Iriann Jaya or Western New Guinea is an Indonesian territory. Irian Jaya - general information Irian Jaya Indonesia

Irian Jaya is the name of the western part of the island of New Guinea. The area, formerly Dutch New Guinea, was annexed to Indonesia in 1963 after a short but fierce military campaign by President Sukarno.

Today Irian Jaya is considered the most isolated from the rest of the world region. Mangrove swamps make significant parts of the coast impassable, and dense jungle and high mountains(some snow-covered peaks reach a height of 5000 m) completely isolate certain parts of this territory from each other. There are almost no roads and extremely undeveloped air and sea links, as a result of which many remote villages sometimes have to travel for weeks along narrow and dangerous paths.

In part, probably due to its territorial fragmentation, this province is distinguished by an incredible diversity of peoples and cultures. Isolated and highly distinctive local tribes - many of whom have barely surpassed the Stone Age level - speak more than 100 languages ​​that even their neighbors cannot understand.

Irian Jaya is distinguished by an amazing variety of flora and fauna. Ferns, orchids and climbing plants form a living carpet here, intertwining with the overhanging canopy of the rainforest. These dense thickets are home to over 700 bird species, including the huge flightless cassowary and the famous bird of paradise (Paradisea apoda). In forests and in open areas overgrown with grass, marsupials are also found - tree and shrub kangaroos, flying squirrels.

After oil was discovered half a century ago in western New Guinea, the port city of Sorong (40,000 inhabitants) grew up here with hotels and bars, where workers from other parts of Indonesia began to arrive. From Sorong, it is easy to get by boat to the Raja Empat Island Reserve, where birds of paradise can be observed in natural conditions.

Jayapura, the administrative center of the province of Irian Jaya and its largest city (50 thousand inhabitants), was founded at one time by the Dutch, who claimed the middle part north coast New Guinea. To the east of Jayapura, on the shore of the Yos Sudar-so bay, there is nature reserve Jotefa with many beautiful beaches, where you can see the skeletons of several ships that were once sunk during the hostilities at sea. To the east, along the coast of the bay, there is a settlement of the Sepik tribe, famous for the primitivist painting of tree bark and the manufacture of carved ancestral figures. In the eastern suburbs of Jayapura is the Chend Ravasih University building with its magnificent Anthropological Museum. The most interesting in the museum's exposition is the collection of artifacts from the Asmat tribe, acquired with a grant from the John D. Rockefeller III Foundation. The figures and weapons presented here by the craftsmen of this tribe are distinguished by absolute harmony and aesthetic perfection and are highly appreciated by connoisseurs of primitivist art. Although the Asmat tribe lives on the southern coast of New Guinea, there is a specialty shop for Asmat handicrafts in Jayapura.

Of the highland regions of the province of Irian Jaya, the most extensive and accessible is the Grand Baliem valley located in its central part - a 72-kilometer stone corridor along which the Baliem River flows. More than 100 thousand people from the Dani tribe live here in small villages scattered throughout this wide valley. You can only get here and out of here by air. Trails and an ever-increasing number of car tracks connect the center of the Wamenu Valley with the rest of the villages. Don't forget to bring warm clothes, sturdy shoes and a backpack. Porters and guides can be hired from the hotel in Wamena.

Having crossed the river, many tourists make a three-hour hike to the village of Akim, where the local headman shows the mummified body of his deceased grandfather for a small fee.

Eric Oei
Guide: Window to the World, Southeast Asia.

about country

Irian Jaya is part of the island of New Guinea, which is also called Western New Guinea located on the west coast. Previously, this territory was called Netherlands New Guinea (West Irian), and was annexed to Indonesia in 1969 as a result of a state border expansion campaign undertaken by President Sukarno. Since 1973 West Irian got the name Irian Jaya, which translates as "Victory Irian". And today Irian Jaya is divided into two provinces: Papua and West Papua, which know little about each other's habits and traditions, since they live apart.

The western part of Irian is washed by the Pacific Ocean in the north, the Keram Sea in the west, and the Arafura Sea in the south, that's why it is here that people find the best dive sites of Irian Jaya... The territory of Irian Jaya is 421,981 square meters, which represents 22% of the total land area of ​​the Indonesian Peninsula. The main city of West Irian is the port of Jayapura. The territory is dominated by mountainous terrain, since Irian Jaya located south of the equator. West Irian is divided into two parts by the ridge of the Maoke Mountains, which stretches over a vast territory from north to south. The most high point Indonesia is the top of Punchak, whose height is 5,030 m. Almost 75% of the island's territory is covered with forests, most of which are impenetrable tropical thickets.

