The National
One of PNG's two major daily newspapers.
The National at a glance
The National is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Papua New Guinea, currently ranked #1 in the country. It was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Port Moresby, PNG. Today The National is owned by Rimbunan Hijau Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 0.5 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, subscriptions. Its closest rivals include postcourier.com.pg.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 0.5 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 0.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 0.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 0.5 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Papua New Guinea, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Papua New Guinea86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 0.1 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Papua New Guinea
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| the national | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Papua New Guinea web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Papua New Guinea
Company information
- Website
- thenational.com.pg
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Rimbunan Hijau Group
- Owner type
- Private media company
- Founded
- 1993
- Headquarters
- Port Moresby, PNG
- Employees
- 100-250
- Ownership
- Rimbunan Hijau Group controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- English, Tok Pisin
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Private media company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
The National operates a news and media publisher focused on Papua New Guinea. One of PNG's two major daily newspapers. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- Subscriptions
International presence
- Primary market
- Papua New Guinea
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Papua New Guinea)
- #1 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Papua New Guinea
- Global rank
- Top 900,000 worldwide
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| postcourier.com.pg | ≈ 0.3 million / month | #2 class competitor | — |
What is The National?
The National (thenational.com.pg) is a news and media publisher serving users in Papua New Guinea. One of PNG's two major daily newspapers. It ranks #1 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns The National?
The site is operated by Rimbunan Hijau Group. The company was established in 1993 and is headquartered in Port Moresby, PNG. It employs around 100-250.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place The National at roughly 0.5 million visits per month, about 0 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How The National makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside subscriptions.
Competitors in Papua New Guinea
Its closest rivals include postcourier.com.pg.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1993
The National is founded in Port Moresby, PNG.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #1 among the most visited websites in Papua New Guinea.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns The National?
The National is operated by Rimbunan Hijau Group. Private media company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is The National headquartered?
The National is headquartered in Port Moresby, PNG.
When was The National founded?
The National was founded in 1993.
How many employees does The National have?
The National employs approximately 100-250 people.
What is The National's revenue?
The National does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from advertising, subscriptions.
Who are The National's competitors?
Main competitors in Papua New Guinea include postcourier.com.pg.
How does The National make money?
Mainly advertising, subscriptions.
Is The National publicly traded?
No — The National is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Rimbunan Hijau Group.
How many visitors does The National get?
Third-party estimates place The National at roughly 0.5 million visits per month, mostly from Papua New Guinea, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is The National safe?
The National is an established news & media site founded in 1993 and ranked #1 in Papua New Guinea; use the official domain thenational.com.pg and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsthenational.com.pg
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coveragePapua New Guinea and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos