West Papua

Indonesia

West Papua, Indonesian Papua Barat formerly West Irian Jaya, 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. The province is bounded to the north by the Pacific Ocean, to the northeast by Cenderawasih Bay, to the southeast by the Indonesian province of Papua, to the south by the Banda Sea, to the west by Berau Bay (between the two peninsulas) and the Ceram Sea, and to the northwest by the Halmahera Sea. The capital is Manokwari, on the northeast coast. Area 37,461 square miles (97,024 square km). Pop. (2010 prelim.) 760,422.