[2] The Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra sighted the island on 24 June 1528, when trying to return from Tidore to New Spain.

[4] In World War II, a strategic airfield of the Imperial Japanese Army was located there, serving as a base for operations in the Pacific theatre.

Some Biak islanders including Frans Kaisieppo, Eduard Rumbrar, Markus Kaisiepo, Marttinus Rumayau, and Lukas Rumkorem were educated in Bestuur schools.

De Bruijn as district leader of Biak would reorganised and formed regional council Kakain Karkara on 20 November 1947 to rebuild villages which were destroyed after Koreri movements against social changes brought by outsiders.

[5] In his administration de Bruijn had a right hand man by the name of Stefanus Yoseph which was formerly under the employ of Japanese and met de Bruijn during his employment in Wissel Lakes (Paniai), Stefanus Yoseph was entrusted as warden in Biak, during which he stayed with Petero Jandi a Makassarese working as woodworker in HPB office.

According to Stefanus, Petero Jandi was an Indonesian nationalist extremist (with links with Polongbangkeng group from South Sulawesi) which was captured and exiled to Biak.

Another important figure in this rebellion was Hanoch Rumbrar a clerk in HPB office, which became the intermediary between civilians and Petero Jandi's movement in garnering support and campaign from January to 10 March to become part of 'Sukarno's Republic'.

The rebellion did not go to plan and led to shootouts as one of local Biak youth, Terrianus shot Dutch Sergeant Schipper.

Petero Jandi would receive capital punishment in Hollandia while others holdouts in jungle, like Petrus Korwa and Hanoch Rumbrar were sent to Digul.

On 1 October 1949, there would be a meeting in the home of Yenures village leader, David Rumaropen to reorganise PIM and formally reactivated on 5 October 1949 in Bosnik, in the home of Lukas Rumkorem, with him as leader, Corinus Krey as deputy and J. Tarumaselly as advisor and Petrus Warikar as secretary.

By 1958, a new movement led by Lukas Rumkorem was formed called Tentara Tjadangan Tjenderawasih (TTT), which according to J. Tarumaselly had branches in other region of Papua.

This organisation sent some papuan youths to undergo military training outside Biak which was planned to guide Indonesia infiltration forces.

TTT also made contacts with Indonesia Consulate General in Singapore to utilise Chinese-Indonesian as they move more freely with KPM ships other activities include surveillance of potential important locations in Biak by J. Tarumaselly and T. Rumngeur which was sent to Indonesian representatives in Singapore, Ambon, Hollandia, and Serui.

[citation needed] On 15 August 1962, New York Agreement was signed, which contained provision for Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat.

From 29 September to 19 October 1962, there was a papuan delegations consisting of 19 members to visit Indonesian regions and meet with Sukarno in Jakarta.

[citation needed] About 200 of the original demonstrators were forcibly loaded onto two Indonesian naval vessels and taken to two different locations to be thrown into the ocean.

The TNI explained that the bodies turning up belonged to victims of the Aitape tsunami which occurred approximately 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) away in Papua New Guinea.

In Biak and surrounding regions, many titles relating to jobs in Tidore Sultanate administration became used as clan and family names, which include Korano or Kolano (ultimately from Javanese Klono in Panji), Sanadi or Sangaji (district leader), Mayor which had job to deliver tribute to Tidore.

Dimara (village leader), military leaders such as Kapitarau (sea captain) and Kapisa (captain), as well as numerous names with starting element of Rum- such as Rumbiak, Rumbewas, Rumbekwan, have origin in Tidore language, as Rum referred to specific area in palace of Tidore.

[needs update] The Biak Numfor culture revolves around their ancient animist religion, although today they are Christian as well.

Their beliefs revolve around a ritual ceremony called Wor, where they will be plagued by all kinds of bad luck and sickness.

In Yosim dance, the women are dressed with weavings to cover the chest, and headress made from bird feathers.

The traditional musical instrument of this dance is a self-made string bass from coconut tree and roots which is similar to the guitar or ukulele.

There are numerous types of flora in the tropical rain forest of the island, including a variety of trees and other commercially important species plus the lush vegetation of mangrove swamps.