Oro Province

Oro Province
—  Province  —
Country  Papua New Guinea
Capital Popondetta
Government
 • Governor Suckling Tamanabae (2007-)
Area
 • Total 8,803.1 sq mi (22,800 km2)
Population (2000)
 • Total 133,065
 • Density 15.1/sq mi (5.8/km2)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10)

Oro Province, formerly (and officially still) Northern Province,[1] is a coastal province of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital is Popondetta. The province covers 22,800 km², and has 133,065 inhabitants (2000 census).

The northern end of the Kokoda Trail terminates at the village of Kokoda in the province and the active volcano Mount Lamington. Once the Kokoda Trail 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.

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.[2]

Contents

Rivers

Native Species

Districts and LLGs

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.[3]

District District Capital LLG Name
Ijivitari District Popondetta Afore Rural
Cape Nelson Rural
Oro Bay Rural
Popendetta Urban
Sohe District Kokoda Higaturu Rural
Kira Rural
Kokoda Rural
Tamata Rural

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ William Clarke College, Kellyville, NSW, Australia
  3. ^ National Statistical Office of Papua New Guinea