Western Province (Papua New Guinea) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Western Province Fly River Province
Flag
Western Province in Papua New Guinea
Country	Papua New Guinea
Capital	Daru
Districts	List North Fly Middle Fly South Fly
Area
• Total	98,189 km2 (37,911 sq mi)
Population  (2011 census)
• Total	201,351
• Density	2.050647/km2 (5.31115/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+10 (AEST)
HDI (2018)	0.550 medium · 11th of 22

Western Province is a large area in the southwest of Papua New Guinea. It is next to the country of Indonesia. The main city and capital of the province is Daru.

The biggest town in Western Province is Tabubil. Other important towns include Kiunga, Ningerum, Olsobip, and Balimo. The local government sometimes calls itself the "Fly River Provincial Government." This name comes from the big Fly River that flows through the area.

Geography and Nature

Western Province is the biggest province in Papua New Guinea by land size. It covers about 99,300 square kilometers. Many large rivers flow through this province. These include the Fly River and its smaller rivers, the Strickland and Ok Tedi.

The largest lake in Papua New Guinea, called Lake Murray, is also found here. This province is special because it is the only part of Papua New Guinea that extends west of the 141°E line. This line usually divides Papua New Guinea from Indonesian Western New Guinea.

Wildlife and Plants

The Tonda Wildlife Management Area is in the southwestern part of the province. It is a very important wetland area. It is also the largest protected area in all of Papua New Guinea.

The plants and animals in much of Western Province are similar to those found in northern Australia. You can find trees like eucalyptus, melaleuca, acacia, and banksias.

Animals that live here include wallabies, bandicoots, goannas, and coastal taipan snakes. You might also see large piles of dirt made by termites.

The southern parts of the province are drier. They have eucalyptus and melaleuca forests called Trans-Fly savanna and grasslands. These areas are home to many birds, wallabies, and deer. The northern parts have thick rainforests.

The dry season in Western Province is from July to November. The wet season is from December to June. In the wetter north, people mostly grow Sago. In the drier south, they mainly grow yams.

People of Western Province

In 2011, there were 201,351 people living in Western Province. These people lived in about 31,322 homes.

Most people lived in the Middle Fly District (79,349 people). The North Fly District had 62,850 people, and the South Fly District had 59,152 people. On average, about 6 to 7 people lived in each home.

Economy and Resources

The Ok Tedi Mine, an important part of the province's economy.

The main way people make money in Western Province is through the Ok Tedi Mine. This mine was first started by a company called BHP. Today, it is run by Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML).

The mine has been important for the economy. However, there have been some concerns about its impact on the environment and how money from the mine was shared with local landowners.

Districts and Local Governments

A map showing the three districts of Western Province.

Western Province is divided into three main areas called districts. Each district has smaller areas called Local Level Government (LLG) areas. These LLG areas are further divided into smaller sections for counting people in a census.

Provincial Leaders

From 1977 to 1995, Western Province was run by a local government led by a person called a Premier. After 1995, the national government took back some control. The role of Premier was changed to Governor. The Governor is now the person who wins the province-wide election to be a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea.

Premiers (1977–1995)

These people were the Premiers of Western Province:

Governors (1995–present)

These people have been the Governors of Western Province since 1995:

Members of the National Parliament

Western Province and each of its districts have a person who represents them in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea. There is one member for the whole province and one member for each district.

See also

In Spanish: Provincia Occidental (Papúa Nueva Guinea) para niños