SPACEPHOTOS

The coastline around the southern end of the Gulf of Cenderawasih (very dark area) that includes Nabire (the lighter colored area along the coast near the left margin), a small port city, contrasts with dense vegetated tropical rainforest of Irian Jaya. The color infrared image (red colors are actually green vegetation) is very effective in showing the extensive ground cover of the rainforest canopy that overlays primarily a rugged, mountainous landscape, especially the interior. The angular, pinkish areas, mainly near the coast, show where the tropical rainforest has been cleared for development, either for agricultural purposes or the extractive industry. The lighter-colored lines are roads that have been cut through the mountainous, jungle-covered terrain. Clouds obscure part of the mountainous terrain immediately north of the Weyland Mountains. STS068-202-031 provides additional photographic coverage of the area southwest of this scene that includes the port city of Nabire.