Netherlands New Guinea

 

Map of Netherlands New GuineaFlag of Netherlands New Guinea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Netherlands New Guinea was the official name of western New Guinea while it was a colonial possession of the Netherlands. In many countries it was commonly known as Dutch New Guinea. It is currently Indonesia's two easternmost provinces, Papua and West Irian Jaya (administered as one single unit prior to 2003 under the name Irian Jaya).

 

From 1898 to 1949 Dutch New Guinea was governed as part of Netherlands Indies (Dutch East Indies). In 1949, when the rest of Netherlands Indies became fully independent as Indonesia, the Dutch retained sovereignty over western New Guinea, and took steps to prepare it for independence as a separate country. Some five thousand teachers were flown there. The Dutch put an emphasis upon political, business, and civic skills. The first local naval cadets graduated in 1955 and the first army brigade became operational in 1956.

 

Elections were held across Netherlands New Guinea in 1959 and an elected council (Nieuw Guinea Raad) officially took office on 5 April 1961 to prepare for full independence by the end of that decade. The Dutch endorsed the council's selection of a new national anthem and the Morning Star as the new national flag on 1 December 1961.

 

Indonesia attempted to invade the region on 18 December 1961. Following some skirmishes between Indonesian and Dutch forces and after fierce pressing by president Kennedy the territory was placed under United Nations administration (UNTEA) in October 1962 and was subsequently transferred to Indonesia on 1 May 1963. The territory was formally annexed by Indonesia in 1969 after a controversial plebiscite was conducted by the Indonesian military.

 

 

Capital:                        Hollandia

Government:                colony of the Netherlands

Area:                            323.000 km²

Population:                   3214.000 (1951)

Currency:                      Netherlands New Guinease guilder (100 cents)

 

 

For more stamps see:

United Nations Temporary Executive Authority

 

 

 

Links

 

Netherlands New Guinea in Wikipedia.

Flag of Netherlands New Guinea in Flags of the World.

National anthem of Netherlands New Guinea as decreed by the Governor-General on 18 November 1961.

 

 

 

Stamp catalogue

 

World Refugee Year

date:                       7 April 1960

designer:                 Chr. de Moor

printer:                    Johan Enschede en Zonen

perforated:              12¾

 

1     25 c                  grieving woman sitting on suitcases, WRY emblem, text "VLUCHTELINGENHULP"

                               blue

                               (cat. Michel 61/NVPH 61/SG 67/Yvert 56)

 

Netherlands New Guinea - stamp as described above

 

2     30 c                  grieving woman sitting on suitcases, WRY emblem, text "VLUCHTELINGENHULP"

                               ochre

                               (cat. Michel 62/NVPH 62/SG 68/Yvert 57)

 

Netherlands New Guinea - stamp as described above

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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last revised: 6 October 2008