Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
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| Attribute | Papua New GuineaReviewed | PalestineReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Common law with customary law | Mixed civil, common and Islamic law |
| System of government | Constitutional monarchy | Semi-presidential republic under occupation |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea | Palestinian Basic Law |
| In force since | 1975 | 2002 |
| Capital | Port Moresby | Ramallah |
| Official languages | English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu | Arabic |
| Currency | Papua New Guinean kina (PGK) | New shekel (ILS) |
| Population | 10,300,000 | 5,500,000 |
| Division of powers | Decentralised but not federal. Twenty-two provinces, including the National Capital District, have provincial governments with limited legislative power under the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments 1995. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville has a distinct constitutional status: its 2019 non-binding referendum returned 97.7% for independence, and the Constitution was amended in 2024 to provide a ratification pathway. | Formally unitary over the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In practice the West Bank is divided into Areas A, B and C under the Oslo arrangements with differing Palestinian and Israeli competences, Area C remaining under Israeli civil and security administration, and Gaza has been separately administered since 2007. East Jerusalem is administered by Israel. The atlas records this fragmentation rather than describing a single uniform jurisdiction. |
| How law is made | Bills pass through three readings in the single chamber and receive the Governor-General's assent. Constitutional amendments must be published in advance, and depending on the provision require an absolute majority, two-thirds or three-quarters of all members, voted on at two sittings at least two months apart. Organic Laws follow the same entrenched process. The Speaker certifies that the constitutional requirements were met, and failure to follow them has led the Supreme Court to strike amendments down. | The Basic Law contemplates bills passing the Legislative Council in three readings and being promulgated by the President. Since 2007, with the Council not sitting, legislation has been issued as presidential decree-law under Article 43, published in the Official Gazette al-Waqa'i al-Filastiniyya. Because Article 43 requires later presentation to the Council, the standing of the accumulated body of decree-laws is itself a live constitutional question. |
| Legal profession | A fused profession under the Lawyers Act 1986: lawyers are admitted by the National Court and hold an unrestricted or restricted practising certificate issued by the Papua New Guinea Law Society. Most qualify through the University of Papua New Guinea law degree and the Legal Training Institute's practical course. The Law Society regulates admission and discipline, and the Public Solicitor is the main provider of representation for those who cannot pay. | Lawyers are admitted by the Palestinian Bar Association after a law degree and a two-year traineeship, with compulsory membership. Practice is complicated by movement restrictions and by the divergence between West Bank and Gaza law, so practitioners tend to specialise territorially. Sharia court advocacy is separately licensed. Legal aid is provided mainly through the Bar's committees and by non-governmental clinics rather than a state defender service. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.