Question

Why have the highlands of Papau New Guines maintained a dense population for so long?

Answers

Answered by GPT 3.5
The highlands of Papua New Guinea have maintained a dense population for several reasons:

1. Geographic isolation: The rugged terrain, high mountains, and deep valleys of the highlands have made it difficult for outsiders to access these areas, allowing the indigenous populations to maintain their traditional lifestyles and farming practices.

2. Fertile soil: The highlands of Papua New Guinea have rich volcanic soil, which is ideal for agriculture. The highlanders have been practicing intensive agriculture, such as terrace farming and crop rotation, which has allowed them to sustain a large population over generations.

3. Cultural practices: The highland communities have strong social and cultural ties, which have helped them to cooperate and support each other in times of adversity. This social cohesion has enabled them to survive and thrive in a challenging environment.

4. Resilience: The highlanders have developed resilience strategies to cope with environmental changes and natural disasters, such as droughts, earthquakes, and landslides. Their traditional knowledge and adaptive strategies have helped them to survive and adapt to changing conditions.

Overall, the combination of geographic isolation, fertile soil, strong cultural practices, and resilience strategies has enabled the highlands of Papua New Guinea to maintain a dense population for so long.

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