Information in this article has not yet been updated to take into account the effects of the creation of Hela Province.
Southern Highlands is a province in Papua New Guinea. Its provincial capital is the town of Mendi. According to Papua New Guinea's national 2011 census, the total population of Southern Highlands (after the separation of Hela Province) is 515,511 spread across 15,089 square kilometers (5,826 sq mi).
Before the split there were two major ethnic groups, the Huli people and the Angal speakers. Today the majority of the population in Southern Highlands is made up of Angal or Angal Heneng speakers. They occupy the three provinces of Southern Highlands (Nipa, Mendi, Lai Valley, Imbongu (lower Mendi)), Hela (Magarima) and Enga (parts of Kandep).[citation needed]
Split to create Hela Provinceedit
In July 2009, Parliament passed legislation to create two new provinces by 2012. One of these was 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.[2] Hela Province officially came into being on 17 May 2012.[3]
Regionsedit
After the split of Hela, the province is divided into roughly three distinct geographic regions:
The West: which includes the Southern Highlands districts of Nipa, Mendi, Lai Valley, Imbogu (lower Mendi), Hela District of Magarima, Kutubu and part of Kendep (Enga Province), 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 LLGsedit
There are five 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.[4][5][6]
The province was governed by a decentralised provincial administration, headed by a Premier, from 1978 to 1995. Following reforms taking effect that year, the national government reassumed some powers, and the role of Premier was replaced by a position of Governor, to be held by the winner of the province-wide seat in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea.[7][8]
The province and each district is represented by a Member of the National Parliament. There is one provincial electorate and each district is an open electorate.
On 1 August 2006, the government of Papua New Guinea declared a state of emergency in the country's Southern Highlands region. According to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, troops were deployed to restore 'law, order and good governance' in the region, following accusations of corruption, theft and misuse of government buildings at the hands of the regional government.[9]
As a region rich in energy resources, the Southern Highlands was at the centre of plans to construct a gas pipeline to pump natural gas to Queensland in north Australia. The project would have resulted in much needed revenue for Papua New Guinea, and as it was believed that the instability in the region could jeopardise the project, the national government decided to intervene by declaring a state of emergency. The move was supported by Parliament, although some criticism was leveled at the government for restricting press access to the region while the state of emergency was in force. The companies involved subsequently opted for the current PNG Gas project which has export facilities outside Port Moresby. This is operated by Esso Highlands, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, and is expected to begin production in 2014.
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southern_Highlands_Province.
^"Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
^"PNG to create two new provinces", Sydney Morning Herald, July 15, 2009
^"PNG’S new province Hela, Jiwaka declared" 2012-07-24 at the Wayback Machine, The National, 17 May 2012
^"Census Figures by Wards - Highlands Region". www.nso.gov.pg. 2011 National Population and Housing Census: Ward Population Profile. Port Moresby: National Statistical Office, Papua New Guinea. 2014.
^"Final Figures". www.nso.gov.pg. 2011 National Population and Housing Census: Ward Population Profile. Port Moresby: National Statistical Office, Papua New Guinea. 2014.
^May, R. J. "8. Decentralisation: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back". State and society in Papua New Guinea: the first twenty-five years. Australian National University. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
^"Provinces". rulers.org. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
^"State of emergency in PNG region". BBC News. 2006-08-01.
External linksedit
Andrew Strathern and Pamela J. Stewart Recordings From the Andrew Strathern and Pamela J. Stewart Photographs and Audiorecordings. MSS 477. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
John LeRoy Photographs from Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
November 23, 2023
southern, highlands, province, information, this, article, been, updated, take, into, account, effects, creation, hela, province, southern, highlands, province, papua, guinea, provincial, capital, town, mendi, according, papua, guinea, national, 2011, census, . Information in this article has not yet been updated to take into account the effects of the creation of Hela Province Southern Highlands is a province in Papua New Guinea Its provincial capital is the town of Mendi According to Papua New Guinea s national 2011 census the total population of Southern Highlands after the separation of Hela Province is 515 511 spread across 15 089 square kilometers 5 826 sq mi Southern Highlands Province Sauten Hailans Tok Pisin Saden Halens Angal Dialect Southern Highlands ProvinceFlagSouthern Highlands Province in Papua New GuineaCoordinates 6 10 S 143 20 E 6 167 S 143 333 E 6 167 143 333CountryPapua New GuineaCapitalMendiDistrictsList Mendi Munihu District DistrictImbonggu DistrictKagua Erave DistrictIalibu PangiaNipa Kutubu DistrictGovernment GovernorSuspended since 