No-one has been able to determine Papua New Guinea's population but there are hopes a census will crack the mystery

No-one has been able to determine Papua New Guinea's population but there are hopes a census will crack the mysteryIt's a hot afternoon in the dusty streets of Port Moresby and Maholopa Laveil is driving around looking for someone in a white shirt and bright yellow vest brandished with the slogan "be counted".

"We need a good census to provide that socio-demographic data that government needs for policy planning," he says.The question of PNG's population has been at the centre of controversy in recent years.A UN study, funded by Australia, used satellite imagery to estimate a much higher population of 17 million in 2022.

The population count could also influence PNG's global economic ranking, and provide insights into the levels of poverty across the country. Despite the budget for the critical census being cut in half, officials say they are confident they will get the data they need.At a press conference earlier this month, he appeared positive about the preparations, despite the census budget being slashed from 300 million kina to 150 million kina .

But since the count began on June 17, it has been plagued by long delays, administrative issues and financial shortfalls.In the highlands of Papua New Guinea, the majority of residents are under 18, and many battle unemployment and lack of education. But for one town, a weekly fight club has given kids hope.By the end of the first week of counting, most provinces told the ABC they had not begun collecting data.

The National Statistics Office and the Department of Administrative Services has not responded to the ABC's request for comment."Poor preparations, low funding, capacity issues within the National Statistics Office, and then it's just fit into the failure that we're seeing now," he said.

Port Moresby Census Population Count

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