Puncak Jaya Regency is one of the regencies (kabupaten) in the Indonesian province of Central Papua. It is an inland highland regency,McGibbon, Rodd. Plural Society in Peril: Migration, Economic Change, and the Papua Conflict, East–West Center (2004). Retrieved December 20, 2010. lying directly east of Paniai Regency and west of Jayawijaya Regency and Tolikara Regency (including those new regencies which have subsequently been created within the former boundaries of those regencies).Map of Papua Province, Indonesia, East–West Center publication. Retrieved December 20, 2010. As of 2004, it was reported that these four regencies had a population that is 93–97% ethnic Papua; however this included areas which have subsequently been formed into new regencies.
In 2008 an additional regency - simply named Puncak Regency - was created from the western part of the area of Puncak Jaya Regency. The residual Puncak Jaya Regency covers an area of 6,515 km2, and had a population of 101,148 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. which increased to 224,527 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 221,045 (comprising 118,228 males and 102,817 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Puncak Jaya Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411)
The capital of the regency is Mulia.
According to a 2009 profile in Indonesia's Tempo magazine, Puncak Jaya had sixteen districts (distrik) 147 villages, and 147,000 residents;(16 March 2009). Building a New Papua,Tempo. Retrieved December 20, 2010. However this did not take into account the fact that under Law No. 7/2008, eight of these districts had already been removed from Puncak Jaya Regency in 2008 and formed into a separate Puncak Regency in 2008. The 2010 Census revealed a population of 101,148 in the residual Puncak Jaya Regency,Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. which by the 2020 Census had more than doubled to 224,527.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. It is a difficult ten-hour drive from Wamena (Jayawijaya Regency) to the mostly undeveloped regency. Separatists in the Free Papua Movement are active in the area.
Administrative districts At the 2010 Census, the existing regency comprised eight districts (distrik), tabulated below with their populations at the 2010 Census.Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
Name ofDistrict(distrik) Pop'n 2010Census Fawi 3,420 Mulia 22,278 Mewoluk 5,189 Yamo 13,161 Ilu 18,344 Torere 6,710 Jigonikme 8,040 Tingginambut 24,006
However, by 2018 these had been split to create additional districts, which in 2018 numbered twenty-six, listed below with their areas and their populations at the 2020 CensusBadan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. and according to the official estimates as at mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Puncak Jaya Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centre, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 302 rural kampong and 3 urban kelurahan), and its postcode.
The nineteen new districts created by 2018 are Dagai, Dokome, Gubume, Gurage, Ilamburawi, Irimuli, Kalome, Kiyage, Lumo, Molanikime, Muara, Nioga, Nume, Pagaleme, Taganombak, Waegi, Wanwi, Yambi and Yamoneri; the previous Jigonikme District has ceased to exist.
Kode Wilayah Name of District(distrik) Areainkm2 Pop'n Census2020 Pop'n Estimatemid 2025AdminCentreNo. ofVillagesPostcode 94.02.03 Fawi Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Fawi Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411040 1,145 4,320 4,930 Fawi 9 98942 94.02.25 Dagai Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Dagai Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411041 866 4,033 4,404 Dagai 10 98941 94.02.26 Kiyage Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kiyage Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411042 492 5,179 5,147 Kiyage 8 98943 94.02.01 Mulia Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Mulia Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411050 268 32,755 34,898 Wuyukwi 11 (a) 98915 94.02.14 Yambi Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Yambi Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411053 206 9,364 9,388 Yambi 9 98917 94.02.13 Ilamburawi Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Ilamburawi Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411054 110 6,102 5,466 Ilamburawi 5 98912 94.02.12 Muara Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Muara Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411055 137 11,319 10,732 Muara 8 98914 94.02.09 Pagaleme Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Pagaleme Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411056 100 12,212 9,912 Pagaleme 5 98916 94.02.10 Gurage Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Gurage Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411057 162 8,704 8,253 Yarmukum 11 98911 94.02.11 Irimuli Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Irimuli Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411058 159 8,362 9,023 Wondengobak 9 98913 94.02.04 Merwoluk Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Mewoluk Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411080 251 8,594 8,089 Merwoluk 8 98945 94.02.15 Lumo Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Lumo Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411081 258 10,593 8,059 Lumo 9 98944 94.02.16 Molanikime Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Molanikime Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411082 105 4,734 4,494 Tiolome 5 98946 94.02.05 Yamo Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Yamo Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411090 456 10,503 9,662 Yamo 14 98925 95.02.17 Dokome Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Dokome Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411091 273 5,103 4,442 Dokome 9 98924 94.02.02 Ilu Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Ilu Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411060 270 13,393 15,036 Wurak 21 (b) 98935 94.02.20 Yamoneri Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Yamoneri Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411063 269 9,247 9,341 Yamoneri 16 98937 94.02.21 Waegi Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Waegi Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411064 212 10,349 8,885 Anggutare 19 98936 94.02.06 Nume Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Nume Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411065 143 3,405 4,154 Nume 13 98933 94.02.22 Nioga Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Nioga Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411066 110 9,321 9,639 Nioga 11 98932 94.02.23 Gubume Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Gubume Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411067 170 5,793 6,595 Gubume 17 98931 94.02.24 Taganombak Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Taganombak Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411068 98 4,737 5,203 Guna 10 98934 94.02.07 Torere Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Torere Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411061 527 4,355 3,997 Gubugani 13 98926 94.02.08 Tingginambut Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Tingginambut Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411070 277 8,010 8,394 Tingginambut 22 98922 94.02.18 Kalome Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kalome Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411071 179 8,119 8,136 Kalome 16 98921 94.02.19 Wanwi Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Wanwi Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9411072 184 5,921 4,766 Wonwi 17 98923 Totals 6,515 224,527 221,045 Mulia 305
Notes: (a) includes two kelurahan - the towns of Wuyukwi and Pagaleme. Note the Pagaleme kelurahan in this district is different from the Pagaleme kampong in Pagaleme District. (b) includes one kelurahan - the town of Wurak.
Towns included Aginilia Buguba Jebegot Lambo Mulia Mbambawa Motorbivak Rustoord Splitsingbivak Tombage
Climate Mulia, the seat of the regency, has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cfb) with cool to pleasant mornings, warm to very warm afternoons, and heavy rainfall year-round.
References
External links Detail maps from Indonesian government, this regency: (includes northern portion) (includes southern portion, including location of Mulia) Statistics publications from Statistics Indonesia (BPS)