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New Guinea is a sovereign and independent nation (this is called a Pocket State)  located in the unorganized borough of Alaska. With land claims of over 320,000 square miles, 25 square miles of which they have unobstructed jurisdiction over, the country is about the same size as the US state of Montana. It is their stated goal goal to ultimately (and peacefully) create an autonomous area in Alaska out of the last section of the United States that is still effectively without a government. This would be akin to the independent Indian nations that exist elsewhere in the U.S. The frontier area has been more or less self-governed since the beginning of time. The stated objective is to achieve official recognition of the systems that are already in place. Harsh winters in New Guinea make life difficult. Most of the area has a cold and continental climate with long harsh winters and short warm summers. Nearly all areas have low winter temperature below 0 degrees F. All winter. Many communities have sustained periods of -40 or below.

Legal Status
New Guinea is an under-recognized state. It is not a member of the United Nations, and is not recognized by any U.N. Member State. It is not a secessionist movement. It is not a micronation. It is not an indian reservation. New Guinea resides with Alaska's Unorganized_Borough,_Alaska, and has a fully functioning government, independent of the United States. New Guinea does have international relations with several other under-recognized nations, including Tibet. The Unorganized Bureau has no government other than villages which generally have tribal governments and govern such things as local schools, fire, and local law enforcement. With the exception of Bethel, all government services in the Unorganized Borough (and thus New Guinea), including law enforcement, are provided by the Tribal government. Individual settlements, tribes, and villages have the option to involve the State of Alaska at any time. Individual residents generally do not identify themselves as United States citizens, or even as New Guineans, but instead identify themselves by their local village, tribe, or settlement. New Guinea proposes to organize the frontier into either a Proposed State, Autonomous Governent, or Indian Nation.

Etymology
There are many countries that have a similar name, such as French Guinea, Dutch Guinea, Papua New Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, and just plain "Guinea", but none of them are called "New Guinea". There is an island bearing the name of "New Guinea" that is host to several different countries, most notably Indonesia. There are no other nations bearing the name of "New Guinea". Like the other Guinea-named-places, New Guinea was so named in the spirit of autonomy and freedom.

To 1867
The first humans came to the greater Alaskan peninsula about 10,000 years ago, using the Bering land bridge. These people eventually spread throughout the Americas. In 1493, Spain claimed, illegally, the area and soon after, the first explorers from Europe arrived. The area was also later visited by missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church during the 1740's, which made a huge impact on the culture seen today. In July 1799 Baranov established the settlement of Arkhangelsk. It was destroyed in 1802 but rebuilt nearby in 1804 and given the name Novo-Arkhangelsk (New Archangel). It soon became the primary settlement and colonial capital of Russian America. After the Alaska Purchase, a transaction that ignored the wishes and rights of the people who actually lived in the area, it was renamed Sitka, the first capital of Alaska Territory. The United States flag was raised on October 18, 1867. Coincident with the ownership change, the de facto International Date Line was moved westward, and Alaska changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, for residents, Friday, October 6, 1867 was followed by Friday, October 18, 1867—two Fridays in a row because of the date line shift.

Alaska Department
During the Department era, from 1867 to 1884, Alaska was variously under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army (until 1877), the United States Department of the Treasury (from 1877 until 1879) and the U.S. Navy (from 1879 until 1884). President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act into United States law on July 7, 1958, which paved the way for Alaska's admission into the Union on January 3, 1959. Juneau, the territorial capital, continued as state capital, and William A. Egan was sworn in as the first governor.

New Guinea Roots
Much of New Guinea resides in the "unorganized" borough. Alaska has no counties, as do other states (except for Louisiana which has parishes). Instead, it is divided into 16 boroughs and one "unorganized borough" made up of all land not within any borough. Boroughs have organized area-wide governments, but within the unorganized borough there is no such government, and the self-governed people of all descents have lived in peace, without wars, slavery, or oppression, in the area for over 500 years. The people have not changed their lifestyle in all that time, regardless of the various entities who have "claimed" it at one time or another.

