Wamena 4.05

Wamena is the capital town of the Jayawijaya Regency of Indonesia. It is the largest town in Indonesian Papua's highlands, in the Baliem Valley and had a population of 31,724 at the 2010 Census. Wamena is the urban centre of a rural area housing West Papua's highest concentration of population, with over 300,000 people inhabiting the Baliem Valley and surrounding areas. These people belong to a number of related ethnic groups, the most prominent of which are referred to as Dani, Lani and Yali.Because of its relatively isolated location, the main form of access to the area is air travel. The town and the surrounding valley are served by Wamena Airport. Dimonim Air, Trigana Air, Aviastar Mandiri, Susi Air, Merpati and Wings Air serve the airport.The town is also home to the Persiwa Wamena football team, who play in Indonesia's premier league.EconomyWamena claims a broader variety of fresh fruits and vegetables than other regions in Papua. On early June 6, 2013, a modern market was built in the town center to allow traditional farmers to sell their harvests at a proper price.Wamena AirportThe only airport in the region that can accommodate the Indonesian Military s Hercules airplanes was razed by fire on September 26, 2011; all buildings including the departure and arrival terminals were engulfed by fire.