Biak Numfor Regency


Biak Numfor Regency is one of the regencies in Papua Province of Western New Guinea in northeastern Indonesia.

Geography

The regency consists of the southern group of the Schouten Islands archipelago at the northern entrance into Cenderawasih Bay. The principal ones are Biak and Numfor islands. The remaining large island within the Schouten Islands group, Supiori Island, was split off to form the separate Supiori Regency on 8 January 2004.
Biak Numfor Regency covers an area of 2,602 km2. and had a population of 126,798 at the 2010 Census; the latest official estimate is 156,023. The regency's administrative centre is the town of Biak, on the island of the same name.

Administrative Districts

The existing regency comprises nineteen districts, tabulated below with their populations at the 2010 Census:
DistrictPopulation
2010 Census
Numfor Barat
2,511
Orkeri1,772
Numfor Timur
1,273
Bruyadori1,868
Poiru1,833
Total Numfor Island9,257

DistrictPopulation
2010 Census
Papaido1,741
Ainando Papaido2,166
Biak Timur
6,686
Oridek4,730
Biak Kota
41,731
Samofa27,711
Yendidori7,865

DistrictPopulation
2010 Census
Biak Utara
6,534
Andey2,329
Warsa4,470
Yawosi1,960
Bondifuar212
Biak Barat
5,420
Swandiwe3,986
Totals126,798

Numfor Island is currently in the process of being split off to form a separate regency under proposals approved in 2014 by the Indonesian Government.

Diving sites

There are at least 12 diving sites in the Padaido archipelago, which comprises 30 islets, with its pristine water, wide sandy beaches and high biodiversity, about two hours from Biak town by speedboat. The visibility is well up to 30 metres, and a favourite site is the World War II preserved wreckage of a US Catalina seaplane, with angelfish, lionfish, damselfish and other smaller fishes swimming around the wreckage.