 Yapen withSerui seen in the background. | |
 Location of Yapen Islands | |
  Yapen Location in Papua Province Show map of Papua (province) Yapen Location in Indonesia Show map of Indonesia | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Melanesia;Oceania |
| Coordinates | 1°45′S136°08′E / 1.750°S 136.133°E /-1.750; 136.133 |
| Area | 2,278 km2 (880 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,496 m (4908 ft) |
| Administration | |
Indonesia | |
| Province | Papua |
| Regency | Yapen Islands |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
Yapen (alsoJapen,Jobi)[1] is an island ofPapua, Indonesia. The Yapen Strait separates Yapen and theBiak Islands to the north. It is inCenderawasih Bay off the north-western coast of the island ofNew Guinea. To the west isMios Num Island across the Mios Num Strait, and to the eastKurudu Island. Off the southeast coast of Yapen are theAmboi Islands and to the southwest are theKuran Islands.[2] Together these islands form theYapen Islands Regency within the province of Papua. It is populated with communities of Yobi, Randowaya, Serui, and Ansus. Its highest point is 1,496 metres (4,908 feet).
First recorded sighting by Europeans is by Spanish navigatorÁlvaro de Saavedra who landed on 24 June 1528 when trying to return fromTidore toNew Spain. It was then charted asPaine within theIslas de Oro (Golden Islands in Spanish), as they called Yapen and the present daySchoutens. In 1545 it was visited byÍñigo Órtiz de Retes on board ofgalleonSan Juan.[3]
Theearthquake of 1979 caused serious damage and killed at least 115 people on the island.[4]
The island has been designated theYapen rain forests ecoregion by the World Wildlife Federation for its unique bird life and flora. Two protected areas cover a third of the island, whose population is growing with subsequent clearance of forest for planting and firewood.[5]
