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Papua New Guinea

 

Contents

Flags

Historical Flags

Meaning/Origin of the Flag

Coat of Arms

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

Aircraft Roundel

Map

Numbers and Facts

History

Origin of the Country's Name

Bougainville



Flags

Flagge Fahne flag National flag Naval jack naval jack national flag Papua Neuguinea Papua-Neuguinea Papua New Guinea
National flag and naval jack,
ratio = 3:4,
Source, by: Flags of the World





Flagge Fahne flag Naval flag naval flag Papua Neuguinea Papua-Neuguinea Papua New Guinea
Naval flag,
ratio = 3:4,
Source: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Generalgouverneur Governor General Papua Neuguinea Papua-Neuguinea Papua New Guinea
Flag of the Governor General,
ratio = 1:2,
Source: Flags of the World



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Historical Flags

New Guinea:

Flagge Fahne flag Deutsch-Neuguinea Papua Neuguinea Papua-Neuguinea German New Guinea Deutsche Neuguinea-Kompagnie German New Guinea Company
1885–1899,
Flag of the German New Guinea Company,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Deutsch-Neuguinea Papua Neuguinea Papua-Neuguinea German New Guinea Kolonialamt Colonial Office
1899–1914,
German Empire,
Official flag of Colonial Office,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (DE)




Flagge Fahne flag Deutsch-Neuguinea Papua Neuguinea Papua-Neuguinea German New Guinea
1914,
planned flag for German New Guinea,
ratio = 3:5,
Source: Flags of the World,
Flag Reconstruction following Mark Sensen (Feb 98)
based on traditional interpretation from Afrika-Nachrichten article 1933





Flagge Fahne Flag Großbritannien Vereinigtes Königreich United Kingdom UK Great Britain Naval jack jack State flag state
1914–1920,
Flag of United Kingdom,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)




Flagge Fahne flag National flag Australien Australia
1920–1949,
Australian New Guinea,
National flag of Australia,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Australisch Neuguinea Australian New Guinea
1921–1949,
Australian New Guinea,
Flag of the Adminstrator,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag National flag national Japan Japon Nippon Hihon
1942–1945,
New Guinea is occupied by Japan,
ratio = 7:10,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)




Papua:

Flagge Fahne flag Britisch-Neuguinea British New Guinea Britsches Neuguinea-Territorium British New Guinea Territory
1884–1906,
British New Guinea Territory,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by:
Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Britisch-Neuguinea British New Guinea Britsches Neuguinea-Territorium British New Guinea Territory
1888–1906,
British New Guinea Territory,
Flag of the government (state flag),
possible variant,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Britisch-Neuguinea British New Guinea Australisches Papua-Territorium Australian Papua Territory
1906–1949,
Australian Papua Territory,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Papua-Neuguinea:

Flagge Fahne flag National flag Australien Australia
1949–1970,
Territory of Papua and New Guinea,
National flag of Australia,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by:
Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag National flag national flag Papua Neuguinea Territorium Papua-Neuguinea Territory of Papua New Guinea
1970–1971,
Territory of Papua and New Guinea,
National flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag National flag national flag Papua Neuguinea Papua-Neuguinea Papua New Guinea
1971–1975,
Territory of Papua and New Guinea,
National flag,
ratio = 3:4,
Source, by: Flags of the World



