The term arfak came from the language of the coastal Biak people, meaning inferior. This is due to how big the mountains are compared to other lowland areas found in this region. Located in the east and central regions of the Bird's Head Peninsula, these mountains rise steeply from the sea, with little or no coastal plain surrounding them. Mount Arfak, at , can be viewed from the provincial capital, Manokwari, and is the highest point in West Papua and the Bird's Head Peninsula.