Even though Papua New Guinea is located in the same region as Australia and New Zealand, why is it that Australia and New Zealand became technologically advanced and wealthy?

        New Zealand and Australia are more wealthy than Papua New Guinea. There are a few reasons why. First let's talk about New Zealand. Then we'll take a look at Australia. And finally we'll see how Papua New Guinea is. Now let's get to it!

New Zealand
        New Zealand's economy was built on a narrow range of primary products. Due to the high demand of these primary products, New Zealand has enjoyed high standards of living. Its economy is based on a market, which is very dependent on international trade, and mainly with Japan, China, the United States, the European Union, as well as Australia. New Zealand’s economy has traditionally been based on exports from productive agriculture systems. It also welcomes and encourages foreign investment openly. A benefit for the people of this country has been that there is a supportive education and health care system. The World Bank even praised New Zealand in 2005 as being the most business-friendly country in the world.



Australia
        The Australian economy is dominated by its service sector. It declared independence from Britain, and is rich in natural resources and a major exporter of agricultural products, particularly wheat and wool, minerals such as iron-ore and gold, and energy in the form of coal and liquid natural gas. From the 1820s onwards the economic growth was based increasingly on the production of fine wool, but while wool was still the main product, a variety of new goods such as wheat, dairy, and other agriculturally products became a big part of the Australian exports. The natural resources attracted foreign investment, and Australia heavily improved on its transportation infrastructure. Property and workers' rights came in place and helped to develop the related business even further.



Papua New Guinea
        Papua New Guinea is the world's 54th largest country, but its geographic location is off the common trade routes and extremely rugged in specific places. The infrastructure is heavily limited as well, because of these geographical challenges, for example high mountains, which makes it difficult for the country to develop a functioning transportation infrastructure. Also its location right on the “Pacific Ring of Fire” is causing the danger of natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis. There are also hundreds of ethnic groups in Papua New Guinea, which are preserving the old ways of living, and which are speaking more than 820 different languages. That limits the education opportunities and causes at the majority of the people are poorly educated. For example there are only six universities in the entire country.



Comparison
        To tie theses countries together, the few main reasons why Australia and New Zealand are more advanced than Papua New Guinea are the education, geographical location, serious law and order problems, property right limitations and the collaboration between the people, because while Australians and the people of New Zealand have enjoyed a high educational standard, Papua New Guineans had to deal with quite a limited education, but education is very important for the technologically development of a country to solve problems and to invent. But with limited knowledge, people don’t know how to solve obstacle which are coming their way. Although New Zealand, Australia, and Papua New Guinea are located around the same area, the countries are very different. In Papua New Guinea they experience earthquakes and tsunamis, but not Australia and New Zealand. Papua New Guinea faces difficulties of building or developing a functioning infrastructure because of its challenging geography. But there is one thing Australia and Papua New Guinea have in common, and that is the natural resources. Australia took advantage of their rich resources and it brought the country more wealth. Papua New Guinea didn't use their rich resources as an advantage to grow more advanced as a country. The last main reason is the collaboration between the people. In New Zealand and Australia, the people have the same backgrounds and goals, and they’re not different tribes that don't associate with each other. That makes it easier to jointly work together and to overcome challenges to build up their country. They all communicate in the same language, but in Papua New Guinea all the different tribes speak more than 820 different languages. So there you have it. These are all reasons why Australia and New Zealand are more advanced than Papua New Guinea.




Papua New Guinea Flag


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sources

png.salvationarmy.org
wikipedia.com

It's Hard To Be a Mud Skipper

        Do you understand how hard it is to be a mud skipper like me? Well I can tell you it's not easy! Time and time again, disasters always find us. Just like the other week. Oh my! That was just plain horrible. After I tell you the story about what happened, you will pity mud skippers and dislike human intruders.

        Just last week, I was having a great time in the mud. It was about late morning and all the mud skippers were skipping around, having a good time. Just the day before, I was told that a group of humans had come and stomped all over our precious mud! Luckily I wasn't there because I was skipping around on the other side of the bridge. But I was told that the invasion was terrible! I had no idea what really happened. At least that was until I heard loud talking come from a group of about forty people. This was when the action began . . .

        I saw those gigantic humans walk up to the mud with eager eyes. I was completely frozen with fear! I was right in the way of their path and just could not move. The first human took a step forward and started heading towards me. Its foot loomed over me and landed centimeters away from my body. Luckily when it lifted its foot, some mud flung up and I was flung along with the mud. Plop! I landed in the safety of a muddy floor right under a tree. I started to relax and calm down a bit. I was safe. Well I thought I was . . .

        "Look!" a short human called as its huge finger pointing straight at me! I was praying that it wouldn't kill me. That dreadful stepped forward and approached me. I decided to skip away as fast as I could and I was moving for my dear life. Finally I zipped out of sight and behind a muddy tree root. I was so happy! I survived! I couldn't believe it. I actually lived! I started skipping around with joy. But then I saw one of my mud skipper friends on the other side. He was frightened and scared half to death. This mud skipper was much younger than me. I needed to help him out before he got trampled on. But what if I got squashed trying to save this mud skipper?

        I headed of at top speed to the other side. But somehow, the little mud skipper didn't see me and so I smashed right into him. I stared at him apologetically. He seemed to be happy that some came over to him. We skipped into under the tree and out of sight from the dreadful humans. Then we continued to just watch the humans fall into the mud. They must be completely brainless to fall into the mud every five seconds! I didn't see one human stay upright the whole time and I just don't understand how these intruders couldn't even keep their balance. They were so dumb. But finally they left and every mud skipper was fine, so we continued our lives just as they were before the humans came along. Hopefully we won't have to see any more scary intruders tomorrow!

Hey look! It's me!

Thanks for reading!
~ Natalie


Picture from . . . bountyfishing.com