It possesses remarkable geological and biological characteristics, with ecosystems ranging from coral reefs and lowland swamps to high altitude mountain rainforests and tropical glaciers rising to a height of over 5,000 meters. West Papua is an acclaimed centre of biodiversity.
Heavy rains produce a hot and humid climate for most of the year.
The steep mountain slopes, heavy rains and the type of vegetation have led to poor top soils, except in a few highland regions which have been affected by volcanic activity. The present population of about a million indigenous people is distributed in small communities largely isolated from one another due to the rugged terrain. The islands inhabitants, the Papuans, have lived there for thousands of years. Many are hunter gathers who also practice low intensity farming. The arrival of the first people on the island dates back thousands of years to the time when the whole Pacific region was ethnically negrito.