Kaimana Regency

Kaimana Regency is a regency in the south of West Papua province of Indonesia. It covers an area of 18,500 sq. km, and had a population of 46,249 at the 2010 Census^[3] and 62,256 at the 2020 Census;^[4] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 65,490 (comprising 34,135 males and 31,355 females).^[1] The administrative centre is the town of Kaimana. The Mairasi languages are spoken in the regency, among other languages.

Kaimana Regency Kabupaten Kaimana
Regency
Coat of arms
Location in West Papua
Kaimana Regency Location in Indonesia
Coordinates: 3.6609°S 133.7745°E / -3.6609; 133.7745
Country	Indonesia
Province	West Papua
Capital	Kaimana
Government
• Regent	Hasan Achmad [id]
• Vice Regent	Isak Waryensi [id]
Area
• Total	18,500 km2 (7,100 sq mi)
Population  (mid 2023 estimate)[1]
• Total	65,490
• Density	3.5/km2 (9.2/sq mi)
Demographics [2]
• Religion	Islam 50,63% Christianity 49,32% –Protestantism 39,98% –Catholicism 9,34% Hinduism 0,06%
Time zone	UTC+9 (IEST)
Area code	(+62) 957
Website	kaimanakab.go.id

The regency includes the western portion of the Bird's Neck Isthmus and the southeastern portion of the Bomberai Peninsula.

Administrative districts

The regency comprises seven districts (distrik), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census^[3] and the 2020 Census,^[4] together with the official estimates as at mid 2023.^[1] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 84 rural kampung and 2 urban kelurahan), and its post code.

Kode Kemendagri	Name of District (distrik)	Area in km2	Pop'n 2010 Census	Pop'n 2020 Census	Pop'n mid 2023 Estimate	Admin centre	No. of villages	Post code
92.08.02	Buruway	2,650	3,500	4,178	4,256	Kambala	10	98123
92.08.03	Teluk Arguni Atas (Upper Arguni Bay)	3,010	3,530	5,022	5,294	Bofuwer	24	98111
92.08.06	Teluk Arguni Bawah (Lower Arguni Bay)	1,990	2,384	3,013	3,069	Tanusan	15	98112
92.08.01	Kaimana	2,095	29,593	43,251	45,953	Kaimana Kota	19 (a)	98113
92.08.05	Kambrauw	755	2,216	2,218	2,259	Waho	7	98114
92.08.04	Teluk Etna (Etna Bay)	4,195	3,107	3,049	3,106	Rurumo	5	98121
92.08.07	Yamor	3,805	1,919	1,525	1,553	Urubika	6	98122
	Total	18,500	46,249	62,256	65,490	Kaimana	86

Kaimana airfield in 1962, when Western New Guinea was still under Dutch administration

Note: (a) including 2 kelurahan - Kaimana Kota (town) with 16,718 inhabitants in 2022, and Krooy with 12,416 inhabitants in 2022.

Offshore Islands

Kaimana Regency contains over 500 separate offshore islands, spread over the five districts with coastlines. Kaimana District includes at least 280 islands, of which the largest are Pulau Namatota, Pulau Aiduma and Pulau Dramai. There are at least 62 islands in Teluk Etna District, of which the largest is Pulau Kayumerah. Teluk Arguni Bawah District includes 31 islands. There are 14 islands in Buruway District, of which the largest are Pulau Adi (the regency's largest offshore island, including the village of Manggawitu) and Pulau Kelimala. Kambrau District includes 4 islands.

Demographics

Ethnic groups

The customs in Kaimana Regency, which because of its strategic location as a stopover (transit), have been influenced by culture from outside (social interaction) so that the indigenous values of this area have been acculturated by the surrounding cultural values. People who live in inland mountainous areas have not been much influenced by outside interactions, while residents of coastal areas have had a lot of this influence through marriage, music/dance and clothing. Most of the inhabitants of Kaimana Kota District are in the villages. The inhabitants of Kaimana District, who are local tribes, are the largest population, followed by non-indigenous people (who come from outside areas) who are scattered in several villages in the Kaimana Kota kelurahan, such as Seram and Kaki Air. The non-indigenous population in these two villages is a spontaneous migration of the population from Maluku and South Sulawesi and the island of Java, who live in a pattern of clustered settlements in separate pockets of settlement. Indigenous people are found in the villages inside and outside the urban kaimana kota. The indigenous tribes include the Irarutu, Mairasi, Kambrau and Kowiai. The distribution of the Irarutu tribe is in the southern area of the Kaimana city and the tribe originates from the Teluk Arguni District. The Mairasi tribe originates from the interior of the eastern part of Kaimana and spread across the North East coast of Kaimana District. The Kambrau tribe originates from the Teluk Kambrau District, Kaimana District and the Arguni Bay area and is spread across the southern and northern coasts of the Kaimana Kota kelurahan. The Koiwai tribe originates from the western area of Buruway District and the northern area of the Kaimana District. This tribe mostly inhabits archipelagic areas.^[5]

Religion

Religion in Kaimana (2023)^[6]

1. Protestantism (50.5%)
2. Islam (40.4%)
3. Roman Catholic (9.01%)
4. Hinduism (0.08%)
5. Buddhism (0.00%)
6. Others (0.00%)

The composition of the religious adherents in Kaimana Regency is quite diverse, namely Protestantism, Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism and Buddhism. The condition of harmony and tolerance between religious communities is running quite well. Based on data released by the Kaimana Regency Government in 2021, as of January 1, 2021, the majority of the population is Islam, which is 50.63% (generally consists of local coastal Papuans combined with migrants from outside Papua). Religious followers Christianity are also quite large, namely 49.32% where Protestants are 39.98% and Catholic 9.34% (basically Papuans). While adherents of religion Hindu 0.06%.^[7]