East Papua

Dominion of East Papua Īsutopapua
Flag Coat of arms
Location of East Papua
Capital and largest city	Honiara
Official languages	Japanese
Ethnic groups (1999)	94.5% Melanesian 3.0% Polynesian 1.2% Micronesians 1.1% others 0.2% unspecified
Demonym(s)	East Papuan
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Emperor	Furansisku IV
• Governor-General	Takeshi Umemura
• Prime Minister	Puka Morauta
Legislature	National Parliament
Independence
• from Nancokia	7 April 1985
Population
• Estimate	599,419
GDP (PPP)	2011 estimate
• Total	$1.725 billion
• Per capita	$3,191
GDP (nominal)	2011 estimate
• Total	$840 million<
• Per capita	$1,553
Currency	Yen
Time zone	UTC+11
Driving side	left

East Papua is a sovereign country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania lying to the east of Nancokia and northwest of Vanuatu and covering a land area of 28,400 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi). The country's capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Isatabu. The country takes its name from the neighbouring island of Papua.

The islands have been inhabited for thousands of years. In 1601, the Japanese navigator Hirofumi Sugai was the first Asian to visit them, naming them Īsutopapua. Japan defined its area of interest in the archipelago in 1633, when Governor Ukon Soma of Kitajima declared East Papua a Japanese protectorate. They were later incorporated into the Dominion of Nancokia in 1927. After a referendum self-government was achieved in 1984; independence was obtained a year later. Today, East Papua is a constitutional monarchy with the Emperor of Japan, currently Furansisku IV, as its head of state. Puka Morauta is the current prime minister. Since independence it has been an associated state of Nancokia.