Everything about Port Moresby totally explained
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Port Moresby, or
Pot Mosbi in
Tok Pisin, population 255,000 (2000), is the
capital and largest city of
Papua New Guinea. The city is located on the shores of the
Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of
New Guinea.
The area on which the city was founded has been inhabited by the
Motu-Koitabu people for centuries. It was first sighted by a European in 1873 by
Captain John Moresby. It was named in honour of his father
Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby.
History
Before colonisation
The
Motuan people of the area now known as Port Moresby traded their pots for
sago, other food and canoe logs, sailing from Hanuabada and other villages built on stilts above the waters of the bay. They also intermarried with the
Gulf people and created strong family and trade links.
The
Hiri expeditions were large-scale. As many as 20 multi-hulled canoes or lakatoi, crewed by some 600 men, carried about 20,000 clay pots on each journey. To the Motuans, the Hiri wasn't only an economic enterprise but they also confirmed their identity as a tribe because of the long and dangerous voyages. These voyages are commemorated in modern times by the annual Hiri Moale Festival held at Ela Beach in September.
Colonisation
The area was already an important trade centre by the time
Captain John Moresby of
HMS Basilisk first identified the area of the site later to become known as Port Moresby. The Englishman had just ventured through the
Coral Sea at the eastern end of New Guinea and upon encountering three previously unknown islands landed there. At 10 o’clock in the morning of 20 February, 1873, he claimed the land for Britain and named it after his father, Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby. He called the inner reach "Fairfax Harbour" and the other Port Moresby.
Actual European settlement of the site didn't occur until a decade later when the southeastern part of New Guinea island was annexed to
British Empire. British New Guinea was passed to the newly established Commonwealth of Australia in 1906, and became known as Papua. From then until 1941 Port Moresby grew slowly. The main growth was on the peninsula, where port facilities and other services were gradually improved. Electricity was introduced in 1925 and piped water supply was provided in 1941.
World War II and after
During
World War II, many Papuan men were enlisted, both as soldiers in the
Papua Infantry Battalion, and as carriers for supply support to
Allied armies. Many other Papuan residents of Port Moresby either returned to their villages or were evacuated to camps when the threat of Japanese invasion loomed. The city was home to an important Allied base and thousands of troops were stationed in the area as the last allied bastion on the island and last defense between the Japanese onslaught and Australia. This key role resulted in its becoming the objective of a Japanese invasion fleet in May 1942 that was stopped by the
Battle of Coral Sea. During this period Port Moresby, especially its "villages" naturally fell into disrepair and after the war the whole town had to be rebuilt.
In 1945, the Territory of Papua and New Guinea was formed when Papua and the former German New Guinea, which had been administered by Australia since 1918, were amalgamated under a single
Australian Administration. Port Moresby was officially designated the capital of the new "combined" territory and a focal point for the expansion of public services.
Capital city of an independent PNG
In September 1975, Port Moresby became capital city of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. New government buildings were constructed at
Waigani to house government departments, including a spectacular National Parliament Building, which opened in 1984 and blends traditional design with modern building technology. The PNG National Museum and National Library are also located at
Waigani.
Unfortunately, several of these government buildings have now been abandoned due to long-term neglect. Chief amongst these are Marea Haus (known to most locals as the "Pineapple Building") and the Central Government Offices. Nearby buildings such as Morauta Haus and Vulupindi Haus are now starting to show significant signs of decay due to a lack of maintenance, including crumbling fire stairs, grimy restrooms and elevators that are always out of service.
The population of the Port Moresby area has expanded rapidly since independence. In 1980 the census registered 120,000; by 1990, this had increased to 195,000.
The city is often covered by a smoke haze that's created by the numerous small fires lit beside the road or in the bush by its inhabitants. These are left to burn out without intervention by the local fire department.
In 2004, Port Moresby was ranked the worst capital city in the world to live in the Economist Intelligence Unit's ranking of 130 of the world's capital cities (although Baghdad wasn't included). High levels of
rape,
robbery and
murder and large areas of the city controlled by gangs of thugs, known locally as "
rascals" (Tok Pisin raskol), were cited. According to a 2004 article in the
Guardian newspaper,
unemployment rates are estimated to be between 60 and 90% and murder rates three times that of
Moscow and 23 times the rate in
London.
Regions and suburbs
Port Moresby refers to both the urbanised area of the National Capital District and more specifically to the main business area, known locally as "Town". Other neighbourhoods of Port Moresby include: Koki, with its popular fresh produce market, Newtown,
Konedobu, Kaevaga, Badili, Gabutu, Kila, Matirogo, Three Mile, Kaugere, Sabama, Korobosea, Four Mile, Hohola, Hohola North, Boroko, a major shopping area, Gordon, Gordon North, Erima, Saraga,
Waigani, Morata and Gerehu. There are also villages like
Hanuabada, the biggest village in Papua New Guinea.
Transport
Port Moresby is served by
Jacksons International Airport, which is the biggest international airport and Air Force base in the country.
Air Niugini and
Airlines PNG both conduct regular international routes, and many other local and international airlines service this airport.
Jacksons is served internationally by flights to
Brisbane,
Cairns,
Sydney,
Honiara,
Nadi,
Manila,
Singapore,
Hong Kong and
Tokyo.
As the national highways system is discontinuous, there are many internal flights to other towns which can't be reached by minibuses, known as PMVs locally, for example Madang.
Images
Image:Port Moresby Town.JPG|Town
Image:PortMoresbyKoki.jpg|Koki Village
Image:Ela Beach Port Moresby.JPG|Ela Beach
Twin towns
Associated town:
Jayapura, Indonesia (Province Irian Jaya)
Footnotes
Further Information
Get more info on 'Port Moresby'.
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