West New Britain
Encyclopedia
West New Britain is a province of Papua New Guinea
on the islands of New Britain
. The provincial capital is Kimbe
. The area of the province in 21,000 km², and there are 184,508 inhabitants (2000 census). West New Britain produces palm oil for export. There are seven major tribes, the Nakanai, Bakovi, Kove
, Unea, Maleu, Kaulong and Arowe, speaking a total of about 25 languages.
People from West New Britain are widely referred to as "Kombes" throughout Papua New Guinea, in metonymic reference to the significant Kove (or Kombe) people. The Kove people were extensively reported on by the anthropologist Ann Chowning in National Geographic magazine during the 1960s and in consequence a photographic record of their traditional lifestyle has been widely disseminated. Within Papua New Guinea they are most widely noted for their practice of superincision of the penis
— circumcision is generally though inaccuratedly referred to among Papua New Guineans as "the Kombe cut" — a practice formerly also in other regions of northern coastal regions of New Guinea island and the New Guinea Islands but which has elsewhere lapsed.
The predominant religious affiliation is Roman Catholic, though there is a sizeable Anglican
presence at the extreme western tip of the province and Bishop James Ayong
, the recently-retired Anglican Primate of Papua New Guinea, is originally from West New Britain.
There are substantial oil palm
plantations on the north coast of the province especially in the Kimbe region, and logging activities in the interior and on the south coast. The Walindi dive resort near Kimbe is a significant tourist destination for overseas visitors to Papua New Guinea.
in the province. Each district has one or more Local Level Government (LLG) areas. For census
purposes, the LLG areas are subdivided into wards and those into census units.
. There is one provincial electorate
and each district is an open electorate. The following table lists Members before and after the 2007 general election
.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
on the islands of New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
. The provincial capital is Kimbe
Kimbe
Kimbe is the capital of the province of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is a port town on the great Kimbe Bay which boasts more than 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific. The bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and is the fastest...
. The area of the province in 21,000 km², and there are 184,508 inhabitants (2000 census). West New Britain produces palm oil for export. There are seven major tribes, the Nakanai, Bakovi, Kove
KOVE
KOVE may refer to:* the ICAO code for Oroville Municipal Airport, in Oroville, California, United States* KOVE , a radio station licensed to Lander, Wyoming, United States...
, Unea, Maleu, Kaulong and Arowe, speaking a total of about 25 languages.
People from West New Britain are widely referred to as "Kombes" throughout Papua New Guinea, in metonymic reference to the significant Kove (or Kombe) people. The Kove people were extensively reported on by the anthropologist Ann Chowning in National Geographic magazine during the 1960s and in consequence a photographic record of their traditional lifestyle has been widely disseminated. Within Papua New Guinea they are most widely noted for their practice of superincision of the penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
— circumcision is generally though inaccuratedly referred to among Papua New Guineans as "the Kombe cut" — a practice formerly also in other regions of northern coastal regions of New Guinea island and the New Guinea Islands but which has elsewhere lapsed.
The predominant religious affiliation is Roman Catholic, though there is a sizeable Anglican
Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea
The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea became a discrete province of the Anglican Communion when the Anglican Province of Papua New Guinea was separated from the Anglican ecclesiastical Province of Queensland, Australia, in 1976 following Papua New Guinea's independence from Australia in 1975. Its...
presence at the extreme western tip of the province and Bishop James Ayong
James Ayong
James Simon Ayong, born in a cave in Kumbun, West New Britain in 1944, has been the Anglican Archbishop of Papua New Guinea since 19 June 1996. As Archbishop, Ayong also is the Primate of The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea...
, the recently-retired Anglican Primate of Papua New Guinea, is originally from West New Britain.
There are substantial oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
plantations on the north coast of the province especially in the Kimbe region, and logging activities in the interior and on the south coast. The Walindi dive resort near Kimbe is a significant tourist destination for overseas visitors to Papua New Guinea.
