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    New Guinea  
Location
New Guinea is the second largest island in the world situated just south of the equator surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Today, divided in roughly half between Papua New Guinea (PNG) forming the eastern half and the western half is Papua Province (Provinsi Papua, Irian Jaya) and West Papua Province (Papua Barat, West Irian Jaya) in Indoneisa. To the south is Australia, to the east is the Solomon Islands and to the west is Ceram (Seram), Molucca Islands (Maluku) and Celebes (Sulawesi) in Indonesia.

Prewar
The western half of New Guinea was known as Dutch New Guinea administered by the Dutch as a colony and was part of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). The eastern half was divided between the Territory of Papua in the southeast and Territory of New Guinea in the northeast administered by Germany as a colony until the start of World War I. Afterwards, administered by Australia as a colony until the start of World War II.

Wartime History
During World War II, New Guinea was the site of intense fighting and battles on land, sea and air that lasted from the start of the Pacific War until the surrender of Japan.

Today
New Guinea remains divided along the same border down the middle. The eastern half is the independent state of Papua New Guinea (PNG). The western half is part of Indoneisa divided between Papua Province (Provinsi Papua, Irian Jaya) and West Papua Province (Papua Barat, West Irian Jaya).

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Last Updated
August 27, 2021

 

Map
Map 1944

Map
Map 1949
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