Bomberai Peninsula (Indonesian: Semenanjung Bomberai), otherwise known as the Bird's Beak Peninsula (Indonesian: Semenanjung Paruh Burung), is located in the Western New Guinea region, opposite to and to the south of the Bird's Head Peninsula. To the west lies the Sebakor Bay and to the south Kamrau Bay. Sabuda island lies off the western tip of the peninsula, and is separated from the mainland by Berau and Bintuni straits.
Native name: Semenanjung Bomberai | |
---|---|
Bomberai Peninsula | |
Geography | |
Coordinates | 03°09′19.15″S 133°10′15.6″E |
Adjacent to | Seram Sea Bintuni Bay |
Administration | |
Indonesia | |
Province | West Papua |
Largest settlement | Fakfak |
The entire peninsula is covered by a dense tropical rainforest, and most of the peninsula consists of a marshy plain. Together with the Bird's Head Peninsula and offshore islands, the Bomberai Peninsula forms the Indonesian province of West Papua (Indonesian: Papua Barat). The western part of the peninsula is occupied by Fakfak Regency, the north belongs to Teluk Bintuni Regency and the southeast to Kaimana Regency. It is a wide peninsula that opens to the Ceram Sea, forming a wide bay, Sebakor Bay, defined by two small peninsulas:
To the north lie Berau Bay and Bintuni Bay, which separate the Bomberai Peninsula from the Bird's Head peninsula. Off the north coast are located the islands of Amutu Besar, Asap, Arguni and Ogar. Opposite is the island of Panjang in Tamaruni Bay.[2][3]
Further south are Samai Island and Sebakor Bay, which is protected from the offshore island of Karas by the Tamaruni Bay.[clarification needed] Southeast beyond the Nautilus Strait (Indonesian: Selat Nautilus) is the island of Adi.[4] In the east, Kamrau Bay separates the peninsula from the rest of New Guinea. At its northernmost point lies the island of Freterenusu in the bay. Only narrow land bridges connect the Bomberai peninsula with the neighboring land masses.
There were trading relationships that formed based on birds of paradise feathers with 7th century Sriwijaya and the surrounding islands.
There was a mention of "Wanin" in a 14th-century Nagarakretagama manuscript as a region/tributary of Majapahit. Scholars tends to attribute this to Onin Peninsula, which if true represent the earliest mention of a native name of Papuan regions.
The first sighting by Europeans of this zone was in 1606, in the Spanish expedition commanded by Luís Vaz de Torres.
There are several Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages spoken on the Bomberai Peninsula, including Uruangnirin, Onin, Sekar, Arguni, Bedoanas, Erokwanas, and Irarutu.[5]
Language isolates spoken in the Bomberai Peninsula are Mor and Tanah Merah.[6]
The West Bomberai languages Baham and Iha are also spoken on the peninsula, as well as the Asmat-Kamoro languages Buruwai and Kamberau, and the South Bird's Head language Kemberano.[6] The Timor–Alor–Pantar languages may possibly have lexical links with the West Bomberai languages, although this proposal is not without controversy.[7][8]
Karas, a West Bomberai language, is spoken on Karas Island, a small island located just off the western coast of the Bomberai Peninsula.
Twenty-four endemic species of rainbow fish (Melanotaenia) live on the Bird's Head Peninsula, Bomberai Peninsula and offshore islands. Many live in the karst areas, including the Harlequin Rainbow Fish (Melanotaenia boesemani).[9]
Fauna of the Fakfak Mountains includes the black-eared catbird and Oninia senglaubi, a member of the family of the narrow-mouthed frogs (Microhylidae).[10]