Where in the World is Irian Jaya (West Papua)?
Irian Jaya (West Papua) (also known as Irian Djaya, Irian Barat, West New Guinea, and West Irian) is the western half of the island of New Guinea, which is located several hundred miles north of Australia. Irian Jaya (West Papua) is a province of the nation of Indonesia. New Guinea is said to be the second largest island in the world, after Greenland, at least by those who refuse to count Australia. To the west of Irian Jaya lies the Ceram Sea and the Banda Sea, to the south lies the Arafura Sea, and to the north is the Pacific. The politically correct currently use the phrase “West Papua”, but never “Irian Jaya”. For the best introduction to Irian Jaya (West Papua) that I have yet seen, visit The West Papua Kit, Australian West Papua Association. This is an Internet version of a thirty page booklet, placed on-line by UT professor Alan Cline. Nomenclature: In 1999, the Indonesian government planned to split Irian Jaya (West Papua) into three provinces, West, Central, and East Irian Jay
