![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2009) |
![]() An Asmat woodcarver. | |
Total population | |
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110,105 (2020)[1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
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Languages | |
Asmat languages | |
Religion | |
Majority: Catholicism[2]
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Related ethnic groups | |
Indigenous Papuan peoples of Western New Guinea and Papua New Guinea, other Melanesians |
The Asmat are an ethnic group of New Guinea, residing in the province of South Papua, Indonesia. The Asmat inhabit a region on the island's southwestern coast bordering the Arafura Sea, with lands totaling approximately 18,000 km2 (7,336 mi2) and consisting of mangrove, tidal swamp, freshwater swamp, and lowland rainforest.
The land of Asmat is located both within and adjacent to Lorentz National Park, a World Heritage Site, the largest protected area in the Asia-Pacific region. The total Asmat population is estimated to be around 110,000 as of 2020.[4] The term "Asmat" is used to refer both to the people and the region they inhabit.
The Asmat have one of the most well-known woodcarving traditions in the Pacific, and their art is sought by collectors worldwide.