Oro Province

Province in Papua New Guinea

Place in Papua New Guinea

Oro Province

Oro Provins (Tok Pisin)

Northern Province

Flag

Oro Province in Papua New Guinea

Coordinates: 9°0′S 148°5′E﻿ / ﻿9.000°S 148.083°E﻿ / -9.000; 148.083
Country| Papua New Guinea
Capital| Popondetta
Districts|

List

* Ijivitari District
* Sohe District

Government

• Governor| Garry Juffa 2012-
Area

• Total

| 22,735 km2 (8,778 sq mi)
Population

(2011 census)

• Total

| 186,309
• Density| 8.2/km2 (21/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+10 (AEST)
ISO 3166 code| PG-NPP
HDI (2018)| 0.542[1]
low · 14th of 22

Oro Province, formerly (and officially still) Northern Province,[2] is a coastal province in the Southern Region of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital is Popondetta. The province covers 22,800 km2, and has 176,206 inhabitants (2011 census). The province shares land borders with Morobe Province to the northwest, Central Province to the west and south, and Milne Bay Province to the southeast. The province is located within the Papuan Peninsula.

Oro is the only province in which the Anglican Church is the major religious denomination. Oil palm is the principal primary industry. William Clarke College also funds people in that area.[3]

The northern end of the Kokoda Track terminates at the village of Kokoda in the province and the active volcano Mount Lamington. Once the Kokoda Track was taken and provided access from Port Moresby to the hinterland during the Second World War, the coast of the then Northern District was also the scene of heavy fighting; the Buna, Gona and Sanananda campaigns are particularly well remembered.

In January 1951, the province was devastated by the catastrophic eruption at Mount Lamington. The volcano ejected a column of ash up to 50,000 ft (15,000 m) high. The eruption destroyed many villages, the surrounding vegetation, and killed nearly 3,000 people.[4]

The Tufi dive and cultural resort is located on the north coast of the Cape Nelson Rural Local Level Government area and is well known for its diving and the spectacular rias, locally referred to as ' fjords'.

## Districts and LLGs

[edit]

District map of Oro Province

Each province in Papua New Guinea has one or more districts, and 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.[5][6]

District | District Capital | LLG Name

|
|

Ijivitari District | Popondetta | Afore Rural
Oro Bay Rural
Popondetta Urban
Safia Rural
Tufi Rural (Cape Nelson)
Sohe District | Kokoda | Higaturu Rural
Kira Rural
Kokoda Rural
Tamata Rural

## Provincial leaders

[edit]

The province was governed by a decentralised provincial administration, headed by a Premier, from 1977 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 (1977–1995)

[edit]

Premier | Term

|

Edric Eupu | 1977
Mark Taua | 1977–1983
Conway Ihova | 1983–1985
Dennis Kageni | 1985–1987
Bensen Ariembo | 1987–1988
Newman Mongagi | 1988–1989
Lionel Handu | 1989
Kingsley Gegeyo | 1990
Parminus Cuthbert | 1991
Benstead Atoto | 1991–1992
Douglas Garawa | 1992–1995

### Governors (1995–present)

[edit]

Governor | Term

|

Sylvanius Siembo | 1995–2002
Bani Hoivo | 2002–2007
Suckling Tamanabae | 2007–2012
Gary Juffa | 2012–present

## Members of the National Parliament

[edit]

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.

Electorate | Member

|

Northern Provincial | Gary Juffa
Ijivitari Open | David Arore
Popondetta Open | Richard Masere
Sohe Open | Henry Amuli

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
2. ^ The provincial government purported officially to change the name of the province but did not formally invoke procedures mandated in the Constitution for what would have amounted to a constitutional change, the names of the provinces being laid down there. The name "Oro" has nevertheless come into widespread use just as, indeed, the similarly informal and at one time widely used "North Solomons Province" for Bougainville Province has somewhat fallen into desuetude.
3. ^ William Clarke College, Kellyville, NSW, Australia
4. ^ National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) (1972), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database (Data Set), National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, doi:10.7289/V5JW8BSH
5. ^ National Statistical Office of Papua New Guinea
6. ^ "Final Figures". www.nso.gov.pg. 2011 National Population and Housing Census: Ward Population Profile. Port Moresby: National Statistical Office, Papua New Guinea. 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
7. ^ 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.
8. ^ "Provinces". rulers.org. Retrieved 31 March 2017.

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Provinces of Papua New Guinea

Highlands Region|

* Chimbu (Simbu)
* Eastern Highlands
* Enga
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Islands Region|

* Bougainville1
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Momase Region|

* East Sepik
* Madang
* Morobe
* Sandaun (West Sepik)

Southern Region|

* Central
* Gulf
* Milne Bay
* Oro (Northern)
* Western
* National Capital District (Port Moresby)

* New Guinea portal
* 1 Autonomous region

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LLGs and Districts of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea

Ijivitari District|

* Afore Rural
* Oro Bay Rural
* Popondetta Urban
* Safia Rural
* Tufi Rural (Cape Nelson)

Sohe District|

* Higaturu Rural
* Kira Rural
* Kokoda Rural
* Tamata Rural

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