Merauke Regency

Merauke Regency is a regency in the far south of the Indonesian province of South Papua. It covers an area of 45,025.91 km2, and had a population of 195,716 at the 2010 Census[3] and 230,932 at the 2020 Census;[4] the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 232,357, comprising 121,237 males and 111,120 females.[1] The administrative centre is the town of Merauke; this was projected since 2013 to become an independent city (kota) separate from Merauke Regency, but the alteration has been deferred. It is also the provincial capital of the new province of South Papua since 2022. Merauke is the largest regency in Indonesia, with an area of 45,026 km2, slightly larger than Estonia.

Merauke Regency
Kabupaten Merauke
Regency
From top-left clockwise; Sabang-Merauke Monument, Brawijaya Circle Monument at Night, Indonesia Time Capsule Monument, Act of Free Choice Monument.
From top-left clockwise; Sabang-Merauke Monument, Brawijaya Circle Monument at Night, Indonesia Time Capsule Monument, Act of Free Choice Monument.
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Izakod Bekai Izakod Kai
(One Heart, One Goal)
Merauke Regency is located in Western New Guinea
Merauke Regency
Merauke Regency
Merauke Regency is located in Indonesia
Merauke Regency
Merauke Regency
Merauke Regency (Indonesia)
Coordinates: 7.6667°S 139.6667°E / -7.6667; 139.6667
Country Indonesia
ProvinceSouth Papua
Regency seatMerauke
Government
 • RegentFrederikus Gebze
 • Vice RegentSularso
Area
 • Total45,025.91 km2 (17,384.60 sq mi)
Population
 (mid 2022 estimate)[1]
 • Total232,357
 • Density5.2/km2 (13/sq mi)
Demographics
[2]
 • ReligionChristianity 58,41%
–Catholicism 39,65%
–Protestantism 18,76%
Islam 41,17%
Hinduism 0,27%
Buddhism 0,15%
Time zoneUTC+9 (Indonesia Eastern Time)
Area code(+62) 971
Websitemerauke.go.id

History

Until 2002, the regency covered a much wider area of southern Papua, but much of the area was split off on 12 November 2002 to form the new Regencies of Asmat, Mappi and Boven Digoel. The four regencies were in 2022 re-grouped to form the new South Papua Province.

Demographics

Ethnicity

One of the tribes originating from Merauke are the Marind (or also called the Marind Anim) and the Sohoers.[5] There are various sub-clans of the Marind Anim tribe, such as Kaize, Gebze, Balagaize, Mahuze, Ndiken, and Basik-basik.

In Dutch colonial period, the local residents lived side by side with the Dutch government employees. After the Western New Guinea integration with Indonesia, the development of the regency then followed by a population increase coming from various regions in the country. As of 2010 Indonesian census male population data, the population of indigenous Papuans in Merauke Regency is 37,731 (36.60%), while non-native Papuans is 65,347 (63.40%).[6][7]

Religion
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bambu Pemali, Merauke district
Al-Aqsha Grand Mosque in Merauke

A 2021 data from Central Agency on Statistics of Merauke Regency indicates that the majority of Merauke Regency population adheres to Christianity (52.84%). The Catholics makes up the majority of them (36.61%) and the remainings are Protestants (16.23%). Another significant religions in the regency is Islam (46.56%), followed by Buddhism (0.44%) and Hindu (0.16%).[8]

Administrative districts
Merauke Regency office

At the 2020 Census, Merauke Regency comprised twenty districts (distrik), listed below with their areas and populations at the 2010 Census[3] and the 2020 Census,[4] together with the official estimates as at mid 2022.[1] Two additional districts have subsequently been created - Kontuar (2,803.41 km2), and Padua (1,825.65 km2 from part of Ilyawab District) - but their details are not yet available. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totalling 179 rural kampung and 11 urban kelurahan, the latter all in Merauke District) and its post code.

