Papua New Guinea's Provinces and People - Western Province

Map of Papua New Guinea highlighting Western Province

Flag of Western Province

Western Province is a coastal province in southwestern Papua New Guinea, bordering the Indonesian province of Papua. The provincial capital is Daru, on the island of Daru. The largest town in the province is Tabubil.

Demographics

Western Province covers 99,300 km² and is the largest province in Papua New Guinea by area. There are 153,304 inhabitants (2000 census). There are several large rivers that run through the province including the Fly River and its tributaries including the Strickland and Ok Tedi rivers, the largest lake in Papua New Guinea Lake Murray is also in Western Province.

The provincial government has purported to change the name of the province to the Fly River Province but this remains unofficial as names of provinces are set out in the Constitution of Papua New Guinea and changes must be made according to the constitutional amending process.

In the province is the only part of Papua New Guinea which possesses land west of the 141°E line that divides it from Indonesian Western New Guinea. This is a small section of territory bordered by the Fly River.

Economy

The major economic activity in the province is constituted by the Ok Tedi Mine, initially established by BHP and the subject of considerable litigation by traditional landowners both in respect of environmental degradation and disputes over royalties

Politics

The Western provincial government has, like the governments of North Solomons, Chimbu and Northern Provinces, attempted to change the name of the province. The government uses the term Fly River Provincial Government. However, not having been accomplished by way of constitutional amendment, the change is unofficial.

Districts of Western Province

North Fly District
Middle Fly District
South Fly District

Geographical Features of Western Province

Rivers

Ok Tedi River
Strickland River
Fly River

Lakes

Lake Murray

Mountains

Hindenburg Range
Hindenburg Wall
Star Mountains

Man-Made Features in Western Province

Kiunga-Tabubil Highway

Economy of the Western Province

Ok Tedi Mine

The minesite that provides the main economic drive behind the province, operated by Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML).

Ok Tedi Environmental Disaster

Major Settlements of the Western Province

Daru
Kiunga
Tabubil
Ningerum
Olsobip
Balimo