Territory of Papua
Territory of Papua | |||||||||||
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| 1902–1975 | |||||||||||
| Status | Australian external territory (1902–1975) | ||||||||||
| Capital | Port Moresby | ||||||||||
| Common languages | English (official), Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu (native lingua franca), many Austronesian languages, Papuan languages | ||||||||||
| Monarch | |||||||||||
| Lieutenant-Governor | |||||||||||
| Legislature | Legislative Council | ||||||||||
| Establishment | |||||||||||
• Transfer of British New Guinea to Australia | 18 March 1902 | ||||||||||
• Commencement of Papua Act 1905 | 1 September 1906 | ||||||||||
| 1 July 1949 | |||||||||||
| 15 September 1975 | |||||||||||
| Currency | Australian pound | ||||||||||
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| History of Papua New Guinea |
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| New Guinea portal |
The Territory of Papua was an Australian external territory comprising the south-eastern portion of the island of New Guinea. The Crown colony of British New Guinea was ceded to Australia in 1902 and formally organised as a separate territory in 1906. It was administratively merged with the Territory of New Guinea to the north in 1949 to form the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, which gained independence as Papua New Guinea in 1975.