Manus Province
| Manus Province | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
.svg) Manus Province in Papua New Guinea |
||
| Coordinates: 2°5′S 147°0′E / 2.083°S 147.000°E | ||
| Country | Papua New Guinea | |
| Capital | Lorengau | |
| Districts |
List
|
|
| Government | ||
| • Governor | Charlie Benjamin 2012- | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,000 km2 (800 sq mi) | |
| Population (2011 census) | ||
| • Total | 60,485 | |
| • Density | 30/km2 (78/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | |
Manus Province is the smallest province in Papua New Guinea with a land area of 2,100 km², but with more than 220,000 km² of water. The capital of the province is Lorengau and the total population is 60,485 (2011 census).
The province is made up of the Admiralty Islands (a group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago) and Wuvulu Island and nearby atolls in the west. The largest island in the group is Manus Island where Lorengau and an Australian immigration detention centre are located.
The primary industries are coconut and cocoa cultivation, and bech de mer (sea cucumber) fishing. Among scuba divers, the Islands; particularly Bipi Island; have a reputation as a good diving destination with colorful marine life, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and clear water.
Due to its population size, Manus Province only has two Members of Parliament, a Governor and an open member. Charlie Benjamin is the current Governor while his counterpart in the open seat is Ronny Knight. Unlike most provinces in Papua New Guinea, general elections are usually peaceful and carried out efficiently on the Island. Traditional "Lapans" - village leaders, are also respected figures in the communities.
Soccer and touch rugby are among the most common outdoor sports played in the province. Rugby League, Union, basketball, volleyball and netball are gaining popularity in on the Island. Due to the lack of proper sporting facilities, most talented sportsmen and women find it hard to make it on the national scenes. However, the introduction of the PNG Grassrooots Games has helped expose some of these hidden talents.
The archipelago became a German protectorate in 1880 and an Australian mandate in 1920.
During World War II the archipelago was occupied by the Japanese who established a small base in April 1942 near the village of Rossun on Manus Island. They also built the first landing strip entirely by manpower at the eastern Point of Los Negros Island in Momote.
...
Wikipedia