Districts and LLGs
There are two districtsDistricts and LLGs of Papua New Guinea
||This page is a list of districts and Local-Level Government areas of Papua New Guinea.On the highest level, Papua New Guinea is divided into four Regions. Below, Papua New Guinea has 20 province-level divisions: 18 integrated provinces, the autonomous province of North Solomons and the National...
in the province. Each district has one or more Local Level Government (LLG) areas. For census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
purposes, the LLG areas are subdivided into wards and those into census units.
| District | District Capital | LLG Name |
|---|---|---|
| Kandrian-Gloucester District Kandrian-Gloucester District Kandrian-Gloucester District is a district of the West New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Kandrian.... |
Kandrian Kandrian Kandrian is the headquarters of Kandrian-Gloucester District, West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea.... |
Gasmata Rural |
| Gloucester Rural | ||
| Kandrian Coastal Rural | ||
| Kandrian Inland Rural | ||
| Kove-Kaliai Rural | ||
| Talasea District Talasea District Talasea District is a district of the West New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Kimbe.... |
Kimbe Kimbe Kimbe is the capital of the province of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is a port town on the great Kimbe Bay which boasts more than 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific. The bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and is the fastest... |
Bali-Witu Rural |
| Bialla Rural | ||
| Hoskins Rural | ||
| Kimbe Urban | ||
| Mosa Rural | ||
| Talasea Rural |
Members of the National Parliament
The province and each district is represented by a Member of the National ParliamentNational Parliament of Papua New Guinea
The National Parliament of Papua New Guinea is the unicameral national legislature in Papua New Guinea. It was first created in 1964 as the House of Assembly of Papua and New Guinea, but gained its current name with the granting of independence in 1975....
. There is one provincial electorate
Electoral district
An electoral district is a distinct territorial subdivision for holding a separate election for one or more seats in a legislative body...
and each district is an open electorate. The following table lists Members before and after the 2007 general election
Results of the Papua New Guinean general election, 2007
Counting of the official results of the Papua New Guinean general election to elect members of the 2007–2012 National Parliament, held from 30 June 2007 to 14 July 2007, was largely completed by 6 August, the deadline for the return of writs. Counting in two seats was delayed for a further few days...
.
| Electorate | Previous member (party) | 2007 winner (party) |
|---|---|---|
| West New Britain Provincial | Clement Nakmai (PHP) | Peter Humphreys Peter Humphreys Peter Humphreys is a Papua New Guinea politician. He has been the National Alliance Governor of West New Britain Province and the member for West New Britain Provincial in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007.... (NA National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea) The National Alliance Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea. It was founded in 1995 by Bernard Narokobi, Moi Avei, Bart Philemon and Masket Iangalio, who invited Sir Michael Somare to lead them to the 1997 elections after he had been sacked as leader of the Pangu Party.National Alliance... ) |
| Kandrian-Gloucester Open | David Sui (PNC People's National Congress Party The People's National Congress Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea. Its former leader Bill Skate served as prime minister from 1997 to 1999 and as speaker of Parliament from 2002 to 2004. Skate died in 2006 and the party is now led by Peter O’Neill.... ) |
Tony Puana Tony Puana Tony Puana is a Papua New Guinea politician. He has been a New Generation Party member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007, representing the Kandrian-Gloucester Open electorate. Puana, who comes from the village of Kilenge in the Cape Gloucester region, defeated People's... (NGP New Generation Party (Papua New Guinea) The New Generation Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea. The party won 4 out of 109 seats in the 2007 General Elections... ) |
| Talasea Open | John Vulupundi (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) |
Francis Marus Francis Marus Francis Marus is a Papua New Guinea politician. He has been a Pangu Party member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007, representing the electorate of Talasea Open.... (PANGU Pangu Party The Pangu Party or Papua and Niugini Union Pati is a political party in Papua New Guinea.It was founded in 1968 by Michael Somare, who served as prime minister of Papua New Guinea as the leader of the Pangu Party from 1972 to 1980 and from 1982 to 1985... ) |