Markham (District)

The Markham District is an administrative district in the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea . It includes the Ramu Valley and the Markham Valley . In the north it borders on the Saruwaged Mountains . The main places are Wantoat , Kaiapit , Yasuru and Imane .

Geography, economy and environment

The annual rainfall is between 1600 and 2300 mm. The height above sea level ranges from 150 m in the Markham Valley and over 3500 m in the Sarawaget Mountains. Over half of the district is uninhabited. The Highlands Highlands Highway , which connects the port city of Lae with the New Guinea highlands, runs through the district. The road provides relatively good access to markets and government services in Lae and along the highway. The annual income of the people along the street is very good with an average of over 200 kina per person (2000). It becomes v. a. obtained by selling betel nuts and fresh fruits and vegetables. In remote areas, the income from betel nuts and coffee is significantly lower.

population

In 2000 an estimated 41,000 people lived in rural areas with population densities between 80 people / km² (Wantoat, Yasuru, Imane) and 5 people / km² (Mafu Valley). In the Markham district, the Austronesian languages Adzera (approx. 20,000 speakers) and Ampeeli-Wojokeso (approx. 2,500) and the trans New Guinea languages (see also Papua languages ) Waffa (approx. 1,000 speakers), Wantoat (8,000 to 10,000 speakers), Awara (1,500 to 2,000 speakers) and Irumu (approx. 1,500 speakers). There are also a large number of smaller languages.