117-472: Western New Guinea , also known as Papua , Indonesian New Guinea , and Indonesian Papua , is the western half of the island of New Guinea , formerly Dutch and granted to Indonesia in 1962. Given the island is alternatively named Papua, the region is also called West Papua ( Indonesian : Papua Barat ). Lying to the west of Papua New Guinea and geographically a part of the Australian continent ,
234-574: A fight, and the western section was not of any strategic value to either side, so they did not battle there. The Japanese invaded the north shore of the Australia territories and were aiming to move south and take the southern shore too. The highlands, northern and eastern parts of the island became key battlefields in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II . Notable battles were for Port Moresby (the naval battle
351-778: A floristic region that extends from the Malay Peninsula across Indonesia to New Guinea and the East Melanesian Islands . The flora of New Guinea is a mixture of many tropical rainforest species with origins in Asia, together with typically Australasian flora. Typical Southern Hemisphere flora include the conifers Podocarpus and the rainforest emergents Araucaria and Agathis , as well as tree ferns and several species of Eucalyptus . New Guinea has 284 species and six orders of mammals: monotremes , three orders of marsupials , rodents and bats ; 195 of
468-537: A near-equivalent number of separate languages, which makes New Guinea the most linguistically diverse area in the world. Ethnologue 's 14th edition lists 826 languages of Papua New Guinea and 257 languages of Western New Guinea , total 1073 languages, with 12 languages overlapping. They can be divided into two groups, the Austronesian languages , and all the others placed in the catch-all category of Papuan languages , most of which are unrelated. The separation
585-638: A new name because of the negative association of Papua . Frans Kaisiepo , the committee leader, suggested the name from Mansren Koreri myths, Iri-an from the Biak language of Biak Island , meaning "hot land" (referring to the climate), but also from Iryan which means heated process as a metaphor for a land that is entering a new era. In Serui Iri-an ( lit. "land-nation") means "pillar of nation", while in Merauke Iri-an ( lit. "placed higher-nation") means "rising spirit" or "to rise". The name
702-489: A part of Indonesia and is organized as the provinces of Papua , Central Papua , Highland Papua , South Papua , Southwest Papua , and West Papua . The two major cities on the island are Port Moresby and Jayapura . The island has been known by various names: The name Papua was used to refer to parts of the island before contact with the West. Its etymology is unclear; one theory states that it derived from Tidore ,
819-480: A political orientation when choosing a name for the western half of the island of New Guinea . The official name of the region is "Papua" according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Independence activists refer to the region as " West Papua ", while Indonesian officials have also used " West Papua " to name the western province of the region since 2007. Historically,
936-430: A second province was created from the western part of Papua Province; this was called West Papua , with its administrative capital as Manokwari . Both provinces were granted special autonomous status by Indonesian legislation . In November 2022 three additional provinces were created from parts of Papua Province – Central Papua , Highland Papua , and South Papua – while another additional province, Southwest Papua ,
1053-589: A separate West Papua province in 2003 as a fait accompli , plans for a third province on western New Guinea were blocked by the courts. Critics argue that the Indonesian government has been reluctant to establish or issue various government implementing regulations so that the legal provisions of special autonomy could be put into practice, and as a result special autonomy in Papua has "failed". Western New Guinea campaign The Western New Guinea campaign
1170-546: A steady supply of rain from the tropical atmosphere. The tree line is around 4,000 m (13,100 ft) and the tallest peaks feature small glaciers and are snowbound year-round. Both north and west of the central ranges, the land remains mountainous – mostly 1,000 to 2,000 metres (3,300 to 6,600 feet) high with a warm humid climate year-round. The highland areas feature alpine grasslands, jagged bare peaks, montane forests , rainforests, fast-flowing rivers, and gorges. Swamps and low-lying alluvial plains with fertile soil dominate
1287-419: Is Indonesian , with Papuan Malay the most used lingua franca . Estimates of the number of local languages in the region range from 200 to over 700, with the most widely spoken including Dani , Yali , Ekari and Biak . The predominant official religion is Christianity , followed by Islam . The main industries include agriculture , fishing , oil production , and mining . Speakers align themselves with
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#17327649578371404-429: Is divided politically into roughly equal halves across a north–south line: The current population of the island of New Guinea is about fifteen million. Archaeological evidence indicates that humans may have inhabited the island continuously since 50,000 BCE, and first settlement possibly dating back to 60,000 years ago has been proposed. The island is presently populated by almost a thousand different tribal groups and
1521-532: Is also a substantial practice of animism among the major religions, but this is not recorded by the census. There are 6 main Y-chromosome haplogroups in Western New Guinea; Y-chromosome haplogroup M , Y-chromosome haplogroup O , and Y-chromosome haplogroup S across the mountain highlands; meanwhile, D, C2 and C4 are of negligible numbers. Papuans have significant cultural affinities with
1638-437: Is around 4,000 m (13,100 ft) elevation, and the tallest peaks contain equatorial glaciers —which have been retreating since at least 1936 . Various other smaller mountain ranges occur both north and west of the central ranges. Except in high elevations, most areas possess a warm humid climate throughout the year, with some seasonal variation associated with the northeast monsoon season. Another major habitat feature
1755-774: Is home to an estimated 44 uncontacted tribal groups . With some 786,000 km of tropical land—less than one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the Earth's surface—New Guinea has an immense biodiversity , containing between 5 and 10 percent of the total species on the planet. This percentage is about the same amount as that found in the United States or Australia. A high percentage of New Guinea's species are endemic , and thousands are still unknown to science: probably well over 200,000 species of insect, between 11,000 and 20,000 plant species, and over 650 resident bird species. Most of these species are shared, at least in their origin, with
