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Photo: eGuide Travel · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 02 of 12 · Country Index 2026
Papua New Guinea: Economy & Innovation
What does an economy do for the people inside it?
Papua New Guinea is placed 141st of 150 countries on economy & innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: GDP per Capita (PPP) 4,456 (2025); Economic Complexity Index -2.137 (2024).
Economy & Innovation
141st
of 150 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Papua New Guinea on economy & innovation — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country in that edition, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
GDP per Capita (PPP)
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Output per person: the standard measure of an economy's size set against the population it has to support.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
4,456
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
Higher is better
Papua New Guinea: 4,456. Across the 185 countries in this edition, values run from 1,067 (Burundi) to 139,593 (Singapore); the world median is 17,265.
- World median
- 17,265
- Best in Melanesia
- 13,961 Fiji
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 15,091
Each grey tick is one of 185 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 3
Economic Complexity Index
Growth Lab at Harvard University
Why it is a key: What an economy knows how to make, read from the diversity and rarity of what it exports.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC0 1.0
-2.137
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)
Higher is better
Ranked 139th of 145 by Growth Lab at Harvard University
Papua New Guinea: -2.137. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from -3.53 (Chad) to 1.729 (Japan); the world median is 0.131.
- World median
- 0.131
- Best in Melanesia
- -2.137 Papua New Guinea
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 0.223
Each grey tick is one of 145 countries in the 2024 edition.
Key 3 of 3
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether ordinary adults are inside the financial system at all, which output per person does not reveal.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+)
Higher is better
World Bank Group publishes no 2024 figure for Papua New Guinea, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 14.83 (Niger) to 99.85 (Iceland); the world median is 72.83.
- World median
- 72.83
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 56.33
Each grey tick is one of 139 countries in the 2024 edition.
02Over time
Which way Papua New Guinea is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
GDP per Capita (PPP)
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) · higher is better
Papua New GuineaWorld median
Papua New Guinea rose from 3,327 in 2000 to 4,456 in 2025; the world median went from 10,589 to 17,265.
Every year’s figures
Year Papua New Guinea World median 2025 4,456 17,265 2024 4,293 18,108 2023 4,206 17,686 2022 4,126 16,933 2021 3,977 16,260 2020 4,078 15,631 2019 4,302 16,761 2018 4,212 16,349 2017 4,323 16,129 2016 4,276 15,512 2015 4,155 14,857 2014 3,999 14,475 2013 3,616 14,681 2012 3,578 14,631 2011 3,515 13,916 2010 3,580 14,101 2009 3,350 13,655 2008 3,234 14,030 2007 3,346 13,755 2006 3,203 12,983 2005 3,137 12,023 2004 3,047 11,608 2003 3,065 11,183 2002 3,101 11,144 2001 3,212 10,907 2000 3,327 10,589 Economic Complexity Index
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) · higher is better
Papua New GuineaWorld median
Papua New Guinea fell from -1.691 in 2000 to -2.137 in 2024; the world median went from 0.016 to 0.131.
Every year’s figures
Year Papua New Guinea World median 2024 -2.137 0.1310 2023 -1.637 0.0710 2022 -1.651 0.0580 2021 -1.889 0.0010 2020 -1.842 0.0470 2019 -1.514 0.0300 2018 -2.398 -0.0150 2017 -2.681 0.0080 2016 -2.576 -0.0660 2015 -2.559 -0.0600 2014 -2.227 -0.0190 2013 -1.995 0.0140 2012 -1.052 0.0060 2011 -1.426 -0.0140 2010 -2.235 -0.0020 2009 -2.383 0.0990 2008 -2.517 0.0700 2007 -2.677 -0.0080 2006 -2.560 0.0740 2005 -2.589 0.0510 2004 -1.536 0.0505 2003 -1.379 0.0450 2002 -1.293 0.0100 2001 -1.753 0.0470 2000 -1.691 0.0160
03In context
Papua New Guinea beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 150 countries on economy & innovation, never a place within the region.
1st150thNot placed · 74 countries with too few key statisticsNo data
Papua New Guinea and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 150 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | GDP per Capita (PPP)GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) | Economic Complexity IndexECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) | Account Ownership at a Financial InstitutionAdults with an account (% of population aged 15+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Indonesia | =81st | 15,091 | 0.223 | 56.33 |
| Papua New Guinea | 141st | 4,456 | -2.137 | — |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Melanesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 150.
- Papua New Guinea141st
Fijinot placed
New Caledonianot placed
Solomon Islandsnot placed
Vanuatunot placed
Placed either side on economy & innovation
The countries immediately above and below Papua New Guinea in the topic’s list.