Modern New Guinea
The nation of New Guinea was first conceived by Lord Archangel in 1983, in a series of papers published on the subject, and went through various conceptual stages as a de facto government until land was acquired from the state of Alaska in 2006. In 2007, independence was declared, and no action has been taken by either the United States or the State of Alaska. The activities of New Guinea have been limited almost exclusively to development of 25+ square miles of forest and lakes, including the construction of a dock capable of receiving float-plane and boat traffic. In addition to this, a large effort has been made to mark the routes of future trails and build them. This work is ongoing. Politically, efforts by the Ministry of Information to inform residents of Greater New Guinea (Those living in disputed areas) of the existence of New Guinea and offer them citizenship, have been reasonably successful. This work is also ongoing. In 2007, New Guinea became a signor to Mikhail Gorbachev's Convention on the Right to Water. Also in late May 2011, New Guinea signed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Treaty. In Early 2012, the New Guinean diplomatic Corps, via the O.G.A. (Office of Global Affairs) signed agreements with several other under-recognized nations, most notably Tibet. Similar agreements of mutial recognition are in the works for the Republic of Lakotah, Taiwan, Republic of Kosovo, South Ossetia, and possibly Palestine.

Bethel
The city of Bethel is a major political cornerstone of The United States' refusal to recognize New Guinea in any way. Eighty-five percent of all of New Guinea's residents live in this one city. It is the only major population center in all of the disputed area. Without Bethel, there is little more than a vast uninhabited wilderness, a frontier dotted with small villages and settlements averaging 20 people or less. It's population is 6,080 as of the 2010 Census. Bethel is home to the only jail on the southwestern Alaska subcontinent, the Yukon Kuskokwim Correction Center, operated by the State of Alaska. In 2009, Bethel opted out of status as a "Local Option" community, theoretically opening the door to allowing alcohol sales in the city; residents and city officials maintain that all liquor license requests will be actively opposed. The city also opted out of State Organization, and remains part of the Unorganized Bureau.

Geography and climate
Total area: 320,000 square miles. Land area: 290,900 square miles. Water area: 4,943 square miles New Guinea is 1.31% water. (This is about the same size as the entire state of Montana.)

Most of New Guinea is wooded or mountainous, with the land separated by rivers and lakes. New Guinea is also home to glaciers and volcanoes. The area is known for its harsh winters and its frontier lifestyle. Most of the area has a cold and continental climate with long harsh winters and short warm summers. Nearly all areas have low winter temperature below -20°C (-4°F) throughout the entire winter and many communities have sustained periods of -40°C (-40°F) or below. Summer temperatures tend to be in the low to mid 70's most of the season. Snowfall varies between 100 and 280 cm (40-110 inches) annually in most areas.

Structure
The structure of the New Guinea government has been designed to reconcile within a single entity all of the best features of both monarchist and democratic systems of government within a tribal meritocracy. New Guinea is officially a meritocracy. As in a republic, all Citizens have a constitutionally-defined equal opportunity to participate in the public life of the state, and to aspire to its highest offices. All tribal systems are meritocracies, and it is their stated hope to respect and continue this.

Law and order
This vast area is self-governing, and has no local-level government other than that of a few school districts and municipalities within its limits. Many of the villages do have tribal governments, however. Smaller settlements have their own systems of government. Except within some incorporated cities, all government services in New Guinea, including law enforcement, are provided by the State of Alaska (if requested), by the tribal governments, or by whomever is in charge of smaller settlements.

Military
Most of the 6500 inhabitants of New Guinea regularly are armed at all times, due to the frontier wilderness nature of the land, including children. The Secretary of Defense, TejasDragon, has proposed organizing a unifying defense force.

Employment
Since this is a sparsely populated area, and also one with extreme weather in the winter, year-round employment is rare. Most employment is through the U.S. federal government. The economy is almost totally dependent on fisheries, limited mining (mostly gold and gravel), and some lumber production. The other major employment sector is with the Alaska Native organizations in the area. Subsistence is still the mainstay of the New Guinea economy.

