CENTRAL NEW GUINEA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. - It is situated in the region of New Guinea under Australian mandate.
The territory, detached from the apostolic prefecture of Kaiser-Wilhelmsland on 23 July 1913, was erected as a separate apostolic prefecture under the name of Western Kaiser-Wilhelmsland, and entrusted to the missionaries of Picpus, who, however, were never able to take possession of II. The name having been changed on 14 Nov. 1922 to apostolic prefecture of C. N. G. and entrusted in 1923 to the Society of the Divine Word, it was raised to an apostolic vicariate on 22 Aug. 1931.
The population numbers approximately 130,000 inhabitants, of Melanesian race, still little civilized; Catholics number 22,551, catechumens 5,200; foreign priests 24, to whom must be added some ten Franciscans, brothers 7, nuns 6, catechists 162. Principal stations 19, secondary stations 219, churches 15, chapels 111; elementary schools 55, dispensaries 4.