Mauritania138th
Rwanda139th
Mozambique140th- Papua New Guinea141st
Sierra Leone142nd
Liberia143rd
Guinea144th
04Context, no vote
Where Papua New Guinea is ahead of the world, and behind
18 more statistics filed under economy & innovation, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median4
Statistics on which Papua New Guinea does better than the middle country measured.
GDP GrowthWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3.3965.6383.396▼ Worsened since 2015
Papua New Guinea: 5.638 · world median 3.396 · GDP growth (annual %). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -5.847 to 19.34; higher is better.
Position 37th of 186 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Cereal YieldFAO · 2023 · world median 3,0724,7873,072▼ Worsened since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 4,787 · world median 3,072 · Cereal yield (kg per hectare). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 23 to 29,147; higher is better.
Position 48th of 179 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
External Debt Stocks (% of GNI)World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 43.9441.8943.94▲ Improved since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 41.89 · world median 43.94 · External debt stocks (% of GNI). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 2.213 to 350.57; lower is better.
Position 59th of 110 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Livestock Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 107.06107.71107.06▲ Improved since 2012
Papua New Guinea: 107.71 · world median 107.06 · Livestock production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 35.52 to 190.08; higher is better.
Position 96th of 194 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median8
Statistics on which Papua New Guinea does worse than the middle country measured.
Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 56.2150.3756.21No real change since 2016
Papua New Guinea: 50.37 · world median 56.21 · LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 4.13 to 1,319; higher is better.
Ranked 87th of 175 by UNCTAD.
Logistics Performance IndexWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 2.92.72.9▲ Improved since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 2.7 · world median 2.9 · LPI score (1–5). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.9 to 4.3; higher is better.
Ranked 79th of 139 by World Bank Group.
Crop Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.2399.03106.23▼ Worsened since 2012
Papua New Guinea: 99.03 · world median 106.23 · Crop production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 53.79 to 189.93; higher is better.
Position 134th of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 2025 · world median 40.1927.9840.19▲ Improved since 2021
Papua New Guinea: 27.98 · world median 40.19 · AI readiness score (0–100). Oxford Insights, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 12.12 to 88.36; higher is better.
Ranked 135th of 195 by Oxford Insights.
Food Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.08100.55106.08▼ Worsened since 2012
Papua New Guinea: 100.55 · world median 106.08 · Food production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 71.08 to 177.49; higher is better.
Position 136th of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median -0.09-0.6-0.09▼ Worsened since 2014
Papua New Guinea: -0.6 · world median -0.09 · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -2.035 to 2.132; higher is better.
Position 148th of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.4230.609No real change since 2016
Papua New Guinea: 0.423 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.
Position 129th of 169 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Debt Service on External DebtWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 12.9343.3412.93▼ Worsened since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 43.34 · world median 12.93 · Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.285 to 96.2; lower is better.
Position 6th of 109 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 1.70827.391.708Moved since 2011
Papua New Guinea: 27.39 · world median 1.708 · Natural resources rents (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.03.
Position 13th of 180 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Fertilizer Consumption per HectareFAO · 2023 · world median 87.36123.6687.36Moved since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 123.66 · world median 87.36 · Fertilizer consumption (kg per hectare of arable land). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,926.
Position 70th of 188 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Net Official Development Assistance ReceivedOECD Development Assistance Committee · 2023 · world median 2.5792.4222.579Moved since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 2.422 · world median 2.579 · Net ODA received (% of GNI). OECD Development Assistance Committee, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -0.001 to 101.78.
Position 68th of 130 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Livestock DensityFAO · 2023 · world median 0.5350.380.535Moved since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 0.38 · world median 0.535 · Livestock units per hectare of agricultural land. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 43.97.
Position 118th of 188 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Public Sector Wage BillWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 7.9755.5367.975Moved since 2012
Papua New Guinea: 5.536 · world median 7.975 · Public sector wage bill (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.977 to 42.65.
Position 123rd of 168 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Agricultural LandFAO · 2023 · world median 37.963.10337.96No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 3.103 · world median 37.96 · Agricultural land (% of land area). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.445 to 86.48.
