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 two of the three largest members of the Biak Islands archipelago at the northern entrance into Cenderawasih Bay. These two large islands are Biak and Numfor; the remaining large island within the Schouten Islands group, Supiori Island, was formerly also part of the regency but was administratively split off to form the separate Supiori Regency on 8 January 2004. Numfor Island lies due west of Biak. The remaining Biak Numfor Regency also includes the 54 small islands of the Padaido Archipelago, to the southeast of Biak, and there are 87 other small islands within the regency.
Biak Numfor Regency covers an area of 2,601.99 km2. and had a population of 126,798 at the 2010 Census and 134,650 at the 2020 Census. The official estimate as at mid 2023 was 147,404. 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 and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023. The table also includes the location of the district headquarters, the number of administrative villages and minor islands within each district, and its post code.
Kode
Wilayah
Name of
District
Area
in
km2
Pop'n
2010
Census
Pop'n
2020
Census
Pop'n
mid 2023
Estimate
Admin
centre
No.
of
villages
No.
of
islands
Post
code
91.06.04Numfor Barat
90.832,5111,6002,413Kameri12998564
91.06.17Orkeri62.421,7721,6331,932Pakreki9298565
91.06.05Numfor Timur
49.541,2731,6711,831Yenburwo9-98562
91.06.16Bruyadori101.731,8682,0772,233Duai102498561
91.06.18Poiru79.931,8331,3441,891Andei9-98563
Total Numfor Island384.459,2578,32510,3004935
91.06.10Padaido30.721,7411,9632,343Pai113798556
91.06.19Almando Padaido50.862,1662,1962,527Pasi131798555
Total Padaido Islands81.583,9074,1594,8702454
91.06.03Biak Timur
125.516,6866,8988,384Bosnik26498541
91.06.20Oridek181.664,7304,9875,625Wadibu14898542
91.06.01Biak Kota
42.9441,73143,72443,230Biak22 398511
-98534
91.06.12Samofa230.5427,71134,41435,503Darfuar17 -98551
91.06.11Yendidori275.137,8658,6109,149Yendidori19498547
91.06.02Biak Utara
277.776,5347,5357,867Korem16-98544
91.06.14Andey270.172,3291,7662,812Rodifu11-98543
91.06.09Warsa68.374,4705,1075,798Amoi20498553
91.06.13Yawosi39.631,9602,1432,295Wasori8-98552
91.06.21Bondifuar129.14212452555Sansundi5398554
91.06.08Biak Barat
252.345,4205,9946,639Yomdori221098545
91.06.15Swandiwe242.763,9864,3864,376Wombrisauw15-98546
Total Biak Island2,135.96113,634122,166132,23319554
Regency Totals2,601.99126,798134,650147,403268143

Note: including 7 urban kelurahan.
Numfor Island were intended to be split off to form a separate regency under proposals announced in 2013 by the Indonesian Government, although all such new measures have been placed on hold since 2013. The Padaido Archipelago geographically comprises the 54 islands in Paidado District and Aimando Padaido District, plus Pulau Owi, Pulau Purbasbeba and Pulau Ruisbasbedar.

Diving sites

There are at least 12 diving sites in the Padaido Archipelago, which comprises 54 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.