Construction of the mine and its infrastructure, including the town, commenced in the late-1960s. Prior to this, the surrounding area had been inhabited by about 500 members of the
Amung people living in traditional villages. However, as the settlement and the mine grew, migrants from other parts of Papua (e.g. the
Dani people) and outside the island moved in, causing social tensions between the new arrivals and the locals. Popular unrest attributed to the
Free Papua Movement including acts of violence against mining facilities occurred, resulting in relocations of and reprisals against indigenous Papuans by the
Indonesian Army. In 1981, Tembagapura was reported to have housed over 3,000 mine workers and their dependents. Tembagapura has a school for English-speaking expatriate children that has been called "the world's most remote international school." The town has a hospital, a community library, a full-sized outdoor soccer field, indoor tennis and squash courts, and a state-of-the-art gymnasium. The Lupa Lelah Club, a focal point for expatriates, includes a restaurant, a bar, and various function rooms. Shopping facilities include a coffee shop, a
Hero Supermarket, Guardian Pharmacy, Hero Department Store, and a hairdresser. ==Demographics==