Papua New Guinea Independence Day

This is a national day that commemorates the country’s independence from Australia in 1975. The Portuguese and Spanish explored the island in the first half of the 16th century, but didn’t establish any colonies, just giving the island its name. In 1884 the British established the protectorate of British New Guinea over the south-eastern part of New Guinea, while Germany annexed the north-eastern part of the island. In 1906 control of the British side was transferred to the newly independent Commonwealth of Australia and renamed Territory of Papua. At the onset of World War One, Australian troops occupied German New Guinea. Following the German’s defeat, the League of Nations granted Australia a mandate to run German New Guinea, albeit separately from the Territory of Papua. The two territories only joined together as the Territory of Papua and New Guinea in July 1949 as the whole of New Guinea had been occupied by the Japanese during World War Two. It then gained full independence in 1975, but it remained part of the Commonwealth.