Southwest Papua

Southwest Papua
Papua Barat Daya
Province with special status
Province of Southwest Papua
Provinsi Papua Barat Daya
Coat of arms of Southwest Papua
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Bersatu Membangun Negeri (Indonesian)"
"Unite to Build the Country"
   Southwest Papua in    Indonesia
OpenStreetMap
Map
Coordinates (Sorong): 0°52′S 131°15′E / 0.867°S 131.250°E / -0.867; 131.250
Country Indonesia
Capital
and largest city		Sorong
Government
 • BodySouthwest Papua Provincial Government
 • GovernorMuhammad Musa'ad (acting)
 • Vice GovernorVacant
Area
[1]
 • Total39,122.95 km2 (15,105.46 sq mi)
Population
 (mid-2023 estimate)[2]
 • Total617,697
 • Density16/km2 (41/sq mi)
Demographics
 • Religion[1]Christianity 61.65%
- Protestant 54.05%
- Catholic 7.16%
Islam 38.14%
Hinduism 0.1%
Buddhism 0.1%
 • LanguagesIndonesian (official)
Abun, Ayamaru, Kokoda, Ma'ya, Miyah, Moi, Mpur, Papuan Malay, Samate, Suabo, Tehit, Waigeo
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (Indonesia Eastern Time)
ISO 3166 codeID-PD
Websitepapuabaratdayaprov.go.id

Southwest Papua (Indonesian: Papua Barat Daya) is the 38th province of Indonesia to be created, and was split off from West Papua on 8 December 2022.[3] Despite being named southwest, it is a misnomer and this province is actually located in the northwest edge of Papua. The province comprises the Greater Sorong area (Indonesian: Sorong Raya) which consists of Sorong City, Sorong Regency, South Sorong Regency, Maybrat Regency, Tambrauw Regency, and Raja Ampat Regency.[4][5][6] The Bill (RUU) on the Establishment of the Southwest Papua Province was passed into law (by Act No. 29 of 2022) and therefore it became the 38th province in Indonesia with effect from 8 December 2022.[7]

Southwest Papua is situated on the northwestern side of the region known as the Doberai Peninsula, or the Bird's Head Peninsula. The province's westernmost point encompasses the protected region of the Raja Ampat Islands, which boasts a rich variety of marine creatures, including coral reefs, leatherback sea turtle, manta rays, and whale shark.[8][9] The province of Southwest Papua is centered around its capital, Sorong, which serves as an important hub for the region's oil and gas industry and a gateway to Papua. With modern port and airport facilities, Sorong is one of the most developed cities in Papua.[10] The province of Southwest Papua is home to various preserved ecosystems, including tropical rainforests and mountains. Tambrauw Regency, in particular, is a popular birdwatching destination and has declared its area as Conservation Regency in order to promote ecotourism.[11][12]

  1. ^ a b "Visualisasi Data Kependudukan – Kementerian Dalam Negeri 2022" (visual). www.dukcapil.kemendagri.go.id. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  2. ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2024, Provinsi Papua Barat Daya Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.92)
  3. ^ Paramadwya, Adryan Yoga (17 November 2022). Widiantoro, Wisnu (ed.). "DPR Sahkan RUU Pembentukan Papua Barat Daya". kompas.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  4. ^ Ruhmana, Uma (1 September 2022). "Tim Percepatan Pemekaran Tegaskan Cakupan Wilayah dan Letak Ibukota Calon Provinsi Papua Barat Daya". jagaindonesia.com.
  5. ^ "Pemekaran Wilayah Papua & Papua Barat". cnnindonesia.com. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  6. ^ Puspita, Ratna (ed.). "Gubernur Papua Barat Dorong Pemekaran Papua Barat Daya". republika.co.id. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  7. ^ Farisa, Fitria Chusna, ed. (17 November 2022). "Sah! Indonesia Kini Punya 38 Provinsi, Ini Daftarnya". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Kompas Cyber Media. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Kawasan Konservasi Perairan di Raja Ampat". kkprajaampat.com. BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan Kawasan Konservasi Perairan di Raja Ampat. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  9. ^ Majid, Abdul (1 May 2021). "Raja Ampat, Surga Penyelam dari Timur Indonesia". detik.com. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  10. ^ Nauly, Yacob (27 February 2021). "Usia 21 Tahun, Kota Sorong Termaju Di Tanah Papua". suarakarya.id.
  11. ^ "Kaya Akan Keindahan Alam, Tambrauw Perlu Kedepankan Konservasi". Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif. 23 August 2020.
  12. ^ Nugroho, Hari; Awal, Riyanto; Wantoro, Sigit; Yessi, Santika; Irham, Muhammad (2020). Ekspedisi Tambrauw: Sepotong Surga di Tanah Papua (in Indonesian). Jakarta: LIPI Press. ISBN 978-602-496-059-9. OCLC 1160197476.