West Papua (formerly West Irian Jaya or Irian Jaya Barat) with population around 800,000, is the least populous province of Indonesia on the western end of the island of New Guinea. It covers the Bird's Head (or Doberai) Peninsula and surrounding islands. The Papua Conflict takes place there.

Earthquake

At 4:43 a.m. local time on 3 January 2009, a powerful earthquake, 7.6 on the Richter magnitude scale, struck near the northern coast of Indonesia's largest province. A tsunami warning was initially issued but lifted within an hour of the quake.^[1][2] The earthquake occurred about 150 km west-northwest of Manokwari and about 170 km east-northeast of Sorong.

Administrative divisions

The capital of West Papua is in Manokwari. The province is administratively divided into eight regencies (kabupaten) and one city (kota):

Fak-fak (Fak-Fak)

Kaimana

Manokwari

Raja Ampat (capital Waisai)

Sorong

Kota Sorong (city)

Sorong Selatan (capital Teminabuan)

Teluk Bintuni (capital Bintuni)

Teluk Wondama (capital Rasiei)

Administrative history

Map of West Papua

West Papua was created from the western portion of Papua province in February 2003, initially under the name of Irian Jaya Barat, and was renamed Papua Barat (West Papua) on 7 February 2007.

The province changed its name to West Papua on 7 February 2007. The new name applies from that date, but a plenary session of the provincial legislative council is required to legalize the change of name, and the government needs to then issue a regulation.