Originally, this area comprised those districts of the former Yapen Waropen Regency which lay on the Papuan mainland, but that regency was split in two on 12 November 2002 (effective on 11 December 2002), to form the Waropen Regency on the Papuan mainland and the Yapen Islands Regency consisting of Yapen Island and some smaller islands in Cenderawasih Bay.

[5] At the 2010 Census, Waropen Regency comprised ten districts (distrik), but subsequently two additional districts have been created - Soyoi Mambai and Wonti.

The twelve districts are tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census[2] and as officially estimated in mid 2023.

[1] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, and the numbers of administrative villages (all classed as rural kampung) in each district, and its post code.

Note: (a) the 2010 populations of Soyoi Mambai and Wonti Districts are included with the population of the districts (Risei Sayati and Demba) from which they were subsequently cut out.