http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Port_Moresby_Town2_Mschlauch.jpg

Location: ★Absolute location: 6 00 S, 147 00 E ★Relative location: Oceania, group of islands including the

eastern half of the island Of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, East of Indonesia.

Port Moresby is the capital (city) of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is one of the islands in Oceania.

The population is about 250,000 (2000). The land area is 240 square kilometers. The Owen Stanley Ranges forms its northern border. Dense

rainforests cover the mountains. The Kokoda Trail leads from Port Moresby to the ranges. The Owen Stanley Range mountains isolate and protect the area from heavy rain and harsh weather, but it also leads to very low rainfall, droughts, and water shortages.

The people mostly believe in Christianity. It is estimated that more than a thousand different cultural groups exist in Papua New Guinea.

The official languages are English, Tok Pisin, and Hiri Motu, but with over 800 languages and cultures, the city is one of the most diverse places in the world.

Origin of Port Moresby: The area was occupied by Motu and Koitabu people for thousands of years before the Europeans arrived. British explorer John Moresby arrived in 1873. About 15 years later, Great Britain established the colony of British New Guinea and named Port Moresby the capital. Now it is the capital of Papua New Guinea.

Arts/Crafts: Carved cult hooks, bows and arrows, ceremonial axes and adzes, drums, flutes in the shape of long-billed birds, dishes, pots, bowls and pipes — all exquisitely carved and painted with an-imals, spirits and abstract designs.

There is less than 1,270 millimeters (50 inches) of precipitation per year. It has much less precipitation than the rest of the country. The dry climate cre-ated by this leads to occasional drought and drinking-water shortages.

There are frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes, mud slides, and tsunamis.

The average temperatures range from 23℃ to 32℃. Western clothing is usually worn by the people of Papua New Guinea because

the weather is usually warm. Casual clothes and open neck shirts for men are worn throughout the year, along with the traditional clothes such as rami, sulus, laplaps and kolos.

sulus laplaps

Activities/Recreation: To the east, only fifteen minutes drive from Port Moresby is Loloata Island Resort, a popular destination for Port Moresby residents and a relaxing alternative for transiting visitors. Surrounded by coral reefs it offers snorkeling, diving, fishing and other water sports.

Buildings like the National Parliament Building blend modern and traditional designs. Traditional design can be seen at The National Museum and Art Gallery.

National Parliament Building National Botanical Garden

The display of over three thousand native orchid species at the National Botanical Gardens is the largest in the South-ern Hemisphere.

The Moitaka Wildlife Farm carries out research on croco-diles.

The Hiri Moale Festival is held at Ela Beach in September. Ela Beach along the edge of the city is the nicest place for en-joying water sports.

Deforestation of rain forests for wood. (modify-ing the environment)

Pollution from mining projects. (modifying the environment)

Natural resources: copra, coffee, rubber, gold, plywood, timber, fish, petroleum (dependence on natural resources)

Rubber plantations, dairy farms, and experi-mental livestock ranches, fishing industry (adapting to the environment)

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