Aitape

Aitape

Aitape is a small town of about 8,000 people on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is a coastal town that is almost equidistant from the provincial capitals of Wewak and Vanimo, and marks the midpoint of the highway between these two capitals. Aitape has a power station that is run by big generators, mobile network access, a bank, a post-office, a courthouse and a police station, a supermarket and many tradestores, a petrol station, two airstrips, a secondary school and a high school, a mission office and a hospital.

Aitape was established as a station by German colonists in 1905 as part of German New Guinea. During the Second World War the town was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army.

Aitape can be reached by logging road from Vanimo and Wewak (180 km). Boats also leave Aitape Harbor to Vanimo and Wewak. There are two airstrips: Tadji (TAJ), where most flights land, and Aitape (ATP). Tadji airstrip is located 10 km east of town.






For more on the province, visit:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandaun
                                                     http://www2.popul8.com.au/clients/gti/png/map/sandaun-province/