Papua
/ˈpapwə
/ /paˈpuːə/ /ˈpapjʊə/1A province of Indonesia comprising most of the western part of the island of New Guinea, with some offshore islands; capital, Jayapura. Until its incorporation into Indonesia in 1963 it was known as Dutch New Guinea. Formerly called Irian Jaya, West Irian.
2A name for the island of New Guinea. See also Papua New Guinea.
Origin
Named by a Portuguese navigator who visited it in 1526–7, from a Malay word meaning 'woolly-haired'.