Today Irian Jaya the world is considered the most isolated area from the outside world. Perhaps that is why diving, Indonesia for which is the best place, is developed here so widely. Significant parts of the coast are impassable here due to mangrove swamps, and high mountains and dense thickets of jungle completely isolate the hotel areas from each other. There are few roads, there is practically no developed sea and air communication, in view of which many residents from distant villages have to make their way along dangerous and narrow paths to find out the news, often for weeks. Due to this territorial fragmentation, the province of Irian Jaya has a huge variety of cultures and peoples. Indonesia, represented by this peninsula, has even isolated and peculiar tribes, which in their development barely survived the Stone Age. The most popular today is the Asmat tribe, who are called "headhunters". It gained its fame in 1961 when Michael Rockefeller, the son of a New York governor, disappeared. All the newspapers of the world then broadcast the sensational news about the missing son of the governor, who went to Irian Jaya in search of the household items of this bloodthirsty tribe.

The least populated area of ​​Indonesia is West Irian, home to 1.56 million inhabitants, which is an average population density of 4 people per 1 square kilometer... More than a third of the population lives in rural areas, preferring to exist in small groups. As a rule, all settlements are located on the shores of the sea and in some fertility valleys, but there are people in the provinces of border cities. Irian Jaya- an amazing place: large areas in its province are not inhabited by people at all. The population moves between cities by sea and by air. The main settlements here are Mankovari, Biak, Merauke, Sorong and Jayapura (the population of the latter is almost 150 million people). Jayapura is the administrative center of Irian Jaya, and also the most Big city... It was founded by the Dutch, who laid claim to the northern coast of New Guinea. In the western part of Irian, people communicate in almost 300 different languages ​​of the world, which are so different that neighboring tribes do not understand each other. The official language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia, which is used as a common language on the peninsula.

Everything about the climate of the peninsula serves to please tourists. The climate here is tropical, hot and humid on the coasts. The rainy season here begins in December and lasts until March; drought lasts from May to October. It is always hot and humid almost everywhere. Indonesia It is distinguished by hot summers, when the air temperature is from +24 to + 32 ° C, and warm winters, with temperatures from +24 to + 28 ° C. The temperature in the mountains is lower, and in some places there is even snow. The rains pouring down on Irian-Jaya are very strong, especially in summer. In addition, there are incredibly long rivers, the main of which are Tariku, Memberamo and Baliem. The mangrove swamps and tidal forests in the southwest are the result of the Indonesian rivers.

Flora and fauna

Western New Guinea it is not for nothing that it is considered a paradise for nature lovers. There is an incredibly huge number of representatives of fauna and flora, striking in their diversity and splendor. Flora Irian Jaya represented by a wide variety of meadows, mountains, bogs and marshes, tidal, tropical, coniferous and deciduous forests, where you can find an abundance of ferns, grasses, lianas, moss, trees and flowers. Among the dense thickets of bushes, here you can see a wide variety of butterflies, more than 720 species of birds, 80 species of the famous birds of paradise. Vertebrates in Indonesia are not much different from Australian animals: kangaroos and flying squirrels can be seen here. In the forests, you will certainly find turtles, snakes, anteaters, possums, porcupines, rats and bats, marsupial cats and giant lizards. Dive sites of Irian Jaya attract tourists with a varied underwater life, where you can find real wonders of nature.

Off the islands west coast, as well as Birds of Paradise Bay, there are simply stunning coral reefs that leave no one indifferent. Among other explored sites, it is also worth noting the Raja Ampat Islands, Sorong Peninsula, Cape Mankovari, and Biak Island. It is in these places diving, Indonesia for which it has become the main place for such entertainment, it is the most common and deserves the attention of tourists. Indeed, such beauty cannot but attract: here the splendor of coral reefs, and deep-water walls, and real sharks, and the clearest waters, and cave dwellers - all attract diving enthusiasts, offering an unforgettable experience. Even the most sophisticated wreck divers cannot fail to attract sunken divers into the Second world war ships, ships and aircraft. Diving v Irian Jaya- this is exotic, which so attracts all adventure seekers, because it is here that you can see the amazing underwater kingdom and the wealth of marine life. If you wish, you can get there and photograph the remains of planes and warships that found their graves here. What attracts tourists and animal lovers, bird watchers and diving fans here? The answer is extremely simple: coastlines, outlined by white sands, as well as the clear water of the lagoons of a greenish-bluish color, which are framed by the lush greenery of real rainforests with their bizarre hosts.

