Lae
527861
221463576
2008-06-24T16:42:53Z
203.59.154.90
/* History */
{{Infobox PNG Place
| type = city
| name = Lae
| othername =
| province = mor
| llg =
| dot_x = 99
| dot_y = 85
| image = Lae.png
| caption = The city of Lae, as seen from space.
| pop = 120,000
| popdate =
| poprank = 2nd
| est =
| postcode =
| elevation = 8
| coor = {{coord|6|44|S|147|00|E|region:PG_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| maxtemp = 31
| mintemp = 23
| rainfall = 4500
}}
{{Portal|Papua New Guinea|Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg}}
{{otheruses4|the city in [[Papua New Guinea]]|the [[atoll]] in the [[Marshall Islands]]|Lae Atoll}}
Lae is at the start of the [[Highlands Highway]] which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast. Lae is the largest cargo port of the country and the home of the [[Papua New Guinea University of Technology|University of Technology]] or 'Unitech'.
== History ==
The town was born in the gold rush era of the 1920's and 30's. Like numerous Papua New Guinea towns it sprung up around an airstrip which is now disused as it has been replaced by the new [[Lae Nadzab Airport]]. Cargo arrived in Lae and then was transported by air to the goldfields in [[Wau]].
In July [[1937]] Lae made world news when American aviator, [[Amelia Earhart]], was last seen flying out of the airport on her way back to the [[USA]]. She was never seen again.
When the volcanic eruptions occurred in [[Rabaul]] in 1937 a decision was made to transfer the capital of the Territory of New Guinea to Lae. [[World War II]] got in the way of the transfer and in [[1942]] the town was occupied by the [[Empire of Japan]]. Lae, Rabaul and [[Salamaua]] became the major Japanese bases in New Guinea.
In mid-[[1943]], after defeats in the [[Kokoda Trail campaign]], the [[Battle of Buna-Gona]] and at the [[Battle of Wau]], the Japanese were forced to retreat to Lae and Salamaua. However, the [[Salamaua-Lae campaign]] involved many weeks of fierce fighting, before the town fell to the Allies on [[September 16]].
Lae's development after the war is directly linked to the development of the highlands. [[Coffee]] and [[Tea]] were being grown and a port was needed. Later priority was given on road access, and the Highlands Highway came into existence. During the mineral boom of the 1980s and 90's Lae's importance as an economic hub became clearer.
In 1991 Lae and Port Moresby hosted the [[South Pacific Games]].
Lae is currently known for its high rainfall and great number of potholes in the roads that earned it the nickname "Pothole City".{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
== Twin town ==
*{{flagicon|Australia}} [[Cairns, Queensland|Cairns]], [[Australia]] ([[Queensland]]) since 1984
== External links ==
*[http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/png/about_destin/lae.html Information for Tourists]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=16&ll=-6.731823,146.996298&spn=0.01952,0.026951&t=k Google Maps]
{{PNG Provincial Capitals}}
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Papua New Guinea]]
[[Category:Morobe Province]]
[[Category:Coastal cities]]
[[Category:Port cities in Oceania]]
[[cs:Lae]]
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[[zh:莱城 (巴布亚新几内亚)]]