Some people may think that the wealthiest region in Indonesia is located on Java Island. In fact, the most superior area for its natural products is Bintuni Bay in West Papua. You can find many things when you hear all the interesting facts about this bay. What are the aspects that make this bay the richest in the country? Read on for the following information!
Characteristics of Bintuni Bay
Who would have thought that Bintuni Bay covers an area of 18,637 square kilometers? It comprises administrative districts on both sides of Bintuni Bay – a bay that separates the Bomberai Peninsula and the Bird’s Head Peninsula, forming the primary geographic area of Papua province. With this area, the location of this bay has a population of 87,083 at the 2020 Census.
The population of Bintuni Bay is recorded as the highest population in Indonesia because it beats all districts on the island of Java. Even though it has a large population, the level of prosperity of the people in this region is guaranteed. Even the latest data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that the people are pretty prosperous.
You can know the level of prosperity of a city or district from the per capita income indicator. It can include gross regional income, domestic product and divided by population. From these parameters, Bintuni Bay has been the most prosperous district in this country. In other words, this region in West Papua has the highest per capita income per year.
Aspects That Make Bintuni Bay Prosperous
1. Oil and Gas Sector
Bintuni Bay is famous for its beautiful scenery and abundant natural resources. Thus, you can see this from natural products in the oil and gas sector. This area has a vast and productive potential for natural gas reserves. The Tangguh LNG megaproject in Bintuni Bay accommodates natural gas from blocks around Bintuni Bay as the primary source of natural resources.
Currently, the potential for natural gas in the Bintuni Bay area has an enormous capacity of up to 30 trillion cubic/day. The local government stated that it would continue to develop this natural gas potential through an effective, sustainable program. In addition to abundant natural gas sources, this area also has significant oil and coal reserves.
As a result, the processing, oil and gas, and mining industries are some of the most significant sectors in regional revenue in Bintuni Bay. In addition, there is the construction of the Onar Village in West Papua as an industrial area in developing fertilizers and petrochemicals. Plus, you can also find several good projects, such as the Kasuri Block concession developed by Genting Oil.
2. Abundant Seafood
Bintuni Bay is not only the richest in oil and gas, but this region also produces shrimp and crabs. The waters of Bintuni Bay are very abundant in the export sector. In a year, Bintuni Bay can supply up to a fantastic amount of 2 million tons of shrimp and crabs. This region supplies exports to several countries, such as China, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore.
3. Extensive Mangrove Forest
In terms of forestry, Bintuni Bay has a large mangrove forest area. As a result, this location has the largest nature reserve after Brazil (Arizona). Meanwhile, the Bintuni Bay mangrove forest in 1980 was nominated by the World Wild Foundation (WWF) to be included in a nature reserve. With this in mind, there is a Spatial Planning law for the development of nature reserves.
Law Number 26/200 regulates the management of mangrove forest areas in Bintuni Bay by increasing conservation-based development in West Papua. It is essential because mangroves can protect the earth from carbon. The next step, the 1.4 hectares of mangrove forest area in Bintuni, can become an ecotourism area that is beneficial for local communities.
Furthermore, indigenous peoples on the coast of Bintuni Bay have income from mangrove forests. It provides both economic and ecological benefits at the same time. You can know to protect the coastline and marine biota habitat. Local people take advantage of the catch of marine products such as crabs, shrimp, fish, shellfish, and caterpillars.
In other words, mangrove forests help support people’s livelihoods. This district is labelled the most prosperous region because of its natural resources. As a result, this also affects improving the quality of human resources. In addition, it develops agricultural equipment from traditional to modern, which is more sophisticated.
4. Good Education
In terms of education, almost all residents in this district can read and write. The majority of residents of Bintuni Bay received a good education. In addition, this affects daily habits that are easier to keep up with the times. Therefore, human resources in Bintuni Bay are more significant than the rest of West Papua.
It can be concluded, Bintuni Bay has everything that makes the region rich. Starting from natural resources, the availability of raw oil and gas materials to human resources have superior quality. So, Bintuni Bay is a guaranteed area in various sectors, such as the economy, education, health, and export activities to foreign countries.
