Province

Southwest Papua

Papua – Southwest Papua

Southwest Papua, with its capital in the bustling city of Sorong, officially gained provincial status on November 17, 2022, through Law No. 29/2022. The province shares its borders with various neighboring regions: to the north, it adjoins the countries of the Philippines and Palau, as well as the Pacific Ocean; to the east, it borders West Papua’s regencies of Manokwari and Teluk Bintuni; to the west, it shares boundaries with the provinces of Maluku and North Maluku; and to the south, it is bordered by West Papua’s Fakfak and Kaimana regencies.

Covering a vast area of 38,820 square kilometers and home to over 600,000 individuals, Southwest Papua comprises five districts and a city, including Sorong regency, the city of Sorong itself, South Sorong regency, Maybrat regency, Tambrauw regency, and the Raja Ampat regency, known for its island paradise. Additionally, the province features a diverse range of landscapes from mountains to beaches, as well as a rich variety of cultures and wildlife.

Southwest Papua also boasts a diverse religious landscape. As of 2022, a majority of its population practices Christianity at 54.05 percent, and Catholicism at 7.16 percent. Islam also holds a significant presence in the province at 38.14 percent, while Hinduism and Buddhism each make up a smaller portion of the population with 0.1 percent each.

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Economic Description

In 2023, Southwest Papua's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) surged to Rp 24 trillion, marking a significant milestone considering its status as a newly established province. Among the key contributing sectors, mining and quarrying emerged as a formidable player, generating Rp 3.1 trillion in GRDP. This sector, encompassing activities such as crude petroleum, natural gas, and geothermal exploration, accounted for a substantial portion of the province's overall economic output, with contributions totaling Rp 1.9 trillion.

Furthermore, the construction industry played a pivotal role in driving economic growth, contributing Rp 3 trillion to Southwest Papua's GRDP. This sector's robust performance reflects ongoing infrastructure development initiatives and investment projects across the province, signaling confidence in its prospects and development trajectory.

Additionally, the agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors demonstrated resilience and stability, contributing Rp 2.8 trillion to the province’s GRDP in 2023. Southwest Papua holds promise for a thriving agricultural sector, with corn, peanuts, vegetables, sago, cattle, and chicken farming identified as areas with significant growth potential in the region.

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Latest News

April 28, 2025

The Southwest Papua Provincial Government is developing peanut cultivation as a leading commodity in Maybrat Regency to improve the economic conditions of the region's people. Southwest Papua Agriculture, Food, Maritime Affairs, and Fisheries Office Head Absalom Solossa stated in Sorong on Apr. 20, 2025 that Maybrat Regency has the potential for peanut cultivation due to its fertile land. Hence, the government is provided seeds and equipment to help farmers plant peanuts.

"This is the benefit of the presence of this province, to bring services closer to the local community," he added.

Absalom noted that almost everyone in 200 villages across Maybrat Regency grow peanuts, and indigenous Papuans make up the majority of the farmer groups in those villages.

"We are currently recording the number of peanut farmer groups so that assistance to them could be followed up on," he divulged.

Absalom acknowledged that peanut production in Maybrat Regency is quite high, but is constrained in terms of marketing the commodity's harvest.

"We work around this [limitation] by providing training in peanut [products]-making techniques [and] packing, [with the products] to later be marketed through public places such as airports, supermarkets, and hotels," he said.

In addition, the Southwest Papua Provincial Government has developed peanut cultivation in Wendi Village, Sawiat District, South Sorong Regency by successfully harvesting peanuts on 1 hectare (ha) of land with a harvest volume of 100 kilograms.

Absalom hopes that efforts to develop peanut cultivation will improve the economic conditions of Southwest Papua's local community, especially in hinterland areas.

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