1872-703: Is known as the Battle of the Coral Sea ), Milne Bay and for the Kokoda track . Papuans often gave vital assistance to the Allies , fighting alongside Australian troops, and carrying equipment and injured men across New Guinea. Approximately 216,000 Japanese, Australian and U.S. soldiers, sailors and airmen died during the New Guinea Campaign. Following the return to civil administration after World War II,
1989-529: Is most often used for a wider region that includes lands, such as New Zealand , which are not on the same continental shelf. In the early 1970s, they introduced the term Greater Australia for the Pleistocene continent. Then, at a 1975 conference and consequent publication, they extended the name Sahul from its previous use for just the Sahul Shelf to cover the continent. The island of New Guinea
2106-451: Is not merely linguistic; warfare among societies was a factor in the evolution of the men's house : separate housing for groups of adult men, away from the single-family houses of women and children. Pig-based trade between groups and pig-based feasts form a common tradition with the other peoples of southeast Asia and Oceania. Most Papuan societies practice agriculture, supplemented by hunting and gathering. Current evidence indicates that
2223-531: Is the world's second-largest island , with an area of 785,753 km (303,381 sq mi). Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean , the island is separated from Australia by the 150-kilometre (81-nautical-mile; 93-mile) wide Torres Strait , though both landmasses lie on the same continental shelf , and were united during episodes of low sea level in the Pleistocene glaciations as
2340-478: Is the vast southern and northern lowlands. Stretching for hundreds of kilometres, these include lowland rainforests, extensive wetlands, savanna grasslands, and some of the largest expanses of mangrove forest in the world. The southern lowlands are the site of Lorentz National Park , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The northern lowlands are drained principally by the Mamberamo River and its tributaries on
2457-643: The Amung - Damal , Bauzi , Biak (or Byak), Korowai , Lani , Mee , Mek , Sawi , and Yali . Estimates of the number of distinct languages spoken in the region range from 200 to 700. A number of these languages are permanently disappearing. As in Papua New Guinea and some surrounding east Indonesian provinces, a large majority of the population is Christian. In the 2010 census, 65.48% identified themselves as Protestant, 17.67% as Catholic, 15.89% as Muslim, and less than 1% as either Hindu or Buddhist. There
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#17327649578372574-608: The Asmat people . Lying in the Asia-Australian transition zone near Wallacea , the region's flora and fauna include Asiatic, Australian, and endemic species. The region is 75% forest and has a high degree of biodiversity. The island has an estimated 16,000 species of plants, 124 genera of which are endemic. The mountainous areas and the north are covered with dense rainforest. Highland vegetation also includes alpine grasslands, heath, pine forests, bush and scrub. The vegetation of
2691-553: The Biak phrase sup i babwa , which means "the land below [the sunset]", and refers to the Raja Ampat Islands . When Portuguese and Spanish explorers arrived via the Spice Islands , they also used the name Papua . However, Westerners, beginning with Spanish explorer Yñigo Ortiz de Retez in 1545, used the name New Guinea , due to the resemblance between the indigenous peoples of the island and Africans of
2808-529: The Bird's Head Peninsula and surrounding islands to its west. In 2011, Indonesia submitted an application for membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) for the two Papua provinces (as well as 3 other melanesian dominated provinces) and was granted observer status. The West Papua National Council for Liberation independence movement made an unsuccessful application for membership to
2925-657: The Bird's Head Peninsula , each of which had over 100,000 inhabitants in 2022. The region is home to around 312 different tribes, including some uncontacted peoples . The Dani (or Hubula) , from the Baliem Valley , are one of the most populous tribes of the region. The Arfak in Arfak Mountains , and the Marind from Merauke. The semi-nomadic Asmat inhabit the mangrove and tidal river areas near Agats and are renowned for their woodcarving. Other tribes include
3042-580: The Grand Valley of the Baliem River, which had 50,000 yet-undiscovered Stone Age farmers living in orderly villages. The people, known as the Dani , were the last society of its size to make first contact with the rest of the world. A 1930 expedition led by the prospector Michael Lehay also encountered an indigenous group in the highlands. The inhabitants, believing themselves to be the only people in
3159-579: The Guinea region . The name is one of several toponyms sharing similar etymologies , ultimately meaning "land of the blacks" or similar meanings. The Dutch, who arrived later under Jacob Le Maire and Willem Schouten , called it Schouten island . They later used this name only to refer to islands off the north coast of Papua proper, the Schouten Islands or Biak Island. When the Dutch colonized
3276-598: The Gulf of Papua form a single delta complex. The rivers of the island are extremely rich in water due to the annual rainfall of 2,000–10,000 mm. According to a modest calculation, the New Guinea River carries about 1,500 km /a (48,000 m /s) of water into the sea. Fly alone carries more water 238 km /a (7,500 m /s) than all the rivers in Australia combined. The island of New Guinea lies to
3393-599: The Indonesian archipelago , it lies north of Australia's Top End , the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York Peninsula , and west of the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands archipelago . Politically, the western half of the island comprises six provinces of Indonesia : Papua , Central Papua , Highland Papua , South Papua , West Papua and Southwest Papua . The eastern half forms
