How Papua and New Guinea became Papua New Guinea.

Papua and New Guinea were once separate entities, each with its colonial history. In 1885, Germany claimed the northern part of the island, calling it New Guinea, while Britain took control of the southern region, naming it Papua. In 1906, Britain transferred the administration of the Territory of Papua to Australia.

Following Germany’s defeat in World War I, Australia gained control of German New Guinea under a League of Nations mandate. By 1945, both New Guinea and Papua were administered together under Australian colonial rule as part of a UN Trusteeship Agreement.

In 1949, Australia passed the Papua and New Guinea Act, formally uniting the two territories under one administrative structure, known as the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. In 1972, the name was shortened to Papua New Guinea, signalling a new era for the country as it moved toward self-governance.

After decades under colonial rule, Papua New Guinea gained full independence in 1975, marking the end of its journey from two separate territories governed by different nations to a united and sovereign state.