G., the west of New Guinea was formerly known as Dutch New Guinea and West Irian, and in 1973-2000 as Irian Jaya.

The territory of Western New Guinea was annexed by Indonesia in the year according to Free Choice Act, the competence of which is not recognized by everyone. In the year, the Indonesian government announced that the territory of Irian Jaya, which was previously a single province, will be divided into three provinces: Papua, Central Irian Jaya and Western Irian Jaya. However, this decision was met with significant protests among local population... As a result of the decision of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, the creation of the province of Central Irian Jaya was canceled. Western Irian Jaya was already created by that time (6.02.2006), but its future is still unclear. It was renamed a province on 7 February 2007 West Papua(Papua Barat).

Geography

Western New Guinea is washed in the north by the Pacific Ocean, in the west - by the Keram Sea, in the south - by the Arafura Sea, and in the east it is bordered by Papua New Guinea. Territory of Irian Jaya - 421,981 sq. km - this is 22% of the entire land area of ​​Indonesia. Main city- the port of Jayapura. The province is located south of the equator and is dominated by mountainous terrain. The Maoke Range, which stretches from north to south, divides West Irian into two. Peak Punchak is 5030 m high and is the highest point in Indonesia. About 75% of the territory of Irian Jaya is covered with forests, most of which are impenetrable tropical.

Topographic map of Western New Guinea

The climate is predominantly tropical, humid and hot on the coast; the rainy season lasts from December to March, the dry season from May to October; characteristic slight seasonal fluctuations in temperature. The climate is hot and very humid almost everywhere. Summer temperatures range from +24 ... +32 ° C, in winter +24 ... +28 ° C. In the mountains, the temperature is lower, in some places there are snow fields that never melt. The rains are very heavy, especially in the summer, the level of precipitation is from 1300 to 5000 mm per year. Irian Jaya boasts the longest rivers in Indonesia such as Baliem, Memberamo and Tariku. In the southwest, rivers have created large mangrove swamps and tidal forests.

Nature

Western New Guinea is considered a paradise for nature scientists, it is distinguished by an amazing variety of flora and fauna. Vegetable world has representatives of mountains, meadows, swamps and bogs, tropical, tidal, deciduous and coniferous forests, in which you can find an endless variety of grasses, lyes, ferns, moss, lianas, flowers and trees. The fauna of the province is also very diverse. Various plants form a living carpet here, intertwining with the overhanging canopy of the rainforest. Freshwater and terrestrial vertebrates are almost indistinguishable from animals found in Australia, including the marsupial family. In forests and open grassy areas, you can find many varieties of snakes, turtles, anteaters, porcupines, possums, bats and rats (including the world's largest water rats that can climb trees), as well as giant lizards, kangaroos, tree-dwelling and marsupial cats. Irian Jaya is known for its variety of butterflies and many (700) unique bird species, including 80 species of bird of paradise and the huge flightless cassowary. V coastal waters you can find sea turtles and sea cows.

To the east of Jayapura, on the shores of the Yos Sudar-so bay, is the Yotefa Nature Reserve with many beautiful beaches, with the wrecks of several ships that were once sunk during the hostilities at sea. From Sorong, there is easy access to the Raja Empat Island Reserve.

In the waters off the Bird's Head Peninsula, the highest concentration of hard corals known to science is recorded - more than 250 different species of them per hectare. This is more than four times the number of coral species in the entire Caribbean, but on an area roughly equal to two football fields. 2 new species of epaulette shark have been discovered, so named for these military uniform-shaped spots on the sides. These elegant fish grow up to 1.2 meters in length and, moving along the bottom, lean on their pectoral fins. As well as 8 new shrimp species, 24 fish species and 20 corals, many of which are endemic. These reefs are literally “species factories”. In the inner valley of the Foja ridge (Foja) in several. hundreds of kilometers from the Bird's Head, many new, previously unknown species of animals and plants have been discovered: giant flowers and a rare tree kangaroo; orange honey badger: the first new bird species found on the giant island in over 60 years. The Foja Ridge and the Bird's Head waters are considered some of the most biodiversity-unique regions on the planet.

