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The first known European exploration of the island of New Guinea (where Papua New Guinea is located) started with the Dutch and Portuguese traders during the 1500s. The name 'Papua New Guinea' has come from two sources. 'Papua' comes from the Malay word pepuah which was used to describe the distinctive, frizzy Melanesian hair of the people, while 'New Guinea' is derived from 'Nueva Guinea', the name used by Spanish explorer Yñigo Ortiz de Retez, who named the island that because he observed that the people were similar in appearance to those occupying the Guinea coast of Africa.
The northern half of Papua New Guinea was known as German New Guinea after it came under German control in 1884. the British took control of the southern half is 1884, formally annexing it in 1889. This portion was known as British New Guinea, later renamed to Papua in 1905 after the passing of the Papua Act. During WWI, the island was occupied by Australian troops to defend the British half. When the Treaty of Versailles was established after World War I, Australia administered German New Guinea, and the British part of the island came to be considered an External Territory of the Commonwealth of Australia, though it was still "owned" by Britain. The two territories were regarded as separate territories, known as 'Papua' and 'New Guinea'.
After the New Guinea Campaign of World War II, the two territories came together as 'Papua New Guinea'. The New Guinea campaign was vital to the defence of Australia and the South Pacific. The Japanese attempted to cross from the north, over the rugged Owen Stanley Range, along the famous Kokoda Trail. The Papua New Guinea natives were dubbed "fuzzy wuzzy angels" for their vital part in assisting the Australian and US troops in the campaign against the Japanese.
Australia administered Papua New Guinea until the country was granted full independence on 16 September 1975. Papua New Guinea's Head of State is still the Queen of England, just as Australia's is, as it remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Papua New Guinea's leader of the government is the Prime Minister.
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Is Papua New Guinea hilly?
No, Papua New Guinea is mountainous and some is rainforests.
What is Papua New Guinea's official name?
Papua New Guinea/ New Guinea's official name is Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
Is Papua New Guinea a contry?
no, papua new guinea is a country !
What are common surnames in Papua New Guinea?
Some common surnames in Papua New Guinea are Kroning or Kreoning, Morgan, and Booth.
Is Papua New Guinea a continent or a country?
Papua New Guinea is a country on the island of New Guinea.
Papua new guinea and what other country comprise the island of new guinea?
Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian province of West Papua occupy the island of New Guinea.
What is the second largest country in Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea is the only country in Papua New Guinea. It occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea.
What is the proper adjective for papua new guinea?
Papua New Guinean is the proper adjective for Papua New Guinea.
What island is papua new guinea on?
Papua, not to be confused with Papua New Guinea, takes up most of the western half of the island of New Guinea, while Papua New Guinea takes up the eastern half. It is a province of Indonesia.
How many dialects are there in Papua new guinea?
There are 841 languages in Papua New Guinea. Some of them may be considered dialects of each other by some definitions.
What types of tigers are in Papua New Guinea?
There are no tigers in Papua New Guinea.
What are Papua New Guinea's Natural resources?
Some of the natural resources of Papua New Guinea include:goldcopper orecrude oilnatural gastimberfishoil palmtearubber
