Chimbu Province

Chimbu, occasionally spelled Simbu, is a province in the Highlands Region of Papua New Guinea. The province has an area of 6,112 km² and a population of 376,473 (2011 census). The capital of the province is Kundiawa. Mount Wilhelm, the tallest mountain in Papua New Guinea, is on the border of Simbu.

Chimbu Province Simbu Province
Flag
Chimbu Province Location within Papua New Guinea
Coordinates: 6°26′S 145°0′E
Country	Papua New Guinea
Formation	1966
Capital	Kundiawa
Districts	List Chauve District Gumine District Karimui-Nomane District Kerowagi District Kundiawa-Gembogl District Sina Sina-Yonggomugl District
Government
• Governor	Noah Kool 2012-
Area
• Total	6,112 km^2 (2,360 sq mi)
Population  (2011 census)
• Total	376,473
• Density	62/km^2 (160/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+10 (AEST)
HDI (2018)	0.557[1] medium · 9th of 22

Geography

Chimbu is located in the central highlands cordillera of Papua New Guinea. It shares geographic and political boundaries with five provinces: Jiwaka, Eastern Highlands, Southern Highlands, Gulf and Madang. It is a significant source of organically produced coffee.

Chimbu is a province with limited natural resources and very rugged mountainous terrain. The economic progress of the province has been slower than some other highlands provinces.

Education

There are seven secondary schools in the province: Kondiu Rosary, Yauwe Moses, Kerowagi, Muaina, Gumine, Mt Willem and Kundiawa Day Secondary School. The province also has many high and primary schools.

Districts and LLGs

The province is subdivided into six districts, with each district further subdivided into one or more Local Level Government (LLG) areas. For census purposes, the LLG areas are again subdivided into wards and those into census units.[2][3]

District	District Capital	LLG Name
Chuave District	Chuave	Chuave Rural
		Elimbari Rural
		Siane Rural
Gumine District	Gumine	Bomai-Gumai Rural
		Gumine Rural
		Mount Digine Rural
Karimui-Nomane District	Karimui	Karimui Rural
		Nomane Rural
		Salt Rural
Kerowagi District	Kerowagi	Gena-Waugla Rural
		Upper-Lower Koronigl Rural
		Kerowagi Urban
		Kup Rural
Kundiawa-Gembogl District	Kundiawa	Kundiawa Urban
		Mitnande Rural (Mount Wilhelm Rural)
		Niglkande Rural
		Waiye Rural
Sina Sina-Yonggomugl District	Yonggomugl	Tabare Rural (Sinasina)
		Suai Rural (Suwai)
		Yonggomugl Rural

Politics

The current governor, Noah Kool, was elected in the 2012 national election under the new Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system. The Governor is the head of the provincial government. The provincial bureaucracy is headed by the provincial administrator. The current acting administrator is Joseph Kunda Naur, a former educationist. He is from the Endugla/Naur tribe.

The provincial headquarters is Kundiawa, which is also the location of the province's main airport. Air Niugini makes three flights to Kundiawa each week. There are many guest houses within the proximity of Kundiawa town.

Chimbu Provincial Leaders

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.[4][5]

Premiers (1976–1995)

Premier	Term
Siwi Kurondo	1976–1978
Mathew Siune	1978–1984
provincial government suspended	1984–1986
Peter Gul	1986–1988
David Mai	1988–1992
Edward Bare	1992–1993
Edward Aba	1993–1995

Governors (1995–present)

Premier	Term
Yauwe Riyong	1995–1997
Louis Ambane	1997–1998
Simeon Wai	1998–1999
Louis Ambane	1999–2003
Alphonse Willie	2003–2004
Peter Launa	2004–2007
John Garia	2007–2012
Noah Kool	2012–2017
Micheal Dua Bogai	2017–present

Members of the National Parliament

The province and each district is represented by a Member of the National Parliament. There is one provincial electorate and each district is a local ("Open") electorate.[6]

Premier	Term
Chimbu Provincial	Micheal Bogai Dua
Chuave Open	Wera Mori
Gumine Open	Nick Kuman
Karimui-Nomane Open	Geoffery Kama
Kerowagi Open	Bari Palma
Kundiawa Open	Willie Gogl Ongulgo
Sinasina-Yonggomugl Open	Kerenga Kua

See also

• Adumo

References

1. "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
2. "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.
3. "Final Figures". www.nso.gov.pg. 2011 National Population and Housing Census: Ward Population Profile. Port Moresby: National Statistical Office, Papua New Guinea. 2014.
4. 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.
5. "Provinces". rulers.org. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
6. "NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2012". PNG Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

• Deck, D. Sipu-u-u-u to Simbu, Paradise Magazine