The Territory of Papua and New Guinea , officially the Administrative Union of the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea , was established by an administrative union between the Australian-administered territories of Papua and New Guinea the latter being a United Nations trust territory administered by Australia in In , Germany formally took possession of the northeast quarter of the island and it became known as German New Guinea.
The protectorate, called British New Guinea , was annexed outright on 4 September and possession passed to the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia in and British New Guinea became the Australian Territory of Papua , with Australian administration beginning in They are as necessary to Australia as water to a city.
The New Guinea campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War. In all, some , Japanese soldiers, sailors and airmen died during the campaign against approximately 7, Australian and 7, American service personnel.
The offensives in Papua and New Guinea of β44 were the single largest series of connected operations ever mounted by the Australian armed forces. The Act formally approved the placing of New Guinea under the international trusteeship system and confirmed the administrative union of New Guinea and Papua under the title of The Territory of Papua and New Guinea.
It also provided for a Legislative Council which was established in , a judicial system, a public service, and a system of local government. In , the population was approximately two million, of which about 25, were non-indigenous. The economy was based on cash crops including coffee , cocoa , and copra as well as timber mills, wharves and factories. Difficult terrain rendered communication between districts difficult and there was a lack of national unity in the territory.
