Editing History of Papua New Guinea (section)

==Territory of Papua==
{{main| Territory of Papua}}

In 1883, the [[Queensland|Colony of Queensland]] tried to annex the southern half of eastern New Guinea, but the British government did not approve. However, when Germany began settlements in the north a British [[protectorate]] was proclaimed in 1884 over the southern coast of New Guinea and its adjacent islands. The protectorate, called '''[[Territory of Papua|British New Guinea]]''', was annexed outright on 4 September 1888. The possession was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1902. Following the passage of the [[Papua Act 1905|Papua Act]] in 1905, British New Guinea became the '''Territory of Papua''', and formal Australian administration began in 1906, although Papua remained under their control as a British possession until the independence of Papua New Guinea in 1975.<ref>John Waiko. ''Short History of Papua New Guinea'' (1993)</ref>

There was little economic activity in Papua. Australia administered it separately under the ''Papua Act'' until it was invaded by the [[Empire of Japan]] in 1941, and civil administration suspended. During the [[Pacific War]], Papua was governed by an Australian military administration from [[Port Moresby]], where General [[Douglas MacArthur]] occasionally made his headquarters.

[[File:Flag of German New Guinea.svg|thumb|left|Flag under German control of New Guinea.]]