Province

Highland Papua

Overview Economy

Papua – Highland Papua

Highland Papua is one of Indonesia’s most recent provinces, formed on June 30, 2022, under Law No. 16/2022, resulting from the partition of Papua province. Situated in the eastern section of the Jayawijaya Mountains, the country’s tallest mountain range, the province is bordered by Mamberamo Raya, Sarmi, Jayapura, and Keerom regencies to the north and Papua New Guinea to the east. To the south, it is bordered by Boven Digoel and Asmat regencies, while to the west, it shares borders with Puncak Jaya, Puncak, and Mimika regencies.

Boasting a land area of 108,476 square kilometers with a population of 1.4 million people, Highland Papua’s provincial capital is Wamena City, with its administrative hub located within Jayawijaya regency. The province comprises eight regencies: Jayawijaya, Lanny Jaya, Central Mamberamo, Nduga, Pegunungan Bintang, Tolikara, Yalimo, and Yahukimo.

Out of its population, followers of various faiths are represented, with the majority identifying as Christians (90.29 percent), followed by Catholics (7.61 percent), Muslims (1.92 percent), followers of indigenous beliefs (0.15 percent), and followers of other religions (0.03 percent).

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Economic

In 2023, Highland Papua's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) stood at Rp 13.3 trillion, with no dominant sector emerging due to its status as a nascent province. In the previous year, the province’s economic growth was noted at 3.05 percent.

Amidst this economic landscape, Highland Papua's commodities play a pivotal role in shaping its emerging market dynamics. Coffee from Wamena serves as the flagship commodity of Highland Papua, complemented by a diverse range of agricultural products including sweet potato, red fruit, onion, agarwood, rubber, pineapple, and orange.

Particularly in the province’s regency of Jayawijaya, the potential for coffee cultivation is notably high, with coffee being their primary commodity. Around 120 tonnes of coffee are produced in this region. However, despite this high production, several districts within Highland Papua are facing grievances from coffee farmers regarding their inability to enhance the quality of their Arabica coffee yields.

Additionally, since the province is quite new, the Highland Papua provincial government is actively fostering the creative economy of Indigenous Papuans (OAP) by utilizing special autonomy funds. This strategic initiative aims to empower local economic actors, enabling them to compete effectively alongside other business entities. Through sustained support and investment, Highland Papua seeks to nurture indigenous entrepreneurship and bolster economic diversity, laying a solid foundation for sustainable development and inclusive growth in the province.

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Latest News

December 26, 2024

The government plans to build two apartment towers in the Highland Papua Province. Housing and Settlement Areas Minister Maruarar Sirait said that the apartments' construction were carried out to provide decent housing for the local community and encourage equitable development in the Papua region.

"We have budgeted for the multi-year construction of apartments [in the state budget]," he said on Nov. 7, 2024.

Maruarar explained that the government is trying to increase infrastructure development, especially decent housing for people throughout Indonesia, including in Highland Papua. He divulged that the Housing and Settlement Areas Ministry will coordinate with the Highland Papua Provincial Government to facilitate the development's implementation.

"We consider all technical aspects as the logistics involved are not easy [to work with] because, if I'm not mistaken, everything [delivered] from Jayapura [City] must use planes, including heavy equipment. We also consider the security aspect," Maruarar explained.

In addition, he conveyed that cross-sector coordination for the construction of 3 million houses is also very much needed so that there is robust planning for said program.

"In the cabinet meeting, President Prabowo also always reminded us all not to be corrupt [in executing the project]. Don't let the [resulting] buildings be unoccupied. The most important thing [for the project] is to be planned and coordinated carefully," Maruarar added.

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