German New Guinea

German New Guinea was a colony in New Guinea and Melanesia (Oceania) that lasted from 1884 to 1914 CE, about 30 years. Its people spoke Germanic languages (Gothic, Frankish, English, German, Dutch, Norse).

Germany claimed north-east New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago in 1884, later adding the northern Solomons, Nauru and Micronesia. Australian troops took it in 1914.

See German New Guinea on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1884 to 1914 CE

Duration

30 years

Type

Colony

Region

New Guinea and Melanesia, Oceania

Language family

Germanic

Capital

Finschhafen, later Rabaul

Became

• Territory of New Guinea 1914 to 1949 CE
• South Seas Mandate 1914 to 1945 CE

Events in Oceania during its time

• 1893 Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom
• 1893 Women's suffrage in New Zealand
• 1901 Federation of Australia

Neighbours in Oceania

• Commonwealth of Australia 1901 CE to the present
• New Zealand 1907 CE to the present
• Colony of New South Wales 1788 to 1901 CE
• Kingdom of Hawaii 1795 to 1893 CE
• Colony of New Zealand 1841 to 1907 CE
• Spanish Marianas 1668 to 1898 CE
• French Polynesia 1842 CE to the present
• Kingdom of Tonga 1845 CE to the present
• French New Caledonia 1853 CE to the present
• Chilean Rapa Nui 1888 CE to the present

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Europe
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Qing dynasty 1636 to 1912 CE, East Asia
• United States 1776 CE to the present, North America
• United Kingdom 1801 CE to the present, Europe
• Haiti 1804 CE to the present, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Russian Empire 1721 to 1917 CE, Europe

Questions