Territory of Papua and New Guinea

Administrative Union of the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea
1949–1975
Flag (1949–1971) Coat of arms
Anthem: God Save the Queen (1952–1975) O Arise, All You Sons (1975)[1]
Status	United Nations Trust Territory (New Guinea) External territory of Australia (Papua)
Capital	Port Moresby
Common languages	English (official) Austronesian languages Papuan languages English creoles German creoles
Demonym(s)	Papua New Guineans, Papuans
Monarch
• 1949–1952	George VI
• 1952–1975	Elizabeth II
Administrator
• 1949–1952 (first)	Jack Keith Murray
• 1974–1975 (last)	Tom Critchley
Chief Minister
• 1972–1975 (last)	Michael Somare
Legislature	Legislative Council (1949–1963) House of Assembly (1963–1975)
History
• Papua and New Guinea Act 1949	1 July 1949
• Self-governing	1 December 1973
• Independence	16 September 1975
Currency	Papua New Guinean Kina (1975) Australian Dollar (1966–1975) New Guinean Pound (until 1966)
Preceded by Succeeded by Territory of New Guinea Territory of Papua Independent State of Papua New Guinea Republic of the North Solomons

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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 1949. In December 1971, the name of the Territory changed to "Papua New Guinea" and in 1975 it became the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.^[2]