Source: Handbook on Netherlands New Guinea, 1958
Netherlands New Guinea is divided into six large administrative units, called divisions. The divisions are divided in subdivisions, which usually consist of a number of districts. A decree of the Deputy Governor of Netherlands New Guinea of January 16, 1956 created a new kind of unit, the "exploration area". Three exploration areas have been established in Central New Guinea: Western Highlands, Central Highlands and Eastern Highlands.
At the end of 1957 the administrative divisions were incorporated in the following organizational plan:

I. Division of Hollandia, capital: Hollandia. Subdivisions:
1. Hollandia, capital: Hollandia
2. Nimboran, capital: Genjem
3. Sarmi, capital: Sarmi
A. Exploration area Eastern Highlands administrative center: Baliem Valley

II. Division of Geelvink Bay, capital: Biak. Subdivisions:
4. Schouten Islands, capital: Biak
5. Japen, capital: Serui (Seroei)
6. Waropen, capital: Waren
7. Wandammen, capital: Wasior

III. Division of Central New Guinea. Temporarily under the administration of the Geelvink Bay Division. Subdivisions:
8. Wissel Lakes, capital: Enarotali
B. Exploration area Central Highlands
C. Exploration area Western Highlands

IV. Division of South New Guinea, capital: Merauke. Subdivisions:
9. Merauke, capital: Merauke
10. Mappi, capital: Kepi
11. Upper Digul, capital: Tanah Merah
12. Muju, capital: Mindiptana
13. Asmat, capital: Agats

V. Division of Fak-Fak, capital: Fak-Fak. Subdivisions:
14. Fak-Fak, capital Fak-Fak
15. Kaimana, capital Kaimana
16. Mimika, capital Kokonao

VI. Division of Western New Guinea, capital: Manokwari. Subdivisions:
17. Sorong, capital: Sorong
18. Raja-Empat, capital: Doom
19. Manokwari, capital: Manokwari
20. Ransiki, capital: Ransiki
21. Terminabuan, capital: Temanibuan (Teminaboean)
22. Bintuni, capital: Steenkool

Other towns and villages: Ajamaroe, Doorn, Inanwatan, Jayawijaya, Kaaimans, Makbon, Mimika, Oebroeb, Paniai, Waghete, Wamena, Yapen Waropen.

Netherlands New Guinea became "Irian Barat" ("West Irian") October 1, 1962; "Irian Jaya" ("Irian Djaja") in 1973; and "West Papua" in 2000.

	Papuans	Europeans	Asiatics	Total
1	29845	8195	1532	39572
2	7448	22	22	7492
3	10703	82	153	10938
4	32800	2629	541	35970
5	24463	133	457	25053
6	10177	12	94	10283
7	6804	30	84	6918
8	23239	61	69	23369
9	18122	573	4003	22698
10	15248	30	336	15614
11	9124	49	94	9267
12	17414	30	149	17593
13	16748	25	32	16805
14	8712	249	1852	10813
15	7661	169	508	8338
16	8315	38	313	8666
17	17642	1764	5362	24768
18	-	-	-	0
19	15443	2266	399	18108
20	9008	70	0	9078
21	30664	55	187	30906
22	7779	204	579	8562
	327359	16686	16766	360811