When talking about Papua, the biggest highlight is the Raja Ampat as the best marine area in the world. As one of the land in the east of Indonesia, the region has had significant growth over years. One of the fastest developed areas is Sorong City in West Papua. It is a city that is known as the Raja Ampat gateway. But is that all? No, read further for more facts.
The Development
When considering local and eastern areas’ development, Sorong is one of the largest cities in the region. Even though it is the biggest city, Sorong is not the capital city. The capital city is Manokwari since 2003, and Sorong has been the popular destination to reach Raja Ampat. Since Raja Ampat is a popular site for tourism, this city has significant growth.
In many cases, it can be said that Sorong is the center of development in the region. Many first projects and movement development started in this city. It is also due to its function as the gateway of tourism, transportation, and economic flow in the region. Thus, better technology, facility, and political development have been striving over years.
Sorong Facts To Tell
1. Economy
Generally speaking, the economic point of Sorong is positive due to its strategic location. Sorong is situated between Papua and West Papua. Thus, it is a strategic place for land and air transportation. Under the special economy area, Sorong has an international trading system in the Asia Pacific and Australia. Thus, many sectors have been in constant development.
Some potential sectors include logistics, mining, and agriculture. It is also worth mentioning that Sorong is the source of the region’s food distribution. Thus, a tremendous investment has supported the potential growth as well as emerging thousands of jobs. Unfortunately, only a small local community can develop a successful career in the city due to the lack of education.
2. Political
Political-wise, the city comes with a huge role in tribes’ primordial identity. Thus, Maybrat local tribes gain more leeway and position in the political sector. Maybrat’s power also supports transmigrant from Makassar to settle and create a permit for building or business. The impact is pretty strong since the real local west Papua Moi tribe is put under pressure.
The involvement of transmigrant from Makassar explains the political parties only focus on individual demands. It also highlights political power in the area mainly under transmigrants. Fortunately, Indonesia applied special autonomy to the city. Thus, transmigrant has limited access, contract, and services with the governmental decision.
3. Environmental
Environmentally Sorong has a huge potential as an agriculture source. It is also worth mentioning some efforts by local Moi tribes that help take care of the natural forest and marine area. However, naturally, Sorong island is pretty prone to flooding and landslide. It is also proven by ecology damage due to the bad infrastructure building using dig C type.
4. Population
Talking about population, Sorong is the epitome of migration rights and effects. A huge number of transmigrants bring a huge effect on the human quality and resource in the area. While the city has a significant development, many locals are under pressure to stay with proper education or standards.
Other west Papua areas also have a similar problem about the human capital. In Sorong itself, some young students from elementary, kindergarten, to teenager has to thrive by working in unfitting condition. Not only that, the social culture situation with varying cultures, tribes, and population still has an inequality issue with education or public facilities.
5. Technology
While it is hard to say that technology development is very advanced, Sorong does have a huge leap in technology growth. Internet access is one of the biggest examples. Since Sorong pose as the center of internet provider, the city has very fast and strong internet access across the city and region.
It is also worth noticing some other related technologies and services. Sorong has massive assets from private companies and government institutions that have integrated effect one to another. The technology growth and advancement also help improve local online businesses, such as Gojek and Grab.
6. Law
As a city that hold dear tribe and locals, Sorong also implements traditional laws for the governmental aspect. The idea itself has a green light from the Indonesian government since it assists in protecting local community transition and rights. Not only that, the government believes that the law design allows protecting local tradition, culture, land ownership, and community approval.
As one of the biggest cities in the region, you can tell that Sorong gains a lot of investment doses. Not to mention the Sorong city area that is favorited as the gateway to Raja Ampat and the other west part of Papua. It is also a city with the most traffic in the province. That is why drastic and exponential growth has been increasing over the years.