3510-583: The Mamberamo River , near which he landed on 20 June, naming the island 'Nueva Guinea'. The first known map of the island was made by F. Hoeiu in 1600 and shows it as 'Nova Guinea'. In 1606, Luís Vaz de Torres explored the southern coast of New Guinea from Milne Bay to the Gulf of Papua including Orangerie Bay , which he named Bahía de San Lorenzo . His expedition also discovered Basilaki Island naming it Tierra de San Buenaventura , which he claimed for Spain in July 1606. On 18 October, his expedition reached
3627-479: The Morning Star flag raised on 1 December, with independence planned in exactly nine years' time. Sukarno made the takeover of Western New Guinea a focus of his continuing struggle against Dutch imperialism and part of a broader Third World conflict with the West. Although Indonesian seaborne and paratroop incursions into the territory met with little success, the Dutch knew that a military campaign to retain
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3744-537: The Netherlands recognised Indonesian sovereignty over the Dutch East Indies with the exception of Dutch New Guinea , the issue of which was to be discussed within a year. The Dutch successfully argued that Western New Guinea was "geographically very different" from Indonesia and the people were also very ethnically different. In an attempt to prevent Indonesia taking control of the region and to prepare
3861-623: The Papuan Peninsula ). A spine of east–west mountains, the New Guinea Highlands , dominates the geography of New Guinea, stretching over 1,600 km (1,000 mi) across the island, with many mountains over 4,000 m (13,100 ft). The western half of the island contains the highest mountains in Oceania , with its highest point, Puncak Jaya , reaching an elevation of 4,884 m (16,023 ft). The tree line
3978-624: The Teluk Cenderawasih National Park . Western New Guinea is currently administered as six Indonesian provinces: Papuan habitation of the region is estimated to have begun between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago. Research indicates that the highlands were an early and independent center of agriculture, and show that agriculture developed gradually over several thousands of years; the banana has been cultivated in this region for at least 7,000 years. Austronesian peoples migrating through Maritime Southeast Asia settled in
4095-583: The Territory of New Guinea , to be administered by Australia under a League of Nations mandate . The territories under Australian administration became collectively known as The Territories of Papua and New Guinea (until February 1942). Before about 1930, European maps showed the highlands as uninhabited forests. When first flown over by aircraft, numerous settlements with agricultural terraces and stockades were observed. The most startling discovery took place on 4 August 1938, when Richard Archbold discovered
4212-601: The Australian section was known as the Territory of Papua-New Guinea from 1945 to 1949 and then as Territory of Papua and New Guinea . Although the rest of the Dutch East Indies achieved independence as Indonesia on 27 December 1949, the Netherlands regained control of western New Guinea. During the 1950s, the Dutch government began to prepare Netherlands New Guinea for full independence and allowed elections in 1959;
4329-474: The Dutch promoted Tidore as suzerain of Papua. By 1849, Tidore's borders had been extended to the proximity of the current international border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea , as it formed extensive trade pact and custom of Uli-Siwa ( federation of nine ). In 1883, following a short-lived French annexation of New Ireland , the British colony of Queensland annexed south-eastern New Guinea. However,
4446-504: The Indonesian portion of New Guinea and the Maluku Islands is estimated to have 9,518 species of vascular plants, of which 4,380 are endemic. In 2020, an international study conducted by a team of 99 experts cataloged 13,634 species representing 1,742 genera and 264 families of vascular plants for New Guinea and its associated islands ( Aru Islands , Bismarck Archipelago , D'Entrecasteaux Islands , Louisiade Archipelago ), making it
4563-642: The MSG in 2013 after which the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) was established in December 2014 to unite the three main political independence movements under a single umbrella organisation. In June 2015, the ULMWP was granted MSG observer status as representative of West Papuans outside the country while Indonesia was upgraded to associate member. In 2016, at the 71st Session of
4680-545: The Morning Star flag) and via the formation of the Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM, or Free Papua Movement) in 1965. Amnesty International has estimated more than 100,000 Papuans, one-sixth of the population, have died as a result of government-sponsored violence against West Papuans. Reports published by TRT World and De Gruyter Oldenbourg have put the number of killed Papuans since the start of
4797-606: The Papuans (who constitute the majority of the island's peoples) are descended from the earliest human inhabitants of New Guinea. These original inhabitants first arrived in New Guinea at a time around the Last Glacial Maximum (c. 21,000 years ago) when the island was connected to the Australian continent via a land bridge , forming the landmass of Sahul . These peoples had made the (shortened) sea-crossing from
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4914-698: The Philippines. Papuan men and resources were used to support the Allied war effort in the Pacific. After the war's end, the Dutch regained possession of the region. Since the early twentieth century, Indonesian nationalists had sought an independent Indonesia based on all Dutch colonial possessions in the Indies, including western New Guinea. Some even founded local-based political parties, such as Indonesian Irian Independence Party (PKII) in 1946. In December 1949,
5031-522: The Queensland government's superiors in the United Kingdom revoked the claim, and (formally) assumed direct responsibility in 1884, when Germany claimed north-eastern New Guinea as the protectorate of German New Guinea (also called Kaiser-Wilhelmsland ). The first Dutch government posts were established in 1898 and in 1902: Manokwari on the north coast, Fak-Fak in the west and Merauke in
5148-640: The UN General Assembly , leaders of several Pacific Island countries called for UN action on alleged human rights abuses committed against Papua's indigenous Melanesians, with some leaders calling for self-determination for West Papua. Indonesia accused the countries of interfering with Indonesia's national sovereignty. In 2017, at the 72nd Session , the leaders called again for an investigation into killings and various alleged human rights abuses by Indonesian security forces. The 2019 Papua protests began on 19 August 2019, and mainly took place across
