Papua New Guinea receives most of its bilateral aid from Australia, which donates about $200 million a year in assistance. Foreign budgetary support was phased out in 2000; aid is now concentrated on project development. Other major sources of aid include Japan, the EU, China, Taiwan, the UN, the Asian Development Bank, the IMF, and the World Bank.
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) estimates that in 2000 Papua New Guinea's central government took in revenues of approximately $849 million and had expenditures of $1.1 billion including capital expenditures of $344 million. Overall, the government registered a deficit of approximately $251 million. External debt totaled $2.6 billion.
The following table shows an itemized breakdown of government revenues and expenditures. The percentages were calculated from data reported by the International Monetary Fund. The dollar amounts (millions) are based on the CIA estimates provided above.
REVENUE AND GRANTS | 100.0% | 849 |
Tax revenue | 76.6% | 650 |
Non-tax revenue | 3.8% | 32 |
Capital revenue | 1.1% | 9 |
Grants | 18.5% | 157 |
EXPENDITURES | 100.0% | 1,100 |
General public services | 7.4% | 82 |
Defense | 3.3% | 37 |
Public order and safety | 7.0% | 77 |
Education | 21.8% | 240 |
Health | 6.2% | 68 |
Social security | 2.0% | 23 |
Housing and community amenities | 2.4% | 26 |
Recreation, cultural, and religious affairs | 0.6% | 7 |
Economic affairs and services | 19.9% | 219 |
Other expenditures | 15.4% | 169 |
Interest payments | 14.0% | 153 |
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