PEOPLES OF NEW GUINEA

Abstract

THE ninth of the Smithsonian War Background Studies series deals with New Guinea*, that fascinating island which lies to the north of Australia and has been so much in the public eye since Japan entered the War. With its central backbone of high mountains and its coastal areas of swamp or coral reef, it is an island of great contrasts, while the discovery of gold in the interior proved a notable addition to the valuable traffic in bird of paradise plumes-now forbidden. The island is divided into three portions, the westerly administered by the Netherlands, the south-east by Australia and the north-east, formerly German, also by Australia under a mandate. Owing to the difficulty of travel, which was done for the most part by rivers, the interior remained only partially explored until recently when air transport to the goldfields opened up a great deal of the interior.