5265-508: The area at least 3,000 years ago, and populated especially in Cenderawasih Bay . Diverse cultures and languages have developed in situ; there are over 300 languages and two hundred additional dialects in the region ( see Papuan languages , Austronesian languages , Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages ). The 14th-century Majapahit poem Nagarakretagama mentioned Wwanin or Onin and Sran as recognized territories in
5382-506: The area now known as the Torres Strait flooded after the end of the last glacial period . Anthropologically, New Guinea is considered part of Melanesia . New Guinea is differentiated from its drier, flatter, and less fertile southern counterpart, Australia, by its much higher rainfall and its active volcanic geology. Yet the two land masses share a similar animal fauna, with marsupials , including wallabies and possums , and
5499-399: The area's rich oil reserves in the 1930s. In 1942, the northern coast of West New Guinea and the nearby islands were occupied by Japan . In 1944, Allied forces gained control of the region through a four-phase campaign from neighbouring Papua New Guinea. The United States constructed a headquarters for MacArthur at Hollandia (Jayapura), intended as a staging point for operations to retake
5616-957: The border with Papua New Guinea follows the 141st meridian east until it reaches the Fly River . The island of New Guinea was once part of the Australian landmass and lay on the continent of Sahul . The collision between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Pacific Plate resulted in the formation of the Maoke Mountains , which run through the centre of the region and are 600 km (373 mi) long and 100 km (62 mi) across. The range includes about ten peaks over 4,000 metres (13,000 feet), including Puncak Jaya (4,884 m or 16,024 ft), Puncak Mandala (4,760 m or 15,620 ft) and Puncak Trikora (4,750 m or 15,580 ft). This range ensures
5733-403: The coastal areas and islands of New Guinea. They also introduced pigs and dogs . These Austronesian migrants are considered the ancestors of most people in insular Southeast Asia, from Sumatra and Java to Borneo and Sulawesi , as well as coastal new Guinea. The western part of the island was in contact with kingdoms in other parts of modern-day Indonesia. The Negarakertagama mentioned
5850-507: The coastal fringes of the main island in places. Human habitation of New Guinea over tens of thousands of years has led to a great deal of diversity, which was further increased by the later arrival of the Austronesians and the more recent history of European and Asian settlement through events like transmigration . Large areas of New Guinea are yet to be explored by scientists and anthropologists. The Indonesian province of West Papua
5967-513: The combined landmass of Sahul . Numerous smaller islands are located to the west and east. The island's name was given by Spanish explorer Yñigo Ortiz de Retez during his maritime expedition of 1545 due to the resemblance of the indigenous peoples of the island to those in the African region of Guinea . The eastern half of the island is the major land mass of the nation of Papua New Guinea . The western half, known as Western New Guinea , forms
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#17327649578376084-442: The conflict at roughly 500,000. From 1971, the name Papua New Guinea was used for the Australian territory. On 16 September 1975, Australia granted full independence to Papua New Guinea. In 2000, Irian Jaya was formally renamed "The Province of Papua" and a Law on Special Autonomy was passed in 2001. The Law established a Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) with representatives of the different indigenous cultures of Papua. The MRP
6201-571: The continent of Australia, which was until fairly recent geological times part of the same landmass (see Australia-New Guinea for an overview). The island is so large that it is considered 'nearly a continent' in terms of its biological distinctiveness. In the period from 1998 to 2008, conservationists identified 1,060 new species in New Guinea, including 218 plants, 43 reptiles, 12 mammals, 580 invertebrates, 134 amphibians, 2 birds and 71 fish. Between 2011 and 2017, researchers described 465 previously undocumented plant species in New Guinea. As of 2019,
6318-475: The democratic culture of the Papuan people themselves at the time, there was a system known as noken , within a community in the central highlands of Papua, in which the vote is represented by the tribal chief. Soon after, as of United Nations Resolution 2504 (XXIV) the region became the 26th province of Indonesia. The 1969 Act of Free Choice is considered contentious, with even United Nations observers recognizing
6435-524: The east of the Malay Archipelago , with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago. Geologically it is a part of the same tectonic plate as Australia. When world sea levels were low, the two shared shorelines (which now lie 100 to 140 metres below sea level), and combined with lands now inundated into the tectonic continent of Sahul , also known as Greater Australia. The two landmasses became separated when
6552-542: The east, today identified as Onin peninsula in Fakfak Regency in the western part of the larger Bomberai Peninsula south of the Bird's Head region of Western New Guinea. Wwanin or Onin was probably the oldest name in recorded history to refer to the western part of the island of New Guinea. Meanwhile Sran refer to an ancient local kingdom of Sran Eman Muun , located in the southern part of Bomberai Peninsula called Koiwai (modern day Kaimana Regency ), which
6669-474: The egg-laying monotreme , the echidna . Other than bats and some two dozen indigenous rodent genera, there are no pre-human indigenous placental mammals . Pigs, several additional species of rats, and the ancestor of the New Guinea singing dog were introduced with human colonization. Prior to the 1970s, archaeologists called the single Pleistocene landmass by the name Australasia , although this word
6786-566: The elders were placed under duress and forced to vote yes. The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has engaged in a pro-independence conflict with the Indonesian military since the 1960s. This has been in response to the initial take over of the region and multiple killings and other human rights violations by Indonesian troops, causing many West Papuans and international organisations to describe the situation in West Papua as "genocide". Rebellions occurred in remote mountainous areas in 1969, 1977, and
