Raja Ampat Regency


Raja Ampat Regency is a regency of West Papua province of Indonesia. The regency, which was formed based on the Law 26 of 2002, was inaugurated on 12 April 2003, and consists of a number of groups of islands situated off the north-west end of West Papua; the four main islands are Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo. At present, the regency covers a land area of 8,034.44 km2, and had a population of 42,507 at the 2010 Census, and 45,758 at the 2015 Census. The principal town lies at Waisai.
On 25 October 2013 the Indonesian House of Representatives began reviewing draft laws on the establishment of new regencies, including two new regencies of North Raja Ampat and South Raja Ampat within the borders of the existing Raja Ampat Regency.

Administrative Districts

The existing regency comprises seventeen districts, tabulated below with their populations at the 2010 Census:
DistrictPopulation
2010 Census
Misool Selatan
3,026
Misool Barat
1,291
Misool1,761
Kofiau2,520
Misool Timur
2,651
Kepulauan Sembilan
1,458

DistrictPopulation
2010 Census
Salawati Utara
4,960
Selat Sagawin2,221
Waigeo Selatan
8,690
Teluk Mayalibit
1,776
Meos Mansar1,625
Waigeo Barat
1,409

DistrictPopulation
2010 Census
Waigeo Barat Kepulauan
2,084
Waigeo Utara
2,385
Warwarbomi1,045
Kepulauan Ayau
2,219
Waigeo Timur
1,386
Totals42,507

Waigeo and its surrounding small islands are currently in the process of being split off to form a separate North Raja Ampat Regency under proposals approved in 2014 by the Indonesian Government. Similarly, Misool and Kofiau Islands are currently in the process of being split off to form a separate South Raja Ampat Regency under those same proposals approved in 2014 by the Indonesian Government.

Transport

Air

In early May 2012, a 1,200 meters runway of Marinda Airport has been officially opened by Transportation minister and Raja Ampat official. The runway will be extended to 2,000 meters and was predicted to be finished in 2013.