The Independent State of Papua New Guinea, often referred to by just the initials PNG, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (the other half is the Papua province of Indonesia). It is in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, north of Australia and west of the Solomon Islands. Its capital is Port Moresby and by some historians it is called the "last frontier". Central Papua New Guinea is mostly highlands, while the coasts are humid tropical climate, giving way to rainforests. The population has grown in recent years, now 5.7 million. Inflation is 7.5%, and the GDP growth is 2.3%. Papua New Guinea has many languages, with 3 languages spoken per adult. It is also hard to get around; flying on planes is the most widespread way foreigners and high ranking officials get around, and there are 599 airports. Papua New Guinea gained independence in 1975 and since then, has been called a developing nation, but has made many strides.