ABSTRACT
The Papuan region includes the provinces along the southern coast: Western, Gulf , Central, M i l n e Bay, and Oro (Northern). This area roughly corresponds to the former British New Guinea, control of which passed to Australia in 1906. Five years later, the Papua Act changed the name of the possession to Territory of Papua. Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, lies in this region, wi th in the National Capital District . The region accounts for 43 percent of the area o f Papua N e w Guinea and 21 percent of its population, though without the population o f the National Capital District, the latter percentage would drop to 15.
