The Gulf of Papua is a 400 kilometer wide region on the southern shore of Papua New Guinea. Some of New Guinea's largest rivers, such as the Fly River, Turama River, Kikori River and Purari River, flow into the gulf, making it a large delta. While the western coast is characterized by swampy tidal waterways, land to the east ending at Cape Possession is flat and sandy.
The Papuan Gulf's central and eastern interior slowly rises to meet the mountainous Southern Highlands, and is covered in a variety of inland swamps and dense tropical hardwood forests. The dry season begins in October and extends to February, after which, not surprisingly, the wet season starts.
Communities inhabiting the Papuan Gulf primarily live in both villages on the shore or in coastal mangrove forests, as well as in key regional centres (Kikori, Baimuru, Ihu, Kerema and Malalaua). These semi-urban centers are where the health services are located, as well as high schools, and large trade stores. The provincial government of the Gulf Province, which administers the bulk of the Papuan Gulf, is located in Kerema. As a result of the services available in these centers they all composed of a mixture of Papuan Gulf ethnic groups.
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