Karkar Island
Karkar ( German outdated Dampier Island ) is a 362 km ² volcanic island in the comprehensive Sumkar district of the province of Madang (Papua New Guinea). The soils of Karkar are among the most fertile in the country. Some beautiful coral reefs comprise the island. Within sight of the volcanic islands of Manam and Bagabag lie.
History
The first European explorers and the English pirate William Dampier landed on the island. Since 1643 the stratovolcano Karkar is about a dozen broken times. 1979 called for an eruption the lives of two volcanologists. In 1981, he broke out for the last time.
Management
Karkar is as much as the neighboring island Bagabag to Sumkar District of Madang Province. Capital of the island and the Sumkar District Kinim is in the northwest of the island.
Society and the economy
The volcano continues to be of religious significance for the inhabitants, although the population Karkars today professes the Lutheran and Roman Catholic denomination. The floor is one of the most fertile of Papua New Guinea and covers the personal use of diverse fruits. The average annual rainfall is 3000 to 3500 mm. The main activities are the cultivation of cocoa and copra, both on plantations and in small scale, and betel nuts. Some of the formerly productive copra plantations are located on the island. Coastal areas are used for agriculture and horticulture. The inland around the mountain and volcanic craters around is used as open to all stationary hunting area and is inhabited only up to a certain height.
A 2004 newly paved road encircles the island. From Madang town of Karkar is by speed boat (boat with outboard motor) or in four to six hours to reach one and a half hours with a copra steamer. There is also the option of using a bus to drive from Madang on the north coast, and then to take a dinghy boat in 45 minutes on the island. This variant is more risky (sometimes sink those boats), but is preferred by the inhabitants because of the lower cost.
There is a hospital in the south of the island with the name Gaubin, which is part of the Lutheran Church of New Guinea. The hospital was built by the Lutheran churches in Germany and with approximately 120 beds offers basic medical care for Karkar and the neighboring island Bagabag.
The population density is 180 people / km ². Since the population is distributed only on the coast and not occupied the country, slowly, problems arise through lack of space and increasingly difficult food situation. Therefore, a family planning program was started in the hospital, so that the residents can now report on prevention and sterilization. The program shows first signs of success, but the population continues to rise sharply.
Languages on Karkar
The population of Karkar distributed traditionally focused on two linguistic communities: The speakers of the Austronesian language Takia and the Trans - New Guinea language Waskia. In Ethnologue however, spoken to Krangket and the closely related language Takia is also Gedaged specified (both languages are combined in the group of Bel- languages). All inhabitants of the island rule and the usual language in Papua New Guinea Pidgin.