West Papua's landscape is
rich and varied with tropical rain forests, craggy mountain peaks,
alpine meadows, swampy lowland forests, grassy savannahs, mangroves
and beautiful coastal islands.
photos: Djuna Ivereigh'
Jayawijaya Peak
Local Honai
Panorama of Baliem
The Dani Chief
The island is huge (8,000
sq. km) and covers the western half of Papua New Guinea, the second
largest island in the world.
One fifth of the world's languages are spoken here.
The 2,000 km long central mountain range running the length of the
island is the island's most distinctive topographical feature.
Small permanent snowfields and relic glaciers grace the highest
elevations (Puncak Jaya 4,884m).
Climate average is hot (27°C) and sultry (60-100% humidity) in
the lowlands and can be cold (as low as 5°C) in the highlands.
