Merauke Regency is a regency in the far south of the Indonesian province of South Papua. It covers an area of 46,791.63 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 2021 was 231,696, comprising 121,078 males and 110,618 female inhabitants.[5] 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 South Papua since 2022.

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.
Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Izakod Bekai Izakod Kai (One Heart, One Goal)
Merauke Regency Location in Western New Guinea and Indonesia Show map of Western New Guinea Merauke Regency Merauke Regency (Indonesia) Show map of Indonesia
Coordinates: 7.6667°S 139.6667°E / -7.6667; 139.6667
Country	Indonesia
Province	South Papua
Regency seat	Merauke
Government
• Regent	Frederikus Gebze
• Vice Regent	Sularso
Area
• Total	46,791.63 km2 (18,066.35 sq mi)
Population  (mid 2021 estimate)[1]
• Total	231,696
• Density	5.0/km2 (13/sq mi)
Demographics [2]
• Religion	Christianity 58,41% –Catholicism 39,65% –Protestantism 18,76% Islam 41,17% Hinduism 0,27% Buddhism 0,15%
Time zone	UTC+9 (Indonesia Eastern Time)
Area code	(+62) 971
Website	merauke.go.id

History

The regency formerly 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. These regencies have in 2022 been re-grouped to form the new South Papua Province.

Administrative districts

Merauke Regency comprises twenty districts (distrik), listed below with their areas and populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census,[6] together with the official estimates as at mid 2021.[7] The table also includes the location of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (rural desa and urban kelurahan) and its post code.

Forests

Much of the area of Merauke Regency is covered by forests.

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.[8] MIFEE is supported by the national government.[8] There is much indigenous opposition to the MIFEE project.[8] The MIFEE project is expected to cover a 1.2 million hectare area, or a quarter of Merauke.[9] The project threatens conservation areas, such as virgin forests and water catchment areas, as well as the habitat of indigenous peoples in Papua.[10] There were substantial forest fires.[9]

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.[11]

See also

• Merauke Five

References

External links

• www.merauke.go.id
• Statistics publications from Statistics Indonesia (BPS)