16 June 2018Area Total15 089 km2 5 826 sq mi Population 2011 census Total510 245 Density34 km2 88 sq mi Time zoneUTC 10 AEST HDI 2018 0 479 1 low 21st of 22 Contents 1 Ethnic groups 2 Split to create Hela Province 3 Regions 4 Districts and LLGs 5 Provincial leaders 5 1 Premiers 1978 1995 5 2 Governors 1995 present 6 Members of the National Parliament 7 2006 state of emergency 8 References 9 External linksEthnic groups editBefore the split there were two major ethnic groups the Huli people and the Angal speakers Today the majority of the population in Southern Highlands is made up of Angal or Angal Heneng speakers They occupy the three provinces of Southern Highlands Nipa Mendi Lai Valley Imbongu lower Mendi Hela Magarima and Enga parts of Kandep citation needed Split to create Hela Province editIn July 2009 Parliament passed legislation to create two new provinces by 2012 One of these was 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 2 Hela Province officially came into being on 17 May 2012 3 Regions editAfter the split of Hela the province is divided into roughly three distinct geographic regions The West which includes the Southern Highlands districts of Nipa Mendi Lai Valley Imbogu lower Mendi Hela District of Magarima Kutubu and part of Kendep Enga Province 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 editThere are five 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 4 5 6 District District Capital LLG NameIalibu Pangia District Ialibu East Pangia RuralIalibu UrbanKewabi RuralWiru RuralImbonggu District Imbonggu Ialibu Basin RuralImbonggu RuralLower Mendi RuralKagua Erave District Kagua Erave RuralKagua RuralKuare RuralAiya RuralMendi Munihu District Mendi Karints RuralLai Valley RuralMendi UrbanUpper Mendi RuralNipa Kutubu District Nipa Lake Kutubu RuralMount Bosavi RuralNembi Plateau RuralNipa RuralPoroma RuralProvincial leaders editThe province was governed by a decentralised provincial administration headed by a Premier from 1978 to 1995 Following reforms taking effect that year the national government reassumed some powers and the role of Premier was replaced by a position of Governor to be held by the winner of the province wide seat in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea 7 8 Premiers 1978 1995 edit Premier TermAndrew Andaija 1978 1980Tegi Ebeial 1980 1985Yaungtine Koromba 1985 1990Albert Mokai 1990 1992provincial government suspended 1992 1995Governors 1995 present edit Governor TermDick Mune 1995 1997Anderson Agiru 1997 2000Hami Yawari 2003 2006Anderson Agiru 2007 2012William Powi 2012 presentMembers of the National Parliament editThe province and each district is represented by a Member of the National Parliament There is one provincial electorate and each district is an open electorate Electorate MemberSouthern Highlands Provincial William PowiIalibu Pangia Open Peter O NeillImbonggu Open Pila NiningiKagua Erave Open Maina PanoMendi Open Raphael TonpiNipa Kutubu Open Billy William M Joseph2006 state of emergency editOn 1 August 2006 the government of Papua New Guinea declared a state of emergency in the country s Southern Highlands region According to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare troops were deployed to restore law order and good governance in the region following accusations of corruption theft and misuse of government buildings at the hands of the regional government 9 As a region rich in energy resources the Southern Highlands was at the centre of plans to construct a gas pipeline to pump natural gas to Queensland in north Australia The project would have resulted in much needed revenue for Papua New Guinea and as it was believed that the instability in the region could jeopardise the project the national government decided to intervene by declaring a state of emergency The move was supported by Parliament although some criticism was leveled at the government for restricting press access to the region while the state of emergency was in force The companies involved subsequently opted for the current PNG Gas project which has export facilities outside Port Moresby This is operated by Esso Highlands a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation and is expected to begin production in 2014 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southern Highlands Province Sub national HDI Area Database Global Data Lab hdi globaldatalab org Retrieved 2020 04 18 PNG to create two new provinces Sydney Morning Herald July 15 2009 PNG S new province Hela Jiwaka declared Archived 2012 07 24 at the Wayback Machine The National 17 May 2012 National Statistical Office of Papua New Guinea Census Figures by Wards Highlands Region www nso gov pg 2011 National Population and Housing Census Ward Population Profile Port Moresby National Statistical Office Papua New Guinea 2014 Final Figures www nso gov pg 2011 National Population and Housing Census Ward Population Profile Port Moresby National Statistical Office Papua New Guinea 2014 May R J 8 Decentralisation Two Steps Forward One Step Back State and society in Papua New Guinea the first twenty five years Australian National University Retrieved 31 March 2017 Provinces rulers org Retrieved 31 March 2017 State of emergency in PNG region BBC News 2006 08 01 External links editAndrew Strathern and Pamela J Stewart Recordings From the Andrew Strathern and Pamela J Stewart Photographs and Audiorecordings MSS 477 Special Collections amp Archives UC San Diego John LeRoy Photographs from Special Collections amp Archives UC San Diego Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern Highlands Province amp oldid 1179663404, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
