Southern Highlands Province
Country Papua New Guinea Capital Mendi Government - Governor Anderson Agiru (2007-) Area - Total 9,189.2 sq mi (23,800 km2) Population (2000) - Total 546,265 - Density 59.4/sq mi (23/km2)
Southern Highlands: According to Papua New Guinea's national 2000 census, the total population of Southern Highlands is 546,265 spread across 23,800 square kilometers (9,189 square miles), which makes it the most highly populated province in the country.
Split to create Hela Province
In July 2009, Parliament passed legislation to create two new provinces by 2012. One of these is to be created by removing the districts of Tari-Pori, Komo-Magarima, and Koroba-Kopiago from the Southern Highlands Province to form the new Hela Province.[1]
The province is divided into roughly four distinct geographic regions:
- The West: which includes the districts of Tari, Koroba, Kopiago and Komo - the home of the Huli, Duna, and Hewa peoples.
- The Centre: which includes the districts of Margarima, Nipa, Mendi and the Lai Valley, and is the home of the speakers of dialects of the Anggal Heneng language.
- The East: which includes the districts of Kagua, Ialibu, Pangia and Erave, and is the home of the speakers of the Imbongu, Kewa, and Wiru languages, and home to the second highest mountain in Papua New Guinea, Mount Giluwe.
- The Lowlands: which stretch across the southern part of the Southern Highlands province from the volcanic peaks of Mount Bosavi to include the oilfields of Lake Kutubu, and includes the language groups of Biami (shared with Western Province) Foe, and Fasu.
Districts and LLGs
There are eight districts 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.[2]
District District Capital LLG Name Ialibu-Pangia District Ialibu East Pangia Rural Ialibu Urban Kewabi Rural Wiru Rural Imbonggu District Imbonggu Ialibu Basin Rural Imbongu Rural Lower Mendi Rural Kagua-Erave District Kagua Erave Rural Kagua Rural Kuare Rural Komo-Magarima District Magarima Hulia Rural Komo Rural Margarima Rural Koroba-Kopiago District Kopiago Awi-Pori Rural Lake Kopiago Rural North Koroba Rural South Koroba Rural Mendi-Munihu District Mendi Karints Rural Lai Valley Rural Mendi Urban Upper Mendi Rural Nipa-Kutubu District Nipa Lake Kutubu Rural Mount Bosavi Rural Nembi Plateau Rural Nipa Rural Poroma Rural Tari-Pori District Tari Hayapuga Rural Tagali Rural Tari Urban Tebi Rural
Members of the National Parliament
The province and each district is represented by a Member of the National Parliament (MP). There is one provincial electorate and each district is an open electorate. The following table lists Members before and after the 2007 general election.
Electorate Previous member (party) 2007 winner (party) Southern Highlands Provincial Nipa Yawari (PCP) Anderson Agiru (URP) [3] Ialibu-Pangia Open Peter O'Neill (PNC) Peter O'Neill (PNC) [4] Imbonggu Open Timothy Tala (NA) Francis Awesa (PNGP) [5] Kagua-Erave Open David Basua (NA) James Lagea (elected as PNGCP [6] then joined NA)[7] Komo-Margarima Open Balus Libe (PLP) Francis Potape (NGP) [8] Koroba-Lake Kopiago Open John Kekeno (PAP) John Kekeno (PAP) [6] Mendi Open Michael Nali (PPP) [9] Isaac Joseph (NGP) [10] Nipa-Kutubu Open Robert Kopaol (Independent) Philemon Embel (PANGU) [6] Tari Open Tom Tomiape (RDP) James Marabe (NA) [6]
SHP General Administration
Provincial headquarters: Mendi
Number of districts: 8 – Ialibu Pangia, Imbonggu
Kagua Erave, Komo Margarima, Koroba Lake
Kopiago, Mendi, Nipa Kutubu, Tari Pori
Number of LLGs: 32
Number of wards: 729
Population
Total = 546 265
Male = 51%
Female = 49%
Less then 15 years = 20 3308 (male = 52% & female = 47%).
15-65 years old = 33 1715 (male = 49% & female = 50%).
More than 65 years old = 11 242 (male = 51% & female = 49%).
TOTAL CITIZENSHIP HOUSEHOLDS = 94 064
Area and population density
Area (km²) = 25587
Occupied area (km²) = 7279
Population per km² = 21.3
Population per km² of occupied area = 75.0
Average annual population growth rate
(1980-2000): 4.2
Electoral statistics
Eligible voters (2000 Census) = 300503
Number of votes cast (2002) = n/a
2002 Electoral Roll = 598811
Number of votes cast (2007) = 390720
2007 Electoral Roll = 450795
Type and number of schools
Elementary = 529
Community = 61
Primary = 166
Provincial high = 12
Secondary = 5
Vocational = 7