6903-534: The end of the sixteenth century, the Sultanate of Ternate under Sultan Baabullah (1570–1583) had influence over parts of Papua. In 1660, the Dutch recognised the Sultan of Tidore 's sovereignty over New Guinea . New Guinea thus became notionally Dutch as the Dutch held power over Tidore. In 1793, Britain established a settlement near Manokwari . However, it failed. By 1824 Britain and the Netherlands agreed that
7020-472: The equatorial glacier fields remain largely unexplored. In February 2005, a team of scientists exploring the Foja Mountains discovered numerous new species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, and plants, including a species of rhododendron that may have the largest bloom of the genus. Environmental issues include deforestation, the spread of the introduced crab-eating macaque , which now threatens
7137-438: The estuary, making it the longest river in New Guinea. The winding, muddy, sluggish river can be navigated for 500 km. Ramu is a 650 km long river. Its lower section is navigable, but its upper flow is high-falling, fast-flowing. The energy of the river is used by a power plant near the city of Kainantu . On the south side, the most significant rivers are Pulau , Digul, Fly, Kikori and Purari . The largest river in
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#17327649578377254-615: The existence of native species, and discarded copper and gold tailings from the Grasberg mine . The Bird's Head Peninsula , also known as the Doberai Peninsula, is covered by the Vogelkop montanerainforests ecoregion . It includes more than 22,000 km of montane forests at elevations of 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and higher. Over 50% of these forests are located within protected areas. There are over 300 bird species on
7371-589: The highlands were an early and independent center of agriculture, with evidence of irrigation going back at least 10,000 years. Sugarcane was cultivated in New Guinea around 6000 BCE. The gardens of the New Guinea Highlands are ancient, intensive permacultures , adapted to high population densities, very high rainfalls (as high as 10,000 mm per year (400 in/yr)), earthquakes, hilly land, and occasional frost. Complex mulches, crop rotations and tillages are used in rotation on terraces with complex irrigation systems. Western agronomists still do not understand all of
7488-541: The highlands, the koteka (penis gourd) is worn by males in ceremonies. The use of the holim (Dani's koteka) as everyday dress by Dani males in Western New Guinea is uncommon. As of 2019, it is estimated that only 10% highland population (in Central Papua and Highland Papua ) regularly uses koteka, and it is only used during cultural festival or as a souvenir. A culture of inter-tribal warfare and animosity between neighboring tribes has long been present in
7605-430: The highlands. The Indonesian government is very strict in giving foreign journalists permission to enter Western New Guinea, considering that this region is very vulnerable to separatist movements. As formerly in East Timor, Indonesia's former territory, the Indonesian administration takes great efforts to filter the information that gets out of Western New Guinea. However, there is no prohibition for journalists to go to
7722-406: The independent country of Indonesia , except Western New Guinea. The Dutch retained sovereignty over Western New Guinea ( Dutch New Guinea ) until the New York Agreement on 15 August 1962, which granted the region to Indonesia. The region became the province of Irian Barat (West Irian) before being renamed Irian Jaya (literally "Glorious Irian") in 1973 and Papua in 2002. The following year,
7839-418: The inhabitants of Papua New Guinea. As in Papua New Guinea, the peoples of the highlands have traditions and languages distinct from the peoples of the coast. Example being sago as the staple food of the coastal Papuans, a tradition shared with many people in the Eastern Indonesia , while in the highlands where sago do not grow, tubers ( sweet potato , yam , and taro ) are the staple foods. In some parts of
7956-404: The island and the province. The name Irian , which was originally favored by natives, is now considered to be a name imposed by the authority of Jakarta . New Guinea is an island to the north of the Australian mainland , south of the equator. It is isolated by the Arafura Sea to the west, and the Torres Strait and Coral Sea to the east. Sometimes considered to be the easternmost island of
8073-490: The islands of Wallacea and Sundaland (the present Malay Archipelago ) by at least 40,000 years ago. The ancestral Austronesian peoples are believed to have arrived considerably later, approximately 3,500 years ago, as part of a gradual seafaring migration from Southeast Asia , possibly originating in Taiwan. Austronesian-speaking peoples colonized many of the offshore islands to the north and east of New Guinea, such as New Ireland and New Britain , with settlements also on
8190-430: The language used by the Sultanate of Tidore . An expedition by the Sultan of Tidore , together with Sahmardan, the Sangaji of Patani , and the Papuan Gurabesi , managed to conquer some areas in New Guinea, which was then reorganised to form Korano Ngaruha ("Four Kings") or Raja Ampat , Papoua Gam Sio ( lit. "The Papua Nine Negeri "), and Mafor Soa Raha ( lit. The Mafor "Four Soa "). The name comes from
8307-435: The main exports of the island during this period were resins, spices, slaves and the highly priced feathers of the bird-of-paradise . In a period of constant conflict called 'hongi wars', in which rival villages or kingdoms would invoke the name of Tidore Sultan, rightly, for punitive expeditions for not fulfilling their tributary obligations, or opportunitively for competitions over resources and prestige. Sultan Nuku , one of
8424-548: The main island as part of the Dutch East Indies , they called it Nieuw Guinea . The name Irian was used in the Indonesian language to refer to the island and Indonesian province, as Irian Barat (West Irian) Province and later Irian Jaya Province. The name Irian was suggested during a tribal committee meeting in Tobati, Jayapura, formed by Soegoro Atmoprasodjo under governor JP van Eechoed, to decide on
8541-544: The mainland of the country of Papua New Guinea . The shape of New Guinea is often compared to that of a bird-of-paradise (indigenous to the island), and this results in the usual names for the two extremes of the island: the Bird's Head Peninsula in the northwest ( Vogelkop in Dutch, Kepala Burung in Indonesian; also known as the Doberai Peninsula), and the Bird's Tail Peninsula in the southeast (also known as