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Meaning/Origin of the Flag

The todays flag of Papua New Guinea was officially introduced on 12th of March in 1971 (by other sources not until the 1st of July in 1971). It shows an in two rectangular triangles partitioned field, in the right red triangle an yellow Paradise Bird, in the black field a "Cross of the South" of white stars. The colours of the flag are apparently not particularly defined, at least nothing is known about them. In practice, a strong red and a strong yellow are used, and they seem to base the colours on the British colour system: Pantone 116 for yellow and Pantone 168 for red. Papua New Guinea is orientated in the British Ensign-System. This points to the former connexion to United Kingdom. United Kingdom introduced a flag system in 1864 in which:
• war ships fly the "White Ensign" (naval flag), a white flag often with an uninterrupted red St. George's-Cross and with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag,
• merchant ships fly a "Red Ensign" (also named "Civil Ensign" → civil flag, the real merchant flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag, and
• governmental ships fly the "Blue Ensign" (flag for the use by the gouvernment → the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag.
Since 1865 ships of colonial governments were permitted to fly the Blue Ensign with a badge in the flying end of the flag. The respective governments were asked to design appropriate badges. Merchant ships and seafaring persons from colonies were only permitted to use the Red Ensign with a badge, then also named Civil Ensign, if permission has been given by the British admiralty.
The Paradise Bird was once introduced by the Germans as scutcheon figure. The bird stands for the unity of the country. The "Cross of the South" is an old, broad spreaded traditional mark of Oceania. It was probably taken from the flag of Australia. The colours red and black originate from the regional folklore and they are broad spreaded within the country. Papua New Guinea was formerly partitioned in two parts. New Guinea in the north and Papua in the south. Papua became colonized by United Kingdom at the end of the 19th century and in 1884 was introduced the first flag. It was a like in British colonies since 1864 usual "Blue Ensign", the blue official flag with a badge in the flying end of the flag. That badge was a white disk with the British crown and the letters "N.G." in it. This abbreviation stood for "New Guinea". Probably from 1888 the inscription was "B.N.G.". This abbreviation stood for "British New Guinea". Since 1906 the inscription was "Papua". British New Guinea (Papua) was handed over from United Kingdom to Australia in 1905. New Guinea came under German influence and was initially administered by the German New Guinea Company and in the country was used the flag of this trading company. After economical problems the German Empire took over the government in 1899. As a German colony, the country did not use an own or special flag. There were used the colors of the German Empire: black, white and red. Authorities used the flag of the Colonial Office as well as varieties of it. That was black, white and red horizontally striped and showed in the middle of it a white disc with the imperial eagle. From 1913 it was considered to create own emblems for the colonies. First drafts were made in 1914, but the project was not realized because of the outbreak of the First World War and because of the loss of the colonies. German New Guinea was occupied in 1914 by British-Australian troops and a British administration was installed. In 1920 German New Guinea was handed over as a mandate territory of the League of Nations to Australia. There was introduced the Australian flag. There was still one "Blue Ensign" with a badge im the flying end of the flag. This badge was a white disk with a green wreath on the border with the British crown and the letters "T.N.G." in it. This abbreviation stood for "Territorry of New Guinea". This was probably the flag of the administrator of the territory. In the Second World War New Guinea became occupied in 1942 by Japanese troops, und was prevalently holded until the capitulation of Japan on 2nd of September in 1945. After the Second World War (1949) New Guinea became merged with Papua under Australian government. There was still in use the flag of Australia, albeit some authorities still used old "Blue Ensigns" or variants of the Australian flag. Since 1962 existed an unofficial flag which was merely in use at sport events. Otherwise it was neither approved nor nationally or internationally recognized. It was single-coloured green and showed in the near the pole situated half of the flag a Paradise Bird. In 1970 was quite officially introduced the first own flag for Papua New Guinea. It showed three vertical stripes in blue, yellow and green, in the blue stripe the "Cross of the South" and in the green stripe a Paradise Bird. It was only allowed to use it ashore. But this flag got none support within the people. The schoolgirl Susan Karike then created the today’s flag which was adoped in 1971 and became very popular soon. It was also only allowed to use this flag ashore. This flag was taken over as flag of the independent state of Papua New Guinea in 1975.

Source: Flaggen Wappen Hymnen, Flaggen und Coat of arms of the Welt, Wikipedia (EN)

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Coat of Arms


Wappen coat of arms Papua-Neuguinea Papua New Guinea
Coat of arms of Papua New Guinea,
Source: Corel Draw 4


Wappen coat of arms Deutsch-Neuguinea German New Guinea
1914,
planned coat of arms of German New Guinea,
Source: Flags of the World, Flag Reconstruction following Mark Sensen (Feb 98)
based on traditional interpretation from Afrika-Nachrichten article 1933

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Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The today’s coat of arms was introduced in June 1971. It shows in a central position a Paradise Bird. He is sitting on two items which are important for ceremonies, a black "Kundu Drum" ("Koendoedrum") and a black spear. Underneath the Name of the country, as well in black. The Paradise Bird was once introduced by the Germans as scutcheon figure. The bird stands for the unity of the country. New Guinea was once a German colony. The German colonies – except Kiaochow – had been subordinated under the Imperial Colonial Office. Accordingly, public authorities used its seals, flags, and the Imperial coat of arms. From 1913 it was considered to create own emblems for the colonies. First drafts were made in 1914, but the project was not realized because of the outbreak of the First World War and because of the loss of the colonies. The planned coat of arms of German New Guinea showed a white bird of paradise on a green background. The imaginary appearance of the coats of arms and flags could only be reconstructed on the basis of fragments in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century. Most of the reconstructions refer to an article in the newspaper "Afrika-Nachrichten" from 1933 and the subsequent reconstructions of the Dutch vexillologist Mark Sensen from February 1998, which are also taken into account on these pages. The coats of arms themselves should additionally show the imperial crown above the escutcheon, but not on the flags, following the reconstruction of Mark Sensen. The escutcheons always showed the same structure: A horizontally twofold splited shield, the head of the shield showed the imperial eagle on white ground with the escutcheon of the House of Hohenzollern on the chest. In the main part appeared a stylized representation of plants, animals or landscapes, which were colored differently depending on the country.

