Indonesia officially has its 38th province, with the addition of Southwest Papua Province. This is because the DPR RI has just passed a Draft Law related to the formation of the Southwest Papua Province to become a Law at the 10th parliamentary Plenary Session Session Period I for Session Year 2022-2023.

The ratification of the Southwest Papua Province Bill follows the inauguration of the three previous new provinces, namely the Papua Mountains Province, Central Papua Province, and South Papua Province.

“Currently Indonesia already has 38 provinces with the addition of 4 Papua Provinces that have been ratified,” said the head of parliament Puan Maharani after the session, quoted from the DPR. So, what is the profile of the Southwest Papua Province?

Southwest Papua Province is a new autonomous region of Southwest Papua which will have six regions with the capital city of Sorong. Judging from the draft law for Southwest Papua Province as of September 12 2022, the six regions are Sorong Regency, South Sorong Regency and Raja Ampat Regency.

Also includes Tambrauw Regency, Maybrat Regency, and Sorong City. Meanwhile, according to Article 4 of the draft law, Southwest Papua will have territorial boundaries including: North: East Pacific Ocean: Manokwari District, Arfak Mountains District, and Bintuni Bay District in West Papua Province. South: Seram Sea and Berau Bay. West: Halmahera Sea and Seram Sea.