Introduction
The coastal features of Papua New Guinea (Fig. 19.10.1 ) are similar to those of Irian Jaya (Indonesia), with extensive steep sectors backed by uplifted mountain ranges interspersed with deltas and coastal plains (Löffler 1977). The coastline is about 5,000 km long, and when the coasts of New Britain (1,200 km), New Ireland (800 km), Bougainville (600 km), the associated outlying islands to the north, and the D’Entrecasteaux and Louisiade archipelagoes to the southeast are added, the total is more than 9,000 km. It is well shown on the 1:100,000 map series.
Papua New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago: location map and distribution of selected coastal features. (Courtesy Geostudies.)
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Bird ECF (1981) The beach erosion problem at Wewak, Papua, New Guinea. Singapore J Trop Geogr 2:9–14
Brown MJF (1974) A development consequence: disposal of mining waste on Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Geoforum 18:17–27
Chappell J (1974) Geology of coral terraces, Huon Peninsula, New Guinea: a study of Quaternary tectonic movements and sea-level changes. Bull Geol Soc Am 85:553–570
Löffler E (1977) Geomorphology of Papua New Guinea. Australian National University, Canberra
Yokoyama Y, East TM, Lambeck K (2001) Coupled climate and sea level changes deduced from Huon Peninsula coral terraces of the last ice age. Earth Planet Sci Lett 193:579–587
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this entry
Cite this entry
Bird, E. (2010). Papua New Guinea. In: Bird, E.C.F. (eds) Encyclopedia of the World's Coastal Landforms. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8639-7_217
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8639-7_217
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8638-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8639-7
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences