Western New Guinea

Western New Guinea, also called Papua or Indonesian New Guinea, is the western half of the island of New Guinea. It was once part of the Dutch Empire but was granted to Indonesia in 1962. This area is one of the seven geographical units of Indonesia.

It lies to the west of Papua New Guinea and is part of the Australian continent. The region is covered mostly by rainforest and is home to traditional peoples like the Dani of the Baliem Valley. The largest city is Jayapura. Many people live near the coast, while others live deep in the interior.

The island has been home to people for tens of thousands of years. European traders arrived in the late 1500s because of the spice trade. The Dutch Empire controlled the western part until 1962. After some difficult times, Western New Guinea was given to Indonesia.

Today, the area is governed as six provinces of Indonesia. The official language is Indonesian, but there are many local languages. The main industries include agriculture, fishing, oil production, and mining. The region has many natural resources like gold and nickel.

Name

People use different names for the western half of New Guinea, depending on their views. The official name is "Papua," according to the International Organization for Standardization. Some people who want independence call it "West Papua". Indonesian officials began using "West Papua" for this area in 2007. In the past, it was known as Netherlands New Guinea from 1895 to 1962, then West New Guinea or West Irian from 1962 to 1973, Irian Jaya from 1973 to 2002, and Papua from 2002 onward. The Indonesian phrase for "Western New Guinea," Nugini Barat, is often used when discussing history, like the kampanye Nugini Barat "Western New Guinea campaign".

History

People have lived in Western New Guinea for over 50,000 years. Trade with nearby islands started in the seventh century. The Netherlands took control in the nineteenth century, and later it became part of Indonesia in the 1960s.

After changes in Indonesia in 1998, Papua and other areas got more self-rule. In 2001, the region received "Special Autonomy" status. It was split into provinces in 2003, and more provinces were added in 2022.

Geography

The region of Western New Guinea stretches very far from east to west and north to south. It is a big part of Indonesia. New Guinea, the island this region is part of, lies east of the Malay Archipelago. When sea levels were lower, New Guinea and Australia were connected. They separated when the Torres Strait filled with water.

The island of New Guinea has tall mountains that bring rain to the area. The landscape includes highlands, rainforests, rivers, and valleys. The southeast has swamps and fertile lowlands.

Papua, like much of Indonesia, has dry and rainy seasons. Temperatures stay warm, and it is often humid.

Smaller mountain ranges are found north and west of the main ranges. Most areas stay warm and humid year-round.

The vast northern lowlands have rainforests, wetlands, savanna grasslands, and large mangrove forests. These lowlands are mainly drained by the Mamberamo River and its tributaries.

Ecology

Western New Guinea is where plants and animals from Asia and Australia meet. The region has many forests and a very high level of biodiversity. The island has many plant species, with some found nowhere else. The mountains and north have thick rainforests. The highlands have grasslands and forests. The south coast has mangroves and palms.

Marsupials are common here, including possums and wallabies. There are also many other mammals, birds, spiders, frogs, beetles, and bats. The region has some of the largest butterflies. The waterways support crocodiles and other animals.

Scientists exploring the Foja Mountains discovered many new species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, and plants.

Environmental concerns include deforestation and pollution from mining.

New Guinea is considered part of Melanesia by anthropologists. Botanically, it is part of Malesia. The plant life includes many tropical rainforest species from Asia mixed with plants typical of Australia.

New Guinea differs from Australia because of its higher rainfall and active volcanoes. However, the two share similar animals, including marsupials like wallabies and possums.

Protected areas in Papua include Lorentz National Park, a World Heritage site, and Wasur National Park, a wetland of international importance. Lorentz Park has many unexplored areas that may hold unknown plants and animals. Wasur National Park is known for its high biodiversity.

Some areas remain unexplored due to difficult terrain, so there may still be many undiscovered plants and animals. Scientists in the Foja Mountains discovered new species, including a giant rat and a very small possum.

Environmental threats include deforestation from logging, conversion of forests to farms, introduced species that harm native wildlife, and water pollution from oil and mining.

Flora and fauna on the Bird's Head Peninsula

The Bird’s Head Peninsula is covered by montane rainforests. The peninsula is home to many bird species, including some that are found only here.

Road building, illegal logging, commercial farming, and ranching could harm these forests. The southeastern coast of the Bird’s Head Peninsula is part of Teluk Cenderawasih National Park.

Government and politics

From 1962 to 1973, the region was called Irian Barat (West Irian). In 1973, it was renamed Irian Jaya, and in 2002, it became known as Papua, with its capital in Jayapura. During a time of change in Indonesia, the government gave more control to local areas. In December 2001, Papua received special autonomy status. This meant that 80% of the taxes collected in the region were used to help develop it, along with extra funds just for Papua.

In 2003, a new area called West Papua was created, with its capital in Manokwari. It included parts of the Bird's Head Peninsula and nearby islands. The rest of Western New Guinea stayed in Papua. Both areas were given special autonomy by Indonesian legislation. Plans to create a third area were stopped because of protests and later ruled unlawful.

In November 2022, three new areas were made from parts of Papua: Central Papua, Highland Papua, and South Papua. Another new area, Southwest Papua, was created from part of West Papua. All these areas share the same special autonomy status as the remaining parts of West Papua and Papua.

Current government

Further information: List of regencies and cities in Indonesia

Demographics

The population of Western New Guinea was about 5.6 million in mid-2022. Most people living inland are ethnic Papuans. Coastal towns have people from mixes of Papuans, Melanesians, Austronesians, and other Indonesian groups. Many people from other parts of Indonesia also live along the coast. The largest cities are Jayapura in the northeast and Sorong in the northwest of the Bird's Head Peninsula. Jayapura has over 400,000 people, and Sorong has nearly 300,000. Other big towns include Timika, Nabire, Merauke, and Manokwari.

Western New Guinea is home to about 312 tribes, including some groups that have had little contact with the outside world. Many different languages are spoken here, with estimates ranging from 200 to 700. Most people practice Christianity, though many also follow traditional beliefs. There are also many migrants from other parts of Indonesia, some coming through government programs and others moving for work.

Economy

Papua is one of Indonesia's poorer regions, but it has many natural resources like minerals, forests, and fish. The main source of money comes from mining, especially from the big Grasberg Mine, which produces gold and copper. Other parts of the economy, like farming, building, and trade, are also growing.

Mining is very important, but farming and services are becoming more important too. This helps the whole region grow stronger and better for everyone.

Infrastructure

Compared to other parts of Indonesia, Papua has less developed infrastructure because it is far from the country's main city, Jakarta. The government is working to build and improve things there to make life better and help the area grow.

One big focus is on giving people electricity and clean water. Many places in Papua didn’t have electricity before, but programs are helping more villages get power. Clean water is also important, and the government is building new water systems.

Transportation is important too. Roads are being built to connect different parts of Papua. There are plans for a railway and a special train system in Jayapura. Air travel is very important because many places are hard to reach by road. There are many airports, with Sentani International Airport being the largest. There are also ports for ships to move people and goods.

Healthcare and education are also getting attention. There are hospitals and clinics, mostly in bigger towns. Schools and universities are helping young people learn, with the biggest university being Cenderawasih University in Jayapura.

Culture

Papuans share many cultural ties with people from Papua New Guinea. Highland communities have traditions and languages that differ from coastal areas. Coastal Papuans often eat sago as a main food, a habit they share with many people in Eastern Indonesia. In the highlands, where sago doesn't grow, foods like tubers, sweet potato, and taro are more common.

Cuisine

Traditional Papuan meals often include roasted boar served with tubers like sweet potato. Sago is a staple food in Papua and eastern Indonesia, unlike in central and western Indonesia, where rice is more common. Sago can be made into pancakes or a dish called papeda, usually paired with a yellow soup made from tuna, red snapper, and spices like turmeric and lime.

On the coast, seafood is a key part of meals. A popular dish is fish wrap (Indonesian: ikan bungkus), made with sea fish, especially milkfish, wrapped in banana leaves with spices such as chilies, bay leaves, tomatoes, galangal, and lemongrass.

Papuan snacks often use sago. One example is kue bagea, a round, creamy cake from Ternate in North Maluku that can also be found in Papua. It is made from sago starch and can be softened in tea or water. Sagu Lempeng is another snack, made from processed sago baked into plate-like shapes. Sago porridge is a common dish, usually served with yellow soup made from mackerel or tuna, and sometimes with boiled cassava or sweet potato.

Foreign journalism

The Indonesian government is careful about letting foreign journalists visit Western New Guinea. They want to control the information that leaves the region, similar to what happened in East Timor. Journalists must ask for permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2012, some requests from foreign media to visit Papua were approved, and some were turned down. In 2013, more requests were approved. The rules became easier in 2015 when the president allowed foreign journalists to enter Papua. However, they still need to apply for permission through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.