Subsistence
In New Guinea, subsistence generally refers to the practice of taking fish, wildlife or other wild resources for one's sustenance - for food, shelter or other personal or family needs. Subsistence has been elemental to New Guinea Natives and their cultures for thousands of years. It also has become a way of life for many non-Natives in New Guinea as well. Subsistence hunting and fishing provide a large share of the food supply in New Guinea. About 44 million pounds of wild foods are taken annually by residents of New Guinea, or about 375 pounds per person per year. Fish comprise 60 percent of subsistence foods taken annually. Ninety-five percent of households consume subsistence-caught fish, but the figures also include wild vegetables, fruits and berries, gardens, and game animals ranging from rabbits to moose.

Transportation
Five national wildlife refuges and several mountain ranges are within New Guinea's Borders. The Yukon River is the major waterway and also the Kuskokwim River. The Yukon flows nearly 1,100 miles in a southwesterly direction. Rivers are important to New Guineans as transportation as well as for recreation. Most areas have only river and air access.

In the summer, riverboats use the waterways while in winter, when the rivers freeze over, they serve as ice roads to other settlements. Since only seven communities in New Guinea have road access, (and only with each other, not the outside world), alternate transportation becomes very important. Aside from the hunting, fishing and the great outdoors, there are several dog sled races that occur throughout the winter months (which is most of the year), such as the famous Iditarod Dog Race.

Alaskan natives
Alaskan Natives, who make up over half of New Guinea's population, maintain many traditions, such as whaling, subsistence hunting and fishing, and old ways of making crafts and art. Native heritage history and culture can be found in such diverse places as McGrath, Nikolai and Nome, as well as in hundreds of villages where people live in traditional ways.

European influences
There are European influences as well. Many places in New Guinea have a strong Scandinavian heritage. Cordova and Valdez bear names bestowed by a Spanish explorer; Nome was home to Wyatt Earp; Russians left a legacy of the Orthodox Church in much of the nation.

Attractions
Aside from the hunting, fishing and the great outdoors, there are several dog sled races that occur throughout the winter months (which is most of the year), such as the famous Iditarod Dog Race.

Anvik Historical Society and Museum
Mailing address: PO Box 110, Anvik, AK 99558 Telephone: (907) 663-6358 Hours: Summer: open by appointment; Winter: closed. Admission: None.

Circle Historical Museum
Physical location: Mile 128 Steese Highway Mailing address: P.O. Box 1893, Central, AK 99730 Telephone/FAX: (907) 520-5312 Hours: Memorial Day-Labor Day: Daily noon - 5 p.m. Upon request at other times. Admission: $1 Mining equipment, gold display; artifacts from the local area; restored and fully outfitted miner's cabin; wildflower display.

Huslia Cultural Center
Physical location: Next to village Office Mailing address: P.O. Box 70, Huslia, AK 99746 Telephone: (907) 829-2256 (City Council) Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., weekends on request. Admission: No admission fee; donations accepted. Collection of Athabaskan sleds and articles of clothing made from moose skin.

Notes and References
Notes

References


 * Alsop, Fred J. III (2001) "Atlantic Puffin" in: Smithsonian Birds of North America, Western Region: 451. New York City: DK Publishing, Inc. ISBN 0-7894-7157-4
 * Ehrlich, P.; Dobkin, D. & Wheye, D. (1988) "Atlantic Puffin" in: The Birder's Handbook: a field guide to the natural history of North American birds: 207, 209-214. New York.
 * Lee, D. S. & Haney, J. C. (1996) "Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus)", in: The Birds of North America, No. 257, (Poole, A. & Gill, F. eds). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, DC

External links and contact

 * Official website
 * Iditarod Dog Race
 * Alaskan Federation of Natives
 * Historic Places
 * NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data - National Weather Service, Retrieved 2011-05-22.