South Papua, officially the South Papua Province (), is an Indonesian province located in the southern portion of Papua, following the borders of the Papuan customary region of Anim Ha. Formally established on 25 July 2022 and including the four most southern regencies that were previously part of the province of Papua and before 11 December 2002 had been a single larger Merauke Regency, it covers a land area of 117,849.16 km2, about the same area as Pennsylvania or Kirov Oblast (or 90% of that of England). This area had a population of 513,617 at the 2020 Census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. while the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 549,650 (285,040 males and 264,610 females),Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Provinsi Papua Selatan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.94) making it the least populous province in Indonesia.
It shares land borders with the separate nation of Papua New Guinea to the east, as well as the Indonesian provinces of Highland Papua and Central Papua to the north and northwest, respectively. South Papua also faces the Arafura Sea in the west and south, which is a maritime border with Australia. Merauke is the economic centre of South Papua, while its administrative centre is the town of Salor located in Kurik District of Merauke Regency, around 60 km northwest of Merauke town.
South Papua's landscape predominantly consists of lowland areas characterized by extensive swamps and massive rivers such as the Digul and Maro. Indigenous ethnic groups inhabit this region, such as the Asmat, Marind, Muyu, and Korowai. They rely on sago and fish as staple dietary sources. Certain tribes like the Asmat were recognized for their wood carving and boating culture. There is also a massive amount of migrants such as Javanese people because of the transmigration program sponsored by the government to convert vast amounts of swamps into rice paddies and increase this region's population. South Papua is also home to the renowned Wasur National Park, an expansive wetland area with rich biodiversity including the agile wallaby, mound-building termites or musamus, and the bird of paradise.
History The wetland region of South Papua, before the arrival of Europeans, was home to several indigenous tribes. These tribes included the Asmat, Marind and Wambon, who still maintain their ancestral traditions in the area. The Marind tribe, also known as the Malind, lived in groups along the rivers in the Merauke region, and their way of life centered around hunting, gathering, and farming. However, the Marind tribe was also notorious for their practice of headhunting. They would travel in boats along the rivers and coasts to distant settlements, where they would behead the inhabitants. The heads of their victims would then be taken back to their villages to be preserved and celebrated.
In the 19th century, European powers began to colonize the island of New Guinea. The island was divided along a straight line, with the western portion falling under the jurisdiction of the Dutch New Guinea region and the eastern portion becoming British New Guinea. Marind people often crossed the border to engage in headhunting activities. In 1902, the Dutch established a military base at the eastern tip of South Papua, near the Maro River, to strengthen the border and eliminate this tradition. This base was named Merauke, after its location. The Dutch also established a Catholic mission in Merauke to spread their religion and to further discourage the practice of headhunting. During the Dutch colonial period, the Javanese people were brought to Merauke to cultivate rice fields. This influx of laborers further contributed to the growth of the town and the development of the surrounding region. Eventually, it became the capital of Afdeeling Zuid Nieuw Guinea or the South New Guinea Province.
In addition to the Maro River, the Dutch also became aware of another, larger river known as the Digul River. In the 1920s, the Dutch government sent an expedition to explore the interior of Papua. The idea emerged to use the remote region as a detention camp, and a suitable location was identified at the headwaters of the Digul River or Boven-Digoel. A concentration camp called Tanah Merah was established, it was a densely forested area surrounded by the harsh Digul River, making it difficult for prisoners to escape. Additionally, the region was plagued by malaria, which further discouraged escape attempts. Over the years, several notable figures were detained at the camp, including Mohammad Hatta and Sutan Sjahrir. After the Dutch left in the 1960s, Tanah Merah became more populated and eventually became the capital of the Boven Digoel Regency.
In the 1960s, Indonesian forces took control of all of Dutch New Guinea, including the former Zuid Nieuw Guinea. Following the takeover, the territory was reorganized, and the former Zuid Nieuw Guinea became the Merauke Regency, with its capital located in Merauke. On 11 December 2002, the Merauke Regency was further divided into four separate regencies: Merauke, Mappi, Asmat, and Boven Digoel. These regencies were established to better serve the needs of the local populations and provide more effective governance across the region. More recently, on 25 July 2022, the former territory of the Merauke Regency was officially re-united with other regions in southern Papua to form the new province of South Papua, following the signing of Law No. 14/2022. The name "South Papua" (Papua Selatan) was chosen instead of "Anim Ha" due to the latter term's historical origins during Dutch rule and its potential to be demeaning to other tribes in southern Papua. In contrast, "South Papua" was selected as an inclusive and unifying name that avoids any negative connotations and reflects the diverse and vibrant cultural heritage of the region. The public reception towards South Papua was far more positive compared to the other new provinces of Central Papua and Highlands Papua, with residents spreading a giant Indonesian flag in front of the regent office of Merauke after the province's establishment.
