains roughly 1 percent of the global landmass, with four major islands and over 600 islands and atolls. PNG also has one of the diverse reef system in the world and has a total of 3.12 square kilometers of economic exclusive zone (EEZ) of marine territory. Over 840 spoken languages exist and spoken by over 1000 different tribes.
It is desirable that all citizens of Papua New Guinea (PNG), wherever they live, have access to potable water and an appropriate standard of sewerage collection and treatment. Unfortunately, PNG‘s rugged geography makes that difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. Most of PNG‘s people live in rural areas (with over 85% of the population depending on semi-subsistence agriculture) and lack access to safe drinking water or sanitation. Apart from the cities of Port Moresby and Lae, urban areas are mostly small towns with fewer than 1,000 households.
COOK ISLANDS TUNA LONGLINE FISHERY ANNUAL REPORT 2012