Source: Flaggen Wappen Hymnen, Flaggen und Coat of arms of the Welt, Flags of the World

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Aircraft Roundel


Flugzeugkokarde Kokarde aircraft roundel kockade Papua-Neuguinea Papua New Guinea
Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)

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Map

Location:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Map of the country:

Source: CIA World Factbook

New Guinea (blue) & Papua (red) – 1894:

Source: Brockhaus, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, click to enlarge

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Numbers and Facts

Area: 178.703 square miles, thereof Papua 90.540 sq.mi., Neuguinea 93.000 sq.mi.

Inhabitants: 9.700.000 (2020), mostly Papuan, but also Austronesians, Chinese and some Europeans

Religions: 26% Roman Catholic, 18% Protestant, 45% other Christian

Density of Population: 54 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Port Moresby, 364.125 inh. (2011)

official Languages: English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin

other Languages: Papua languages, Austronesian languages, Unserdeutsch

Currency: 1 Kina (PGK, Ki) = 100 Toea

Time Zone: GMT + 10 h

Source: Wikipedia (D), Die Erde

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History

1526 · discovery of the Island of New Guinea by the Portugese seafarer Jorge de Meneses

1545 · the Spanish seafarer Ynigo Ortiz de Retez debarks on the Island of New Guinea, he explores the coast and appropriates the island for Spain, in the afteryears insignificant Spanish colonization

1828 · appropriation of the western part of the Island of New Guinea by the Netherlands (as Western Irian until 1963 to Netherlands West-India, since 1963 to Indonesia)


New Guinea
(actually North East New Guinea)

1860 · first German trading agencies (Godeffroy Company) at the coast of New Guinea, later 45 agencies in the whole Southern Sea

1882 · collapse of the Godeffroy Company, the "German Trading and Plantation Company of the Southern Sea" takes over the business

1882 · foundation of the New Guinea Company

1884 · the German ethnologist and ornithologist Otto Finsch travels New Guinea, appropriation of parts of the coast of New Guinea for the New Guinea Company

1885 · the New Guinea Company gets extensive sovereign rights by a letter of protection of the German Empire, for the development and administration of the northeast of New Guinea (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Land and the Bismarck Archipelago), in 1886 it became extended by North Solomons

1885 · official division of the eastern part of New Guinea between the German Empire (northern part, New Guinea) and United Kingdom (southern part, Papua), New Guinea becomes renamed in "Emperor William's Land" and the whole colony (including the Bismarck Archipelago) becomes subordinated under the "New Guinea Company"

1899 · the New Guinea Company comes into financial trouble, the German Empire takes over the sovereignty over the colony (German New Guinea)

1914–1918 · First World War: invasion of British-Australian troops, on 17th of September 1914 capitulation of the German troops in the seat of government Herbertshoehe (today Kokopo)

1920 · German New Guinea becomes handed over to Australia as mandate territory of the League of Nations, expropriation and expulsion of most of the Germans

December 1941 · Second World War, conquest by Japanese troops

2nd of September 1945 · capitulation of the Japanese troops

1946 · dissolution of the League of Nations, New Guinea becomes a UN trust territory under Australian administration


Papua
(actually South East New Guinea)

6th of November 1884 · formation of the protectorate of British New Guinea

4th of September 1888 · appropriation of British New Guinea by United Kingdom

1902 · British New Guinea becomes handed over to Australia

1905 · rename of British New Guinea in Territory of Papua


Papua New Guinea

1949 · New Guinea and Papua became merged under Australian government to Papua New Guinea

December 1973 · innerterior self administration

since 1974 · considerable destructions of environment by the Panguna Mine on Bougainville Island

16th of September 1975 · Papua New Guinea becomes independent within the framework of the Commonwealth of Nations

10th of October 1975 · Papua New Guinea becomes a member of the UNO

1979 · first riots on Bougainville Island against the destructions of environment by the Panguna Mine

1980 · civil war on Bougainville Island, the Liberation Army of Bougainville (BRA, Bougainville Revolutionary Army) struggles for the independence of the island

1990 · Bougainville declares its independence (Republic of Mekamui), Panguna Mine becomes closed, a blockade by Papua New Guinea costs 15.000 human lifes

1994 · intense eruptions of volcanos, ruin of Rabaul, cease fire between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville

1996 · hearings between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville become discontinued, offensive of Papua New Guinea against Bougainville

1997 · riots in Papua New Guinea, cease fire between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville

1998 · preliminary peace treaty between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville

2001 · peace treaty, Papua New Guinea grants officially autonomy as Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Source: Atlas zur Geschichte, Weltgeschichte, Wikipedia (D)

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Origin of the Country's Name

The name "Papua" was ostensibly awarded to the island by Jorge de Meneses. He used thereby a Malaysian word. It means "frizzy" and pointed out to the hair of the natives. The name "New Guinea" was awarded to the island by Ynigo Ortiz de Retez, because the coast remembered the coast of Guinea (West Africa).

Source: Handbuch der geographischen Namen

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