In 2007, the Regent of Merauke, John Gebze, spearheaded the initiation of the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE), a large-scale development project aimed at enhancing Indonesia's food security. Situated in Merauke, an area renowned for its extensive lowland and fertile terrain, the project sought to capitalize on the region's vast land for agricultural purposes. Originally dubbed the Merauke Integrated Rice Estate (MIRE), with a primary focus on rice cultivation, the initiative later broadened its scope to encompass additional crops such as sugar cane, corn, and oil palm. Officially inaugurated in 2010 during the presidency of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the project garnered participation from numerous private investors. However, its progression faced significant challenges, stemming from divergent perspectives among government entities, investors, and the indigenous Marind community, who held land rights in the area. Furthermore, mounting pressure from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) decrying the project as a violation of indigenous rights and environmental degradation prompted a cessation of new land development activities by the involved companies. During the time of President Joko Widodo, the Food Estate project was revived in various regions with 200,000 hectares of land designated for Papua Island. The main commodities are corn and rice and are located, among others, in Mappi, Boven Digoel and Merauke.
Geography
Geographically, most of the South Papua region is located in lowland area which are dominated by two ecoregions or geographical areas that include an ecosystem and biodiversity within it. These ecoregions are Southern New Guinea freshwater swamp forests and Southern New Guinea lowland rain forests. These two ecoregions are crossed by large rivers originated from New Guinea Highlands which is the highest mountainous area in Indonesia. In South Papua, many sago trees are found, which are a staple food for local tribes. Sago thrives in lowland environments and exhibits robust growth even in areas prone to flooding, including swamps, coastal regions, peatlands, and along riverbanks.
Additionally, there is a smaller but unique ecoregion called Trans-Fly savanna and grasslands which are part of Wasur National Park, a Ramsar wetland of international importance.Ramsar Sites Database , retrieved 30 October 2009 This ecoregion consists of swamp forest, coastal forest, and vast savanna that are flooded at various times, creating a wetland area with massive biodiversity like agile wallaby, mound-building termites or musamus, and the bird of paradise. This wetland also attracts migratory bird for example magpie goose from Australia, also known locally as Boha Wasur.Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, retrieved 2009-10-30
The South Papua region was designated as a transmigration program site due to its expansive lowland areas with vast amount of water which offer ideal conditions for rice cultivation. Transmigration districts such as Semangga, Tanah Miring, and Kurik serve as primary sources of agricultural produce destined for markets in the City of Merauke. However, the influx of migrant populations into these areas has introduced non-native species, such as Javan rusa and tilapia fish, which disrupt the established ecosystem. Particularly, the adaptable tilapia fish proliferates rapidly in this environment, outcompeting indigenous fish species and consequently dominating the catches of fishermen in Merauke's rivers.
Politics Government and administrative divisions
South Papua is divided into four regencies (kabupaten), the least amount compared to other Indonesian provinces. Before 11 December 2002, all four of the current regencies constituted a single Merauke Regency, which was split into the present four regencies on that date. The table below gives the areas of all the regencies, together with their populations at the 2020 Census and according to the official estimates as of mid-2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Provinsi Papua Selatan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.94) KodeWilayah Name ofRegency Seat Regent Area inkm2 Pop'n Census 2020 Pop'n Estimate mid 2025 HDIBadan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023.2022 No. ofdistricts No. ofvillages Coat of arms Location map 93.01 Merauke RegencyMeraukeRomanus Mbaraka45,013.35230,932241,5400.712 ()20190 93.02 Boven Digoel RegencyTanah MerahHengky Yaluwo23,558.2764,28570,2800.625 ()20112 93.03 Mappi RegencyKepiKrisostomus Yohanes Agawemu24,262.23108,295116,9500.596 ()15164 93.04 Asmat RegencyAgatsElisa Kambu25,015.31110,105120,8800.522 ()19221117,849.16513,617549,65074687 </onlyinclude>
The province now forms one of Indonesia's 84 national electoral districts to elect members to the People's Representative Council. The South Papua Electoral District consists of all of the 4 regencies in the province, and elects 3 members to the People's Representative Council.Law No. 7/2017 (UU No. 7 Tahun 2017) as amended by Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 1/2022 and Regulation of General Elections Commission No. 6/2023.
Demographics
South Papua had a population of 513,617 at the 2020 Census, while the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 549,650 - making it the least populous province in Indonesia.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Provinsi Papua Selatan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.94)