| East Sepik Province | |
| Coordinates: | -4.3333°N 158°W |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Papua New Guinea |
| Parts Type: | Districts |
| Parts Style: | list |
| P1: | Ambunti-Dreikikir District |
| P2: | Angoram District |
| P3: | Maprik District |
| P4: | Wewak District |
| P5: | Wosera-Gawi District |
| P6: | Yangoru-Saussia District |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Wewak |
| Area Total Km2: | 43426 |
| Population Total: | 450530 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Main languages |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Allan Bird |
| Timezone1: | AEST |
| Utc Offset1: | +10 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | HDI (2018) |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 0.538[1] · 16th of 22 |
East Sepik is a province in Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Wewak. East Sepik has an estimated population of 433,481 people (2010 census) and is 43,426 km square in size.
Cherubim Dambui was appointed as East Sepik's first premier by Prime Minister Michael Somare upon the creation of the provincial government in 1976.[2] Dambui remained interim premier until 1979, when he became East Sepik's permanent premier with a full term.[2] He remained in office until 1983.[2]
Wewak, the provincial capital, is located on the coast of East Sepik. There are a scattering of islands off shore, and coastal ranges dominate the landscape just inland of the coast. The remainder of the province's geography is dominated by the Sepik River, which is one of the largest rivers in the world in terms of water flow and is known for flooding[3] —the river's level can alter by as much as five metres in the course of the year as it rises and falls. The southern areas of the province are taken up by the Hunstein Range and other mountain ranges which form the central cordillera and feed the Sepik River.
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.[4] [5] [6]
| District | District Capital | LLG Name |
|---|---|---|
| Ambunti-Dreikikier District | Ambunti | Ambunti Rural |
| Tunap-Hunstein Range Rural | ||
| Gawanga Rural | ||
| Dreikikier Rural | ||
| Angoram District | Angoram | Angoram-Middle Sepik Rural |
| Keram Rural | ||
| Karawari Rural | ||
| Marienberg | ||
| Yuat Rural | ||
| Maprik District | Maprik | Albiges-Mablep Rural |
| Bumbita-Muhian Rural | ||
| Maprik-Wora Rural | ||
| Yamil-Tamaui Rural | ||
| Wewak District | Wewak | Boikin- LLG Rural |
| Turubu Rural | ||
| Wewak Islands Rural | ||
| Wewak Local | ||
| Wewak Urban | ||
| Wosera-Gawi District | Wosera | Burui-Kunai Rural |
| Gawi Rural | ||
| North Wosera Rural | ||
| South Wosera Rural | ||
| Yangoru-Saussia District | Yangoru | East Yangoru Rural |
| Numbor Rural | ||
| Sausso Rural | ||
| West Yangoru Rural |
The province was governed by a decentralised provincial administration, headed by a Premier, from 1976 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]
| Premier | Term |
|---|---|
| 1976–1983 | |
| 1983–1987 | |
| 1987–1991 | |
| Provincial government suspended | 1991–1993 |
| 1993–1995 | |
| Governor | Term | |
|---|---|---|
| 1995–1999 | ||
| 1999–2003 | ||
| 2003–2005 | ||
| 2005–2012 | ||
| 2012-2017 | ||
| Allan Bird | 2017–2022 | |
| Allan Bird | 2022-present |
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 |
|---|---|
| East Sepik Provincial | Allan Bird |
| Johnson Wapunai | |
| Salio Waipo | |
| Gabriel Kapris | |
| Stanley Muts Samban | |
| Joseph Yopyyopy | |
| Richard Maru | |