8658-472: The mammal species (69%) are endemic. New Guinea has 578 species of breeding birds, of which 324 species are endemic. The island's frogs are one of the most poorly known vertebrate groups, totalling 282 species, but this number is expected to double or even triple when all species have been documented. New Guinea has a rich diversity of coral life and 1,200 species of fish have been found. Also about 600 species of reef-building coral—the latter equal to 75 percent of
8775-616: The mid-1980s, occasionally spilling over into Papua New Guinea . In 1980, the Trans Irian Jaya Highway, currently Trans-Papua Highway , began construction. The highway would link unconnected cities and regions across the region, which were previously only accessible by sea or, for inland areas, by air. However, some experts suggested prioritizing development of local indigenous people over infrastructure development in order to be parallel with non-Papuan migrants, who were progressively inhabiting Western New Guinea's cities at
8892-539: The most famous Tidore sultans who rebelled against Dutch colonization, called himself "Sultan of Tidore and Papua", during his revolt in 1780s. He commanded loyalty from both Moluccan and Papuan chiefs, especially those of Raja Ampat Islands, from his base in Gebe . Following Tidore's subjugation as Dutch tributary, much of the territory it claimed in western part of New Guinea came under Dutch rule as part of Dutch East Indies. The first known European contact with New Guinea
9009-553: The mouth of the river in 1845. The total length of the river is 1,050 km. Smaller boats can sail 900 km on the river. The estuary section, which decomposes into islands, is 70 km wide. The tide of the sea can have an effect of up to 300 kilometers. Strickland , a tributary of the Fly, reaches the Papuan Plain through wild gorges. Fly and Strickland together form the largest river in New Guinea. The many rivers flowing into
9126-561: The partial elected New Guinea Council took office on 5 April 1961. The Council decided on the name of West Papua ( Papua Barat ) for the territory, along with an emblem, flag , and anthem to complement those of the Netherlands. On 1 October 1962, after some military interventions and negotiations, the Dutch handed over the territory to the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority , until 1 May 1963, when Indonesia took control. The territory
9243-414: The peninsula, of which at least 20 are unique to the ecoregion, and some live only in very restricted areas. These include the grey-banded munia , Vogelkop bowerbird , and the king bird-of-paradise . Road construction , illegal logging , commercial agricultural expansion , and ranching potentially threaten the integrity of the ecoregion. The southeastern coast of the Bird's Head Peninsula forms part of
9360-480: The practices, and it has been noted that native gardeners are as, or even more, successful than most scientific farmers in raising certain crops. There is evidence that New Guinea gardeners invented crop rotation well before western Europeans. A unique feature of New Guinea permaculture is the silviculture of Casuarina oligodon , a tall, sturdy native ironwood tree, suited to use for timber and fuel, with root nodules that fix nitrogen. Pollen studies show that it
9477-606: The region Ilhas dos Papuas (Islands of Papuans). In 1545 the Spaniard Yñigo Ortiz de Retez sailed along the north coast as far as the Mamberamo River near which he landed, naming the island Nueva Guinea . In 1606 Portuguese navigator Luís Vaz de Torres sailed in the name of Spain along the southwestern part of the island in present-day Papua , and also claimed the territory for the King of Spain. Near
9594-418: The region for independence, the Dutch significantly raised development spending from its low base, began investing in Papuan education, and encouraged Papuan nationalism. A small western elite developed with a growing political awareness attuned to the idea of Papuan independence, with close links to neighbouring eastern New Guinea, which was administered by Australia. A national parliament was elected in 1961 and
9711-639: The region has had the official names of Netherlands New Guinea (1895–1962), West New Guinea or West Irian (1962–1973), Irian Jaya (1973–2002), and Papua (2002–present). The expected Indonesian translation of "Western New Guinea", Nugini Barat , is currently only used in historical contexts such as kampanye Nugini Barat " Western New Guinea campaign ". The region is 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) from east to west and 736 kilometres (457 miles) from north to south. It has an area of 412,214.61 square kilometres (159,157 square miles ), which equates to approximately 22% of Indonesia's land area. The northern part of
9828-463: The region in response to the arrests of 43 Papuan students in Surabaya for allegedly disrespecting the Indonesian flag . In July 2022 three additional provinces were created from parts of the existing Papua Province. The new provinces were Central Papua , Highland Papua and South Papua . In November 2022, Southwest Papua was created from the western part of West Papua Province. Thus, including
9945-627: The region of Wanin and Sran, in eastern Nusantara as part of Majapahit 's tributary. This 'Wanin' has been identified with the Onin Peninsula, part of the Bomberai Peninsula near the city of Fakfak . while ' Sran ' had been identified as region of Kowiai , just south of Onin peninsula. The sultans of Tidore , in the Maluku Islands , claimed sovereignty over various coastal parts of the island. During Tidore's rule,
10062-468: The region would require protracted jungle warfare, and, unwilling to see a repeat of their futile efforts in the armed struggle for Indonesian independence in the 1940s, agreed to American mediation. The United States President John F. Kennedy wrote to the then Dutch Prime Minister Jan de Quay , encouraging the Netherlands to relinquish control of Western New Guinea to Indonesia and warning of Indonesia's potential alliance with communist powers if Sukarno
10179-505: The region. In 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received 11 applications for permission to cover Papua from a number of foreign media. Of 11 requests, five were approved while the other six were rejected. Meanwhile, in 2013, requests for permission to cover Papua by foreign media soared to 28. At that time, the ministry approved 21 letters of application and rejected the other seven. The process of admitting foreign press and NGOs, which
10296-418: The residual West Papua Province and Papua Province, there were then six provinces covering Western New Guinea. The population of the region was estimated to be 5,601,888 in mid 2022. The interior is predominantly populated by ethnic Papuans while coastal towns are inhabited by descendants of intermarriages between Papuans, Melanesians, and Austronesians, including other Indonesian ethnic groups. Migrants from
