Yahukimo Regency is one of the regencies (kabupaten) in the Indonesian province of Highland Papua. It covers an area of 17,152 km2, and had a population of 164,512 at the 2010 Census,[2] but this figure more than doubled to reach 350,880 at the 2020 Census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 361,776.[1] The official administrative centre of Yahukimo Regency is at Sumohai, which is located 25 kilometres north of the town of Dekai, but - due to the lack of infrastructure in Sumohai - the actual administrative centre of the regency is in Dekai. The regency was formerly part of the Jayawijaya Regency, but was split off to become a separate regency on 11 December 2002.
Etymology
The name Yahukimo is a combined word from the names of the tribes living in the area, the Yali, Hubla, Kimyal and Momuna.
Geography
Yahukimo Regency is located in Highland Papua Province, Indonesia. Its geography consists mostly of mountainous areas and highlands. The regency has mountainous terrain and dense forests, with altitudes varying from lowlands to high mountains. This hilly topography makes access to some areas difficult and isolated. In addition, Yahukimo is also crossed by several rivers and has a high diversity of flora and fauna. The climate in this area is generally tropical with quite high rainfall throughout the year.[4][5]
Demography
Yahukimo Regency has a diverse population with several indigenous Papuan ethnic groups dominating the region. The tribes found in Yahukimo Regency are Yali, Hupla, Kimyal, Momuna, Una-Ukam, Mek, Yalimek, Ngalik, Tokuni, Obini, Karowai, Duwe, Obukain, Kopkaka and Bese.[6] Local Papuan languages are often used in everyday life, in addition to Indonesian.[7]
The population density in Yahukimo is relatively low compared to other areas in Papua, largely due to the difficult terrain and underdeveloped infrastructure. Most people live in small settlements scattered throughout the area. The economy in Yahukimo is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with some people also involved in hunting and forest gathering.
Overall, Yahukimo's demographics reflect the diversity of local Papuan cultures and traditions, with challenges related to developing basic infrastructure and services in a remote and difficult-to-access area.[8]
Incident
On December 9, 2005 , it was reported that around 55 residents of Krapon District died of starvation due to being late in planting tubers (hipere) which are a food source in the area. The area is remote and can only be reached by plane.[9]
Administrative districts
The existing Yahukimo regency comprises fifty-one districts (distrik), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census[2] and the 2020 Census.[3] The regency has a greater number of districts within it than any other regency in Indonesia; however, proposals are currently under consideration by the Indonesian government to divide Yahukimo Regency into several new regencies. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 510 rural kampung and 1 urban kelurahan - the town of Obolma), and its postal code.
