Manokwari is the capital of West Papua Province, Indonesia. It is a coastal town overlooking the Doreri Bay while the tips of Arfak Mountains peek from the town’s southern border. But pretty scenery isn’t the only thing Manokwari has to offer! There are some interesting facts about Manokwari that might not be immediately apparent.
Here are some fun facts about Manokwari.
Capital Town
Manokwari is one of Indonesia’s few places with a capital town instead of a city. Aside from Manokwari, only six other towns are provincial capitals. The rest are cities.
In Indonesia, a city is generally defined as an area with a high urban population where the economic activities revolve around non-agricultural activities. Cities are also generally more densely populated. By contrast, Manokwari is a regency, with the town acting as the provincial capital.
Full of Nature’s Beauty
Despite being the capital town, Manokwari is still full of natural beauty. When you think of a capital city, or in this case, a capital town, you might think of towering skyscrapers, heavy traffic, and sprawling asphalt roads that block the earth, where trees have a hard time growing.
In contrast, Manokwari is quieter. Nature thrives in Manokwari, just as it thrives in the whole of Papua. The regency is located at the top of the Bird’s Head Peninsula and offers many natural resources.
Manokwari Regency is also home to several mountains, such as the Mamofeu, Trau, and Maniam mountains. It also has lakes and rivers, such as the Anggi Gida Lake and Mandopi River, rushing through it.
Couple this with the fact that Manokwari is right by Doreri Bay, and tourists will find themselves with myriad options. Whether they want to spend the day hiking, sunbathing at the beach, or wading through the river, Manokwari offers many options to choose from.
Moreover, just a little off the coast is Mansinam Island, where World War II shipwrecks dwell beneath the water’s surface. Not only does Manokwari offer natural tourism, but it also offers historical tourism.
Rich Demography
As the capital of West Papua, many different people converge in Manokwari. As such, many tribal groups have found a home in this regency.
The Asmat and Dani people, perhaps two of the most well-known tribes of West Papua, are the most prominent in Manokwari. However, there were also many other tribes, such as the Biak, Imeko, and Sekar tribes. Overall, there are over twenty-four tribes living side by side in Manokwari.
Polyglot Regency
West Papua is home to numerous tribes, each with its own distinct and unique language. The tribes living together in Manokwari also have their languages. As such, you can hear multiple languages spoken in Manokwari, all of which are the language of West Papua.
Not only the language but the cultures of each tribe is also different. Manokwari has become a melting pot where these cultures interact with each other.
Sister Cities
Manokwari doesn’t just keep a good relationship with other towns around it. It also keeps a good relationship with cities across national borders.
Sister cities, also known as twin towns, is a relationship between cities where they form legal or social agreement. The cities in question are usually geographically and politically different. The purpose of the relationship is, most often, to promote cultural and commercial ties.
Manokwari has two sister cities. One is Podgorica, the capital city of Montenegro, a country located in Southeastern Europe. The other sister city is Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan, South Asia.
These are only a few of the facts about Manokwari. There are so many more fun facts if you try to look deeper. Are you interested in more info about Manokwari yet?
