Boven Digoel Regency is an inland regency (kabupaten) in the northeastern part of the Indonesian province of South Papua. It was split off from Merauke Regency (of which it used to be a part) on 12 November 2002. It is bordered to the south by the residual Merauke Regency, to the west by Mappi Regency, and to the north by the province of Highland Papua. At the same time, to the east lies the international border with Papua New Guinea.
The regency covers an area of , and the total population was 55,784 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 64,285 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid-2024 was 71,997 (comprising 38,130 males and 33,867 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, Kabupaten Boven Digoel Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9413) The administrative centre is the town of Tanah Merah (or Persatuan kampung) in the Mandobo District.
Administrative districts The regency comprises twenty districts (distrik), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as of mid-2024.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, Kabupaten Boven Digoel Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9413) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages (kampung) in each district, and their postcode.
Regional Code Name ofDistrict(distrik) Area in km2 Pop'n 2010 Census Pop'n 2020 Census Pop'n mid-2024Estimate Admin centre No. of villagesPostcode 93.02.05 Jair 3,061.73 17,482 18,179 16,461 Getentiri 599651 93.02.15 Subur 2,660.09 1,224 1,470 1,730 Subur 599653 93.02.19 Ki 2,050.60 1,701 1,729 2,172 Ujungkia 499652 93.02.02 Mindiptana 448.17 3,622 3,799 4,481 Mindiptana 1399663 93.02.08 Iniyandit 379.65 833 1,006 1,220 Langgoan 599661 93.02.07 Kombut 660.93 691 1,135 1,371 Kombut 499662 93.02.18 Sesnuk 1,306.63 2,102 918 1,055 Sesnuk 599664 93.02.01 Mandobo 2,699.51 12,840 20,027 23,222 Tanah Merah 599674 93.02.10 Fofi 2,466.70 1,987 2,690 3,128 Makmur/Ikisi 899673 93.02.09 Arimop 1,311.77 1,270 1,631 2,327 Maju 799671 93.02.04 Kouh 467.25 1,186 1,093 1,123 Kouh 399655 93.02.06 Bomakia 1,082.95 2,196 2,475 2,954 Bomakia I 599672 93.02.13 Firiwage 1,219.97 1,088 845 1,307Firiwage 499691 93.02.12 Manggelum 1,289.65 1,188 836 1,166 Manggelum 699692 93.02.14 Yaniruma 1,611.04 866 1,025 1,358 Yaniruma 399685 93.02.20 Kawagit 904.23 1,001 1,139 1,445 Kawagit 699654 93.02.16 Kombay 830.91 1,263 1,028 1,267 Wanggemalo 599682 93.02.03 Waropko 1,086.97 1,910 1,993 2,472 Woropko 999684 93.02.11 Ambatkwi 1,282.38 743 449 770 Kuken 599681 93.02.17 Ninati 287.07 591 818 968 Ninati 599683 Totals 27,108.29 55,784 64,285 71,997 Tanah Merah 112
History
In the Dutch East Indies era, the present Boven Digoel Regency was known as Digul Atas (Upper Digul), located on the banks of the Digul River.
Boven-Digoel was a Dutch prison camp in the Dutch East Indies at the headwaters of the Digul River, where Indonesian nationalists and communists were interned between 1928 and 1942. Initially set to accommodate prisoners of the 1926 revolt led by the Communist Party of Indonesia, Boven-Digoel later was used as an exile for the national movement figures with a recorded number of prisoners of 1,308 people. Among the figures exiled, were Mohammad Hatta, Sutan Sjahrir, Sayuti Melik, and Marco Kartodikromo.
When the Pacific War broke out and Japan occupied Indonesia, Boven-Digoel prisoners were evacuated by the Dutch to Australia. The transfer was based on concerns that the prisoners would rebel if they remained at Boven-Digoel. It was hoped that the Indonesians brought to Australia would help the Dutch. It turned out that these political prisoners influenced the Australian trade union to boycott the Dutch ships that landed in the country. After the Allies won, the prisoners were returned to their original places in Indonesia.
The camp was reused to imprison Indonesian nationalists from Papua during the West New Guinea dispute such as J.A. Dimara, Petrus Korwa, and Hanoch Rumbrar.
References
External links
Statistics publications from Statistics Indonesia (BPS)