Papua New Guinea (PNG) is located in the south-west region of the Pacific Ocean only 150 km north of Australia. It occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands. The western half of New Guinea is occupied by the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Irian Jaya. PNG has a relatively small population of 8.8 million people. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, and the British King is the Head of State. The crown is represented in PNG by the Governor-General. Actual executive power lies with the Prime Minister, who heads the single chamber cabinet. PNG is richly endowed with natural resources, however exploitation of these is hampered by rugged terrain, the high cost of developing infrastructure, serious law and order problems, and government land ownership.

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) has three services - land, air, and maritime. The majority of the 2,500 personnel serve in the land forces. Most military training and traditions come from Australia, which maintained a Pacific Island Regiment up until the country’s independence in 1975. PNGDF personnel frequently attend Australian training facilities and participate in Regional Assistance Missions.