Wewak
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| Wewak East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea |
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| Population: (as of 2002) |
25,143 (6th) | ||||||
| LLG: |
Wewak Urban, Wewak Rural, Wewak Island | ||||||
| Main languages: | English, Tok Pisin, Kairiru, Boikin | ||||||
| Language area: | Kairiru | ||||||
| Established: | 1919 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 5 m (16 ft) | ||||||
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: | ||||||
| Location: | 260 km (162 mi) from Wuvulu Island | ||||||
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 One of Wewak's beaches |
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Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura.
Between 1943 and 1945, during World War II, Wewak was the site of the largest Japanese airbase in mainland New Guinea. The base was subjected to repeated bombing by Australian and U.S. planes, most notably in one massive attack on August 17, 1943. Directly to the west of the town centre is a peninsula known as Cape Wom, which was the site of the surrender of Japanese forces in New Guinea, and now houses a small memorial.
The old centre of the town is situated on a small peninsula, with the rest of the urban area occupying a narrow band of flat land between the ocean and the coastal range of mountains that emerges a short distance inland.
To the east of the town center is a small peninsula on which is located Boram Hospital, and Wewak International Airport, which is also known as Boram.
Wewak is linked by road to three villages on the Sepik River: Angoram, Timbunke, and Pagui, though the roads are not always in good condition, and there are regular reports of criminal hold-ups of road traffic. In addition, a coastal highway extends to the west, linking Wewak with the coastal towns of Aitape and Vanimo, which is the capital of Sandaun province.
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