Some interesting facts about the West Papua population need to be discussed. If you want to visit the place, you must understand the people and the area very well.
The List of Some Facts About West Papua Population
As Indonesia’s least populated area, West Papua offers various facts that the public needs to know.
Moreover, to visit this district, you must first know a few things about its inhabitants and territory. Here are some unique and interesting facts from West Papua population:
1. The Population in West Papua is the Smallest in Indonesia
Even though West Papua is a large province, the population is still tiny.
Until now, West Papua is the province with the smallest population in Indonesia, with 1,368,092 inhabitants. Meanwhile, the population density is 11.85 people/km.
2. The Number of Indigenous People and Immigrants is Almost Equal
Facts about this tribe are only known to a few people who have visited West Papua. Indigenous people of West Papua and immigrants to date are almost the same, which is in the ratio of 58-42 per cent.
3. There are Two Groups of People in West Papua
The West Papuan population is divided into 2 significant groups: lowland or coastal Papua and inland or highland Papua.
The division is according to their livelihood, culture and lifestyle. But they have beliefs about traditional religion that penetrate all aspects of life.
They believe the world has a close relationship between the spiritual and material worlds, secular and sacred, with the same function.
4. The Majority of the West Papua Population are Protestant Christians
The people in West Papua are primarily Protestant. In this province, Protestant Christians account for 59.74 per cent. Followed by Islam which became the second majority with a total of 31.77 per cent.
5. West Papua Population Have 25 Tribes
There are about 25 ethnic groups in Papua with different languages. Some examples of these tribes include the Asmat, Ayamaru in Sorong, Mee in the Paniai Mountains,
Sentani around Lake Sentani, Meyakh in Manokwari City, Waropen, Wamesa and Hatam in Ransiki and Oransbari.
6. West Papua Population Has 250 More Tribal Languages
The variety of languages and cultures in West Papua is very diverse. There are more than 250 tribal languages spoken by West Papuan population. Meanwhile, Indonesian has been used as the official language.
7. Still Adhering to Patriarchal Culture
The indigenous people of West Papua still adhere to a patriarchal culture, so the rights of indigenous women are limited. In most indigenous population, women are subordinated to men.
Men make decisions, while women only play a role in raising children, taking care of the household, harvesting crops, maintaining gardens, and collecting firewood.
Meanwhile, in several villages in Yahukimo Regency, women are not allowed to speak in community forums. Even when worshipping in church, women cannot play a role and cannot be in the same room as men.
8. orong City is the Highest Percentage of the Population with Divorced Status
Sorong City was recorded as the area with the highest percentage of the population with divorced status in this Province in 2021.
The data shows that the number of people with divorced groups in Sorong City is 2,408.
This figure accounts for 0.85 per cent of the total population of Sorong City, which amounts to 282,526 people. This portion is the highest compared to 12 other regencies or cities in West Papua.
The area with the following highest percentage of the population with divorced status is Sorong Regency, which is 0.76 per cent.
Meanwhile, the lowest percentage of the population with divorced status is the Maybrat Regency, with a portion of 0.16 per cent.
You can learn some of the facts above to understand the West Papua population better. Indonesia has a diverse ethnic group and population.
Therefore, studying the diversity of the people in each region as West Papua is a good thing and adds insight.
