Irian Jaya at a Glance

Country: Province of Indonesia

Provincial capital: Jayapura

Size: 416,000 square kilometers

Climate: Dry season (May - September) is slightly drier than rainy season. Year-round temperatures reach into the high 80s (F) during the day.

Language: Bahasa Indonesia (official language); hundreds of indigenous languages throughout the archipelago.

Geography: Irian Jaya is located on the second largest island in the world and is the western half of the highest and largest tropical island (New Guinea). Its altitude ranges from sea level to the highest mountains in the Asia-Pacific region, giving rise to many different ecosystems from equatorial glaciers to montane forests to swamps and mangroves. It is bisected by mountains from east to west, and is further bisected by deep valleys and rivers. The Mamberamo River watershed covers 7,711,602 hectares and includes part of the central mountains of New Guinea, as well as forests, coastal forests, and tropical marshlands.