Southwest Papua, Maritime province on Bird's Head Peninsula, Indonesia.
Southwest Papua stretches across the northern part of New Guinea, covering the Bird's Head Peninsula and the Raja Ampat archipelago with its coral reefs. The province extends from the western tip of the island into the interior with mountains, rainforests and remote coastal areas.
The territory became part of Indonesia in 1969 and remained under the administration of larger provinces for decades. It gained its own provincial status in 2022 after separating from West Papua.
The region is home to 52 different communities, including the Moi, Maybrat, Ayamaru and Aitinyo, each maintaining their own languages and customs. Many coastal villages and outlying islands remain shaped by traditional fishing and agriculture.
Sorong serves as the capital and transport hub with an international airport and seaport for connections to other Indonesian islands. Many areas in the interior and on remote islands are only accessible by boat or small aircraft and require extra planning.
In the Tambrauw region, 80 percent of the land is protected, preserving large continuous forest areas and rare animal species. Underwater, some of the world's most diverse coral reefs can be found with several hundred fish and coral species in a small space.
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