<P> Papua New Guinea 's economy is dominated by two sectors : the agricultural , forestry , and fishing sector , where most of the labour force of the country is engaged , and the minerals and energy extraction sector from which most of the export earnings are made . PNG 's GDP growth is driven by the extraction industries and real GDP growth per capita has averaged 4 % since mid-2000 . The country has made significant progress investing proceeds from oil and gas in infrastructure building . As a result , its major cities like Port Moresby and Lae have received increased international investor attention , giving rise to unprecedented building boom to exploit the opportunities presented by the country 's rise as a regional economic leader in the South Pacific region . This is well supported by its strategic location as a Pacific 's gateway to Asia as well as its comparatively huge landmass and demographic profile ( almost 7 times that the rest of smaller Pacific Island nations ) . International Monetary Fund . Despite this poverty it is richly endowed with natural resources , but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure . Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for the bulk of the population . Mineral deposits , including oil , copper , and gold , account for 72 % of export earnings . Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under World Bank auspices have helped sustain the economy . In 1995 , Port Moresby reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) and World Bank on a structural adjustment program , of which the first phase was successfully completed in 1996 . In 1997 , droughts caused by the El Niño weather pattern wreaked havoc on Papua New Guinea 's coffee , cocoa , and coconut production , the mainstays of the agricultural - based economy and major sources of export earnings . The coffee crop was slashed by up to 50 % in 1997 . Despite problems with drought , the year 1998 saw a small recovery in GDP . Growth increased to 3.6 % in 1999 and may be even higher in 2000 , say 4.3 % . </P>
what are the main industries in papua new guinea
agricultural forestry fishing minerals and energy extraction