Population

The end of Dutch rule coincided with a campaign of confrontation launched by President Sukarno, who sent over 2,000 Indonesian troops to the province to provoke an anti-Dutch uprising that ended in failure. The western part of New Guinea, which received the new name West Irian, gradually came under the control of the Indonesian government and the issue of annexing the territory to Indonesia was to be resolved through a referendum. In 1963 there was the first attempt to proclaim the independent Republic of West Papua, suppressed by force by the Indonesian authorities.

Links

• List of inhabitants of the fauna of Western New Guinea

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

app. part about. New Guinea, owned by the Republic of Indonesia. Area 412.8 thousand km 2, pop. St. 700 tons (1962). Main population - Irians, including Papuans, Melanesians, Indonesians; there are also Europeans. Indigenous population is engaged in agriculture, gathering wild fruits, fishing, hunting. Community-based land use prevails. The administrative center is Kotabaru (former Hollandia). The history of ZI is part of the history of Indonesia. In the Middle Ages, Z.I. was controlled by the rulers of Srivijaya (7th to 13th centuries), and later was part of the Majapahit empire (13th to 16th centuries). For influence in Z.I. there was an acute struggle between the sultanates of Tidor and Ternate, which ended in the 17th century. the victory of Tidor, who subjugated ZI. After the colonial expansion of Holland spread to ZI, it became at the beginning of the 20th century. part of the so-called Netherlands East Indies.

Under the terms of the Dutch-Indonesian. agreements (see "Roundtable" conference), signed in November. 1949, Holland formally recognized Indonesia's sovereignty over the entire territory. b. Goll. East Indies with the proviso that ZI will temporarily remain under its control and the question of it will be resolved through bilateral negotiations within one year from the date of the transfer of sovereignty to Indonesia. However, the negotiations (Apr 1950 - Feb 1952) were thwarted by the Dutch. In Feb. 1952 Dutch the pr-in carried out an amendment to the constitution, which declared ZI a part of the kingdom of the Netherlands. At the 9th (1954), 10th (1955), 11th (Nov. 1956 - March 1957) and 12th (1957) sessions of Gen. Of the UN Assembly, which considered the question of ZI, the just demands of Indonesia were not satisfied because of the opposition of the West. powers.

In 1962, Indonesian training began. armed forces to the possible military. operations against the Dutch in ZI; several hundred indones. paratroopers began fighting there. Goll. the production was forced on August 15. 1962 Sign an agreement in New York on the transfer of ZI to Indonesian administration. On May 1, 1963, Z. I. became part of Indonesia.

Lit .: Kesselbrenner G., Zap. Irian, M, 1960; Jamin M., Kedaulatan Indonesia atas Irian Barat, Bukittinggi-Djakarta-Medan, 1956.

V.V. Gordeev. Moscow.

• - - app. part of New Guinea Island. B. colony Niederl. New Guinea. Since 05/01/1963 as part of Indonesia ...

  Big philatelic dictionary

• - originates from C from Carpathian mountains, in Galicia, and after a 120-verst current it enters the borders of Russia, making up the border of the lips over a considerable area. Volyn and Lublin, then Grodno and Sedletskaya, further ...

  Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron

• - the western part of the island of New Guinea, part of Indonesia. Administratively forms a province. The area is 412.8 thousand km2. Population 918 thousand people. ... The administrative center is Jayapura ...
• - Indonesian name of about. New Guinea...

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• - a river in the Ukraine, Belarus and Poland, the right tributary of the river. Narev. 772 km, basin area 39.4 thousand km & sup2. The main tributary is the Mukhavets. Navigable 315 km from the mouth. It is connected by canals with the Dnieper and Neman. On the Bug - Brest ...

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• - WEST, western, western. adj. to the west. Western direction... Western trend. Western Europe. ❖ Western Church - Roman Catholic Church ...

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• - western I adj. 1.rel. with noun west associated with it 2. Inherent in the west, characteristic of it. 3. Westward. 4. Facing west. 5. Walking, blowing from the west. II app. 1...

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Western New Guinea (Irian Jaya, West Irian) - the name of the western part of the island of New Guinea, belonging to Indonesia, which consists of two provinces: Papua and West Irian Jaya. Part of Indonesia in 1969, the west of New Guinea was formerly known as Netherlands New Guinea and West Irian, and in 1973-2000 as Irian Jaya.