Position 201st of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No current reading for Papua New Guinea
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Adjusted Net Savings (last 2004), Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP) (last 2024), Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Container Port Traffic (last 2022), Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2004), General Government Consumption (last 2004), Gini Index (last 2009), Global Innovation Index, GNI per Capita (PPP) (last 2021), Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP) (last 2004), Gross Savings (% of GDP) (last 2004), Household Consumption (last 2004), ICT Goods Exports (last 2023), Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2004), Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2009), Industry Value Added including Construction (% of GDP) (last 2024), Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP) (last 2024), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2009), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2009), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2009), Prosperity Gap (last 2009), Research and Development Spending (last 2016), Trade (% of GDP) (last 2004) and World Energy Trilemma Index. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Economy & Innovation among Papua New Guinea’s 12 topics
Economy & Innovation is Papua New Guinea’s 11th best-placed topic of 12. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Peace & Security63rd of 1773/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 109th of 1983/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability95th of 1612/3 keys
- Mobility & Connectivityjoint 90th of 1472/3 keys
- Development & Human Capital125th of 1943/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience138th of 1913/3 keys
- Work & Labour150th of 1824/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions170th of 1935/5 keys
- Health & Wellbeing183rd of 2013/4 keys
- Gender & Equality163rd of 1782/3 keys
- Economy & Innovation141st of 1502/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge173rd of 1823/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on economy & innovation
The three countries placed highest of 150, and the leaders Papua New Guinea can most readily be measured against.
1
IcelandNorthern Europe
1st of 150 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SwitzerlandWestern Europe
2nd of 150 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Simon Koopmann derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 2.0 de, greyscale
3
AustriaWestern Europe
3rd of 150 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Oceania
New Zealand32nd3/3 keysThis page
Papua New Guinea141st2/3 keys
Positions out of 150 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Papua New Guinea and economy & innovation
On economy & innovation
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On economy & innovation
India vs Pakistan 2025: Comparison of Hunger Index, Happiness, HDI, Rule of Law, Literacy & GDP
India and Pakistan on six published measures: hunger, happiness, human development, rule of law, literacy and GDP per capita. India is the better placed on five of them; Pakistan on one.
On economy & innovation
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
08Questions
Papua New Guinea on economy & innovation: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Papua New Guinea rank on economy & innovation?
Papua New Guinea is placed 141st of 150 countries on Economy & Innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics (GDP per Capita (PPP) and Economic Complexity Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GDP per Capita (PPP) figure for Papua New Guinea?
4,456 in 2025 (gDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 17,265.
What is the latest Economic Complexity Index figure for Papua New Guinea?
-2.137 in 2024 (eCI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)), according to Growth Lab at Harvard University. The world median in the same edition was 0.131.
How does Papua New Guinea compare with Indonesia on economy & innovation?
Indonesia is placed joint 81st of 150, and Papua New Guinea 141st. GDP per Capita (PPP): Indonesia 15,091, Papua New Guinea 4,456; Economic Complexity Index: Indonesia 0.223, Papua New Guinea -2.137.
How have Papua New Guinea’s economy & innovation figures changed?
GDP per Capita (PPP) rose from 3,327 in 2000 to 4,456 in 2025; Economic Complexity Index fell from -1.691 in 2000 to -2.137 in 2024.
Which economy & innovation statistics are missing for Papua New Guinea?
No current reading is published for Papua New Guinea on Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Adjusted Net Savings, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP), Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Container Port Traffic, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), General Government Consumption, Gini Index, Global Innovation Index, GNI per Capita (PPP), Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP), Gross Savings (% of GDP), Household Consumption, ICT Goods Exports, Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Industry Value Added including Construction (% of GDP), Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Prosperity Gap, Research and Development Spending, Trade (% of GDP) and World Energy Trilemma Index. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
Explore further
Papua New Guinea, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions170th of 193
- Work & Labour150th of 182
- Education & Knowledge173rd of 182
- Health & Wellbeing183rd of 201
- Development & Human Capital125th of 194
- Environment & Sustainability95th of 161
- Gender & Equality163rd of 178
- Democracy & Civil Liberties=109th of 198
- Peace & Security63rd of 177
- Risk & Resilience138th of 191
- Mobility & Connectivity=90th of 147
- The full Papua New Guinea profile
Nearby, on economy & innovation
The key statistics, for every country
10Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
The total size of an economy is deliberately left out: a very large economy spread over a very large population is not doing more for each person. Growth rates, trade shares and the structure of output (how much is farming, industry or services) are published here as context, because they describe an economy's shape rather than how well it serves people. Jobs and wages have their own topic, Work & Labour.
How the Economy & Innovation standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 3 indicators on this topic are keys and 44 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2024 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 3 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 150 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 3.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- GDP per Capita (PPP) — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Economic Complexity Index — Growth Lab at Harvard University, CC0 1.0
- Account Ownership at a Financial Institution — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
The other 18 statistics on this page come from 6 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Papua New Guinea’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Papua New Guinea (banner) — eGuide Travel, CC BY 2.0
- Iceland — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Switzerland — Simon Koopmann derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
- Austria — chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Papua New Guinea: Economy & Innovation — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/papua-new-guinea/economy