Name of
District
(distrik)		Area
in
km2		Pop'n
2010
census		Pop'n
2020
census		Pop'n
mid 2022
estimate		Admin
center		No.
of
villages		Post
code
Kimaam4,262.845,6056,0246,057Kimaam1499641
Waan1,781.404,3643,4133,432Waan1199643
Tabonji3,377.484,9413,8383,856Tabonji999642
Ilwayab2,496.874,9413,8563,876Wanam699640
Okaba1,814.634,7524,1324,157Okaba999638
Tubang1,882.732,1692,6792,705Yowied699639
Ngguti2,331.971,8173,6183,639Po Epe699637
Kaptel3,445.131,6811,7961,806Kaptel599636
Kurik760.2413,16216,23516,390Harapan Makmur1399646
Malind550.048,75310,50310,577Kaiburse799647
Animha1,916.381,8812,3172,339Wayau599644
Merauke
(district)		499.8787,634102,351102,818Merauke (town)(a) 1699604
-99619
Semangga357.8112,81615,81115,962Muram Sari1099631
Tanah Miring1,210.9116,78119,96820,094Hidup Baru1499632
Jagebob1,386.296,9438,0018,046Kartini1499645
Sota2,755.132,8313,4613,491Sota599648
Naukenjerai1,768.471,8302,5002,536Onggaya599621
Muting3,350.125,0366,0686,113Muting1299634
Eligobel1,625.993,7485,1065,123Bupul1299633
Ulilin3,640.574,0429,2559,316Kumaaf1199635
Totals (b)45,025.91 195,716230,932232,357Merauke190

Note: (a) containing all 11 kelurahan (urban villages) and 5 kampung. (b) including the areas of the two newly-created districts of Kontuar and Padua; their populations are still included with the figures for the districts from which they were cut out.

Forests

Much of the area of Merauke Regency is covered by forests. The Wasur National Park forms part of the largest wetland in the regency.

MIFEE (Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate) is a project for use of a big area for industry and also palm oil and food crops agriculture including land grabbing.[9] MIFEE is supported by the national government.[9] There is much indigenous opposition to the MIFEE project.[9] The MIFEE project is expected to cover a 1.2 million hectare area, or a quarter of Merauke.[10] The project threatens conservation areas, such as virgin forests and water catchment areas, as well as the habitat of indigenous peoples in Papua.[11] There were substantial forest fires.[10]

By May 2011, Indonesian government allocated around two million hectares in the regency to 36 national and international corporations for oil palm, timber, and sugarcane enterprises.[12]

Transportation
Port of Merauke

Merauke Regency is equipped by a passenger port, serving Pelni ships, as well as Mopah International Airport serving domestic flights.

See also

References
  1. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023, Kabupaten Merauke Dalam Angka 2023 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9301)
  2. "Kabupaten Merauke Dalam Angka 2016". BPS Kabupaten Merauke. Archived from the original on 2017-08-15. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  3. Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
  4. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
  5. "Sejarah Merauke". portal.merauke.go.id. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  6. "Jumlah Penduduk menurut Klasifikasi Suku - Provinsi Papua". Central Agency on Statistics, Papua Province. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  7. "Kewarganegaraan Suku Bangsa, Agama dan Bahasa Sehari-hari Penduduk Indonesia" (pdf). Central Agency on Statistics. pp. 36–41. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  8. "Kabupaten Merauke Dalam Angka 2021" (pdf). BPS Kabupaten Merauke. pp. 49, 147. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2016-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. The Jakarta Post. "Food estate project may turn Papua into forest fire hotbed - The Jakarta Post". thejakartapost.com. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  11. The Jakarta Post. "Govt to revive food estate project in Papua - The Jakarta Post". thejakartapost.com. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  12. Chao, Sophie (2022). In the shadow of the palms : more-than-human becomings in West Papua. Durham. ISBN 978-1-4780-2285-5. OCLC 1309092277.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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