The territory of Western New Guinea was annexed by Indonesia in 1969 under the Free Choice Act, the validity of which is not recognized by everyone. In 2003, the Indonesian government announced that the territory of Irian Jaya, which was previously a single province, would be divided into three provinces: Papua, Central Irian Jaya and Western Irian Jaya. However, this decision was met with significant protests among the local population. As a result of the decision of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, the creation of the province of Central Irian Jaya was canceled. Western Irian Jaya was already created by that time (6.02.2006), but its future is still unclear. On February 7, 2007, it was renamed the Province of West Papua (Papua Barat).

Geography

Western New Guinea in the north it is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, in the west - by the Keram Sea, in the south - by the Arafura Sea, and in the east it is bordered by Papua New Guinea.

Territory of Irian Jaya - 421,981 sq. km - this is 22% of the entire land area of ​​Indonesia.

Main city- the port of Jayapura.

Flag of Irian Jaya

The province is located south of the equator and is dominated by mountainous terrain. The Maoke Range, which stretches from north to south, divides West Irian into two. Punchak peak at a height of 5030 m is the highest point in Indonesia. About 75% of the territory of Irian Jaya is covered with forests, most of which are impenetrable tropical.

Climatepredominantly tropical, humid and hot on the coast; the rainy season lasts from December to March, the dry season from May to October; characteristic slight seasonal fluctuations in temperature. The climate is hot and very humid almost everywhere. Summer temperatures range from +24 ... +32 ° C, in winter +24 ... +28 ° C. In the mountains, the temperature is lower, in some places there are snow fields that never melt. The rains are very heavy, especially in the summer, the level of precipitation is from 1300 to 5000 mm per year. Irian Jaya boasts the longest rivers in Indonesia such as Baliem, Memberamo and Tariku. In the southwest, rivers have created large mangrove swamps and tidal forests.

Today Irian Jaya is considered the most isolated from the rest of the world region. Mangrove swamps make large parts of the coast impassable, and dense jungles and high mountains (some of the snow-covered peaks reach a height of 5,000 m) completely isolate certain parts of this territory from each other. There are almost no roads and extremely undeveloped air and sea links, as a result of which many remote villages sometimes have to travel for weeks along narrow and dangerous paths.

In part, probably due to its territorial fragmentation, this province is distinguished by an incredible diversity of peoples and cultures. Isolated and highly distinctive local tribes - many of whom have barely surpassed the Stone Age level - speak more than 100 languages ​​that even their neighbors cannot understand.

Irian Jaya is distinguished by an amazing variety of flora and fauna. Ferns, orchids and climbing plants form a living carpet here, intertwining with the overhanging canopy of the rainforest. These dense thickets are home to over 700 bird species, including the huge flightless cassowary and the famous bird of paradise (Paradisea apoda). In forests and in open areas overgrown with grass, marsupials are also found - tree and shrub kangaroos, flying squirrels.

After oil was discovered in western New Guinea half a century ago, a port Sorong city(40 thousand inhabitants) with hotels and bars, where workers from other parts of Indonesia began to arrive. From Sorong, it is easy to get by boat to the Raja Empat Island Reserve, where birds of paradise can be observed in natural conditions.

Jayapura, the administrative center of the province of Irian Jaya and its largest city (50 thousand inhabitants), was founded at one time by the Dutch, who claimed the middle part of the northern coast of New Guinea. To the east of Jayapura, on the shores of Yos Sudar-so Bay, is the Yotefa Nature Reserve with many beautiful beaches, where you can see the skeletons of several ships that were once sunk during the hostilities at sea. To the east, along the coast of the bay, there is a settlement of the Sepik tribe, famous for the primitivist painting of tree bark and the manufacture of carved ancestral figures. In the eastern suburbs of Jayapura is the Chend Ravasih University building with its magnificent Anthropological Museum. The most interesting in the museum's exposition is the collection of artifacts from the Asmat tribe, acquired with a grant from the John D. Rockefeller III Foundation. The figures and weapons presented here by the craftsmen of this tribe are distinguished by absolute harmony and aesthetic perfection and are highly appreciated by connoisseurs of primitivist art. Although the Asmat tribe lives on the southern coast of New Guinea, there is a specialty shop for Asmat handicrafts in Jayapura.