10413-528: The rest of Indonesia also tend to inhabit the coastal regions. The largest cities in the territory are Jayapura in the region's northeast, and Sorong in the northwest of the Bird's Head Peninsula . By 2022 Jayapura had a population of over 400,000 and Sorong nearly 300,000; other major towns are Timika and Nabire in Central Papua, Merauke in South Papua, and Manokwari in the northeast of
10530-603: The richest coral reefs on the planet. The entire length of the New Guinea Highlands system passes through New Guinea as a vast watershed. The northern rivers flow into the Pacific Ocean , the southern rivers into the Arafura Sea and the Gulf of Papua . On the north side, the largest rivers are the Mamberamo, Sepik and Ramu. Mamberamo was born from the confluence of two large inland rivers. Tariku comes from
10647-418: The seas bordering New Guinea: The first inhabitants Indigenous people of New Guinea , from whom the Papuan people are probably descended, adapted to the range of ecologies and, in time, developed one of the earliest known agricultures. Remains of this agricultural system, in the form of ancient irrigation systems in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, are being studied by archaeologists. Research indicates that
10764-568: The south at the border with British New Guinea . The German, Dutch and British colonial administrators each attempted to suppress the still-widespread practices of inter-village warfare and headhunting within their respective territories. In 1905, the British government transferred some administrative responsibility over southeast New Guinea to Australia (which renamed the area " Territory of Papua "); and, in 1906, transferred all remaining responsibility to Australia. During World War I , Australian forces seized German New Guinea, which in 1920 became
10881-535: The south coast includes mangroves and sago palms and in the drier southeastern section, eucalypts, paperbarks, and acacias. Marsupial species dominate the region; there are an estimated 70 marsupial species (including possums , wallabies , tree-kangaroos , and cuscus ), and 180 other mammal species (including the endangered long-beaked echidna ). The region is the only part of Indonesia to have kangaroos, marsupial mice, bandicoots, and ring-tailed possums. The approximately 700 bird species include cassowaries (along
10998-542: The southeastern section around the town of Merauke . Swamps also extend 300 kilometres (190 miles) around the Asmat region. The Mamberamo River is the region's largest and runs through the length of Papua Province. The result is a large area of lakes and rivers known as the Lakes Plains region. The southern lowlands, habitats of which included mangrove, tidal and freshwater swamp forest, and lowland rainforest, are home to populations of fishermen and gatherers such as
11115-698: The southern coastal areas), bowerbirds , kingfishers , crowned pigeons , parrots, and cockatoos . Approximately 450 of these species are endemic. Birds-of-paradise can be found in Kepala Burung and Yapen . The region is also home to around 800 species of spiders, 200 frogs, 30,000 beetles, and 70 bats, as well as one of the world's longest lizards (the Papuan monitor ) and some of the world's largest butterflies. The waterways and wetlands of Papua provide habitat for salt and freshwater crocodiles , tree monitors, flying foxes , ospreys , and other animals, while
11232-589: The terms of the New York Agreement , all Western New Guinean men and women were to be given a plebiscite; this was to be called the Act of Free Choice . However, when the act was due to take place under the new president Suharto , the Indonesian government used a musyawarah or traditional consensus to decide the region's status. The 1,026 elders were hand-picked by the Indonesian government and many were coerced into voting for union with Indonesia. However, in
11349-483: The territory is almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere and includes the Biak and Raja Ampat archipelagoes. The region is predominantly covered with rainforest where traditional peoples live, including the Dani of the Baliem Valley . A large proportion of the population live in or near coastal areas. The largest city is Jayapura . In the late 1940s, territories of the Dutch East Indies became
11466-442: The time. In the post-Suharto era , the national government began a process of decentralisation of the provinces, including, in December 2001, a special autonomy status for Papua province and a reinvestment into the region of 80% of the taxation receipts generated by the region, in addition of special autonomy fund. In 2003, a new province of West Papua was created from the western regencies of Papua (province) , comprising lands in
11583-555: The west to the east and Taritatu from the east. These rivers meander through swamps with huge internal descents and then merge. The Mamberamo thus formed reaches the ocean by breaking through the Coastal Mountains. Mamberamo River is navigable to Marine Falls. The Sepik is a much more important river. Similarly, it collects water from a spacious pool. It is 1,100 kilometers from the Victor Emanuel Range to
11700-433: The western half of the island would become part of the Dutch East Indies . In 1828 the Dutch established the settlement of Fort Du Bus at Lobo (near Kaimana ), which also failed. Great Britain and Germany had recognised the Dutch claims on western New Guinea in treaties of 1885 and 1895. Dutch activity in the region remained minimal in the first half of the twentieth century. Dutch, US, and Japanese mining companies explored
11817-468: The western part of the island in present-day Indonesia, and also claimed the territory for the King of Spain. A successive European claim occurred in 1828, when the Netherlands formally claimed the western half of the island as Netherlands New Guinea . Dutch colonial authority built Fort Du Bus an administrative and trading post established near Lobo, Triton Bay, but by 1835 had been abandoned. Considering that New Guinea had little economic value for them,
11934-622: The western part of the island is Digul . It originates from the Star Mountains , which rise to an altitude of 4,700 m. The coastal plain is bordered by a swamp world hundreds of kilometers wide. Digul is the main transport route to the fertile hills and mountains within the island. The river Fly is born near the eastern branches of the Digul. It is named after one of the ships of the English Royal Fleet, which first sailed into
