West Papua (Indonesian: Papua Barat), formerly Irian Jaya Barat (West Irian), is an Indonesian province located in Indonesia Papua. It covers most of the two western peninsulas of the island of New Guinea: the eastern half of the Bird's Head Peninsula (or Doberai Peninsula) and the whole of the Bomberai Peninsula, along with nearby smaller islands.

The Republic of West Papua (Indonesian: Republik Papua Barat), alternatively known as the Federal Republic of West Papua (Indonesian: Republik Federal Papua Barat, RFPB) is a proposed state consisting of the Western New Guinea region, which is currently part of Indonesia on the continent of Oceania.

Feb 2, 2025 · West Papua, propinsi (or provinsi; province) of Indonesia, including the Bomberai and Doberai (Vogelkop) peninsulas on the western end of the island of New Guinea and, to the west, the Raja Ampat Islands—most notably Salawati, Waigeo, Batanta, and Misool.

History of West Papua Early days. West Papua was originally populated by Melanesian people some tens of thousands of years ago. After little contact with the Western world, it was finally formally colonised by the Netherlands in 1898.

In 2003, a new province of West Papua was created with its administrative capital as Manokwari, comprising lands in the Bird's Head Peninsula and surrounding islands to its west, with the rest of Western New Guinea remaining in the truncated Papua.

West Papua is the western half of the island of New Guinea, bordering the independent nation of Papua New Guinea. It lies just 200km north of Australia. The land comprises a large mountainous interior, forest lowlands, large areas of coastal mangrove swamps and is surrounded by numerous small islands and coral reefs.

West Papua, Indonesian Papua Barat formerly West Irian Jaya, Province, Indonesia. Area: 37,461 sq mi (97,024 sq km). Pop. (2020): 1,134,068. Capital: Manokwari. West Papua includes the Bomberai and Doberai (Vogelkop) peninsulas on the western end of New Guinea and, to the west, the Raja Ampat Islands.

Jul 12, 2023 · Discover the best of West Papua. From cultural encounters in Baliem valley to the wildlife of Raja Ampat – here’s what to expect from Indonesia’s wild west.

West Papua shown in red within the map of Indonesia. Flag Coat of arms. West Papua is a province of Indonesia. It is on the New Guinea island and has many peninsulas and islands. Manokwari is the main city. Around 561,403 people lived there in mid-2022, making it the second least populous province in Indonesia after Southwest Papua. [1]

“West Papua” refers to the Indonesian half of the Island of New Guinea, which is home to some of the largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforests and coral reef systems in the world.