Western Province (Papua New Guinea)

Infobox Papua New Guinea Province
name = Western Province
othername = Fly River Province
districts =

---

capital = Daru
area = 99,300 km²
arearank = 1st
pop = 153,304
popdate = 2000
poprank = 15th
popdens = 1.5
governor = Bob Danaya
governordate = 2002
map

---

Western Province is a coastal province in southwestern Papua New Guinea, bordering the Indonesian province of Papua. The provincial capital is Daru, on the island of Daru. The largest town in the province is Tabubil.

Demographics

Western Province covers 99,300 km² and is the largest province in Papua New Guinea by area. There are 153,304 inhabitants (2000 census). There are several large rivers that run through the province including the Fly River and its tributaries including the Strickland and Ok Tedi rivers, the largest lake in Papua New Guinea Lake Murray is also in Western Province. The provincial government has purported to change the name of the province to the Fly River Province but this remains unofficial as names of provinces are set out in the Constitution of Papua New Guinea and changes must be made according to the constitutional amending process.

In the province is the only part of Papua New Guinea which possesses land west of the 141°E line that divides it from Indonesian Western New Guinea. This is a small section of territory bordered by the Fly River.

Economy

The major economic activity in the province is constituted by the Ok Tedi Mine, initially established by BHP and the subject of considerable litigation by traditional landowners both in respect of environmental degradation and disputes over royalties.

Politics

The Western provincial government has, like the governments of North Solomons, Chimbu and Northern Provinces, attempted to change the name of the province. The government uses the term Fly River Provincial Government. However, not having been accomplished by way of constitutional amendment, the change is unofficial.

ee also

Districts of Western Province

* North Fly District
* Middle Fly District
* South Fly District

Geographical Features of Western Province

Rivers

* Ok Tedi River
* Strickland River
* Fly River

Lakes

* Lake Murray

Mountains

*Hindenburg Range
*Hindenburg Wall
*Star Mountains

Man-Made Features in Western Province

* Kiunga-Tabubil Highway

Economy of the Western Province

* Ok Tedi Mine The minesite that provides the main economic drive behind the province, operated by Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML).
* Ok Tedi Environmental Disaster

Major Settlements of the Western Province

* Daru
* Kiunga
* Tabubil
* Ningerum
* Olsobip
* Balimo