12051-687: The western side, and by the Sepik on the eastern side. The more extensive southern lowlands are drained by a larger number of rivers, principally the Digul in the west and the Fly in the east. The largest island offshore, Dolak , lies near the Digul estuary, separated by a strait so narrow it has been named a "creek". New Guinea contains many of the world's ecosystem types: glacial, alpine tundra , savanna , montane and lowland rainforest, mangroves , wetlands , lake and river ecosystems , seagrasses , and some of
12168-498: The words papo ("to unite") and ua (negation), which means "not united", i.e. an outlying possession of Tidore. Anton Ploeg reports that the word papua is often said to be derived from the Malay word papua or pua-pua , meaning "frizzly-haired", referring to the very curly hair of the island's inhabitants. However Sollewijn Gelpke in 1993 considered this unlikely as it had been used earlier, and he instead derived it from
12285-459: The world and, having never seen Europeans before, initially believed the explorers to be spirits of the dead due to the local belief that a person's skin turned white when they died and crossed into the land of the dead. Netherlands New Guinea and the Australian territories (the eastern half ) were invaded in 1942 by the Japanese . The Netherlands were defeated by that stage and did not put up
12402-669: The world's known total. The entire coral area covers 18 million hectares off a peninsula in northwest New Guinea. As of 2020, the Western portion of New Guinea, Papua and West Papua, accounts for 54% of the island's primary forest and about 51% of the island's total tree cover, according to satellite data. According to the WWF , New Guinea can be divided into twelve terrestrial ecoregions : The WWF and Nature Conservancy divide New Guinea into five freshwater ecoregions : The WWF and Nature Conservancy identify several marine ecoregions in
12519-474: The world's most floristically diverse island, surpassing Madagascar (11,488), Borneo (11,165), Java (4,598), and the Philippines (9,432). Biogeographically , New Guinea is part of Australasia rather than the Indomalayan realm, although New Guinea's flora has many more affinities with Asia than its fauna, which is overwhelmingly Australian. Botanically, New Guinea is considered part of Malesia ,
12636-477: Was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II . Dutch East Indies KNIL , United States and Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases and positions in the northwest coastal areas of Netherlands New Guinea and adjoining parts of the Australian Territory of New Guinea . The campaign began with Operations Reckless and Persecution , which were amphibious landings by
12753-535: Was adopted during an ancient period of extreme deforestation. In more recent millennia, another wave of people arrived on the shores of New Guinea. These were the Austronesian people , who had spread down from Taiwan , through the South-east Asian archipelago , colonising many of the islands on the way. The Austronesian people had technology and skills extremely well adapted to ocean voyaging and Austronesian language speaking people are present along much of
12870-456: Was by Portuguese and Spanish sailors in the 16th century. In 1526–27, Portuguese explorer Jorge de Meneses saw the western tip of New Guinea and named it ilhas dos Papuas . In 1528, the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra also recorded its sighting when trying to return from Tidore to New Spain . In 1545, Spaniard Íñigo Ortíz de Retes sailed along the north coast of New Guinea as far as
12987-430: Was created from part of West Papua Province; these received the same special autonomous status as (the residual) West Papua and Papua Provinces, the latter now reduced to northern Papua and the groups of islands in Cenderawasih Bay . In 2020, West Papua and Papua provinces had a census population of 5,437,775, the majority of whom are indigenous ; the official estimate as of mid-2022 was 5,601,888. The official language
13104-453: Was empowered to protect the rights of Papuans, raise the status of women in Papua, and to ease religious tensions in Papua; block grants were given for the implementation of the Law as much as $ 266 million in 2004. The Indonesian courts ' enforcement of the Law on Special Autonomy blocked further creation of subdivisions of Papua: although President Megawati Sukarnoputri was able to create
13221-494: Was not appeased. The negotiations resulted in the UN-ratified New York Agreement of September 1962, which transferred administration to a United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) and proposed that the administration could be assumed by Indonesia until such time as a plebiscite could be organized to allow Papuans to determine whether they wanted independence or union with Indonesia. Under
13338-695: Was previously complicated, began to be facilitated in 2015. Kompas.com explained that Jokowi officially revoked the ban on foreign journalists from entering Papua. According to him, Papua is the same as other regions of Indonesia. However, as of today foreign journalists are still required to apply for permission to enter Papua through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 4°00′S 136°00′E / 4.000°S 136.000°E / -4.000; 136.000 New Guinea New Guinea ( Tok Pisin : Niugini ; Hiri Motu : Niu Gini ; Indonesian : Papua , fossilized Nugini , or historically Irian )
13455-456: Was promoted in 1945 by Marcus Kaisiepo, brother of Frans Kaisiepo . The name was politicized later by Corinus Krey, Marthen Indey , Silas Papare , and others with the Indonesian backronym Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti Nederland ("Join the Republic of Indonesia Oppose the Netherlands"). Irian was used somewhat in 1972. The name was used until 2001, when Papua was again used for
13572-421: Was renamed West Irian ( Irian Barat ) and then Irian Jaya. In 1969, Indonesia, under the 1962 New York Agreement , organised a referendum named the Act of Free Choice , in which the military hand picked Papuan tribal elders to vote for integration with Indonesia. There has been significant reported resistance to Indonesian integration and occupation, both through civil disobedience (such as publicly raising
13689-545: Was the predecessor of local Papuan kingdoms in the area. In 1526–27, the Portuguese explorer Jorge de Menezes accidentally came upon the principal island in the Biak archipelago and is credited with naming it Papua , from a Malay word pepuah , for the frizzled quality of Melanesian hair. Heading east, he eventually reported the northern coast of the Bird's Head Peninsula and the Waigeo Island , and named
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