Government and power in Papua New Guinea
Who leads Papua New Guinea, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with provincial governments.
Who leads Papua New Guinea?
- Head of state: King Charles III (King)
- Representative of the head of state: Sir Bob Dadae (Governor-General of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea)
- Head of government: James Marape (Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea)
- Foreign minister: Justin W. Tkatchenko (Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does Papua New Guinea score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 53.4 out of 100 in 2025, 107th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 65.7). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 55.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Papua New Guinea score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 56 out of 100 in 2025, 145th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 81.7). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 52.9.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Papua New Guinea score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 37.8 out of 100 in 2025, 147th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 54.5). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 40.1.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Papua New Guinea score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 44.9 out of 100 in 2025, 132nd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 53.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 48.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Papua New Guinea score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 49.2 out of 100 in 2025, 125th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 65.5). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 49.2.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Papua New Guinea score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 32.3 out of 100 in 2025, 142nd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 54). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 28.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in Papua New Guinea's parliament?
Women held 2.7% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2025, 180th highest of 184 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of Papua New Guinea's ministers are women?
Women held 2.7% of ministerial posts in 2025, 182nd highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does the government of Papua New Guinea spend?
Central government spending (expense) was 20.3% of GDP in 2023.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much tax does the government of Papua New Guinea collect?
Central government tax revenue was 15.5% of GDP in 2024, 58th highest of 92.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does Papua New Guinea spend on the military?
Military spending was 0.4% of GDP in 2025, 143rd highest of 149 (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, via the World Bank).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow big are the armed forces of Papua New Guinea?
Armed forces personnel numbered 4,000 in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are Papua New Guinea's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 43.6 out of 100 in 2024, 171st highest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many births are registered in Papua New Guinea?
13.4% of births of children under 5 were registered with a civil authority (2018).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in Papua New Guinea use the internet?
18.8% of people used the internet in 2024.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in Papua New Guinea
Government
- Department of the Prime Minister and National Executive CouncilCabinet decisions, government policy documents and statements.
Parliament
- National Parliament of Papua New GuineaHansard, bills, acts and members of the National Parliament.
Courts
- Papua New Guinea Judiciary (Supreme and National Courts)Court lists, judgments and practice directions of the Supreme Court and National Court.
Public audit
- Auditor-General's OfficeAudit reports on national government departments, provinces and statutory bodies.
Ombudsman
- Ombudsman Commission of Papua New GuineaInvestigation reports, Leadership Code matters and annual reports.
Public contracts
- National Procurement CommissionPublic tender notices, contract awards, procurement rules and the supplier registry for PNG government contracts.
Government below the national level
- Provincial level (22: 20 provinces, the National Capital District and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville): Provincial assembly made up of the province's national MPs, LLG heads and appointed members (including a woman and chiefs' representatives where relevant); the provincial MP is governor
- Districts (one for each open electorate): District Development Authority chaired by the local MP
- Local-level governments (about 374, urban and rural): Ward councillors elected; LLG president elected directly by voters in some provinces and by ward members in others
- Wards (6,916 in the 2025 elections): One elected councillor per ward, who chairs a ward development committee
How local power works in Papua New Guinea
Places in Papua New Guinea
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Central government spending (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 808094019f50…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Tax revenue (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08c94b750f31…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Military spending (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7f6913a783b…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Armed forces personnel (MS.MIL.TOTL.P1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa4663c743ba…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Births registered (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f8d443034ba7…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.