Flores
Encyclopedia
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands
, an island arc
with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia
. The population was 1.831.000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere
. Flores is Portuguese
for "flowers".
Flores is located east of Sumbawa
and Komodo
and west of Lembata
and the Alor Archipelago
. To the southeast is Timor
. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is Sumba
and to the north, beyond the Flores Sea
, is Sulawesi
.
On December 12, 1992, an earthquake
measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale
occurred, killing 2,500 people in and around Maumere, including islands off the North coast.
province. The island along with smaller minor islands are split into eight regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: Manggarai Barat (West Manggarai), Manggarai Tengah (Central Manggarai), Manggarai Timur
(East Manggarai), Ngada, Nagekeo, Ende
, Sikka
and Flores Timur (East Flores). It has 39.1% of the provincial population as of 2010, and the most Indonesians of all islands in the province. However, Timor
including the nation of East Timor
is more populated. It is the island with the 9th most Indonesians. Among all islands containing Indonesian territory, it is the 10th most populous after Java
, Sumatra
, Borneo
, Sulawesi
, New Guinea
, Bali
, Madura
, Lombok
, and Timor
.
itself, where the Komodo dragon
can be found in the wild, and is part of Komodo National Park
, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
. Kelimutu National Park
is the second national park designated on Flores to protect endangered species. The Flores giant rat
is also endemic to the island, and Verhoeven's giant tree rat
was formerly present. These giant lizards and rodents are considered examples of island gigantism
.
Flores was also the habitat of several extinct dwarf forms of the proboscidean Stegodon
, the most recent (Stegodon florensis insularis) disappearing approximately 12 000 years ago. It is speculated by scientists that limited resources and an absence of advanced predators made the few megafaunal species that reached the island subject to insular dwarfism
.
in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered small skeletons that they described as a previously unknown hominid
species
, Homo floresiensis
. These are informally named hobbit
s and appear to have stood about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall. The most complete individual (LB1) is dated as 18,000 years old.
There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the Austronesian
family. In the centre of the island in the districts of Ngada, Nagekeo, and Ende
there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic
differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngadha, Nage
, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e
, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa
to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha.
Flores is almost entirely Roman Catholic and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in the Maluku Islands
and Sulawesi
, the divide is less rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes.
traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to Larantuka
and Sikka. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language, culture and religion.
The Dominican order was extremely important in this island, as well as in the neighbouring islands of Timor
and Solor
. When in 1613 the Dutch attacked the Fortres of Solor, the population of this fort, led by the Dominicans, moved to the harbor town of Larantuka
, on the eastern coast of Flores. This population was mixed, of Portuguese and local islanders descent and Larantuqueiros, Topasses (people that wear heats) or, as Dutch knew them, the 'Black Portuguese' (Swarte Portugueezen).
The Larantuqueiros or Topasses became the dominant sandalwood trading people of the region for the next 200 years. This group used Portuguese as the language for worship, Malay as the language of trade and a mixed dialect as mother tongue. This was observed by William Dampier, a British Brigadier visiting the Island in 1699:
In 1846, Dutch and Portuguese initiated negotiations towards delimiting the territories but these negotiations led to nowhere. In 1851 the new governor of Timor, Solor and Flores, Lima Lopes, faced with an impoverished administration, agreed to sell eastern Flores and the nearby islands to Dutch in return for a payment of 200000 florin. Lima Lopes did so without the consent of Lisbon and was dismissed in disgrace, but his agreement was not rescinded and in 1854 Portugal ceded all its historical claims on Flores. After this, Flores became part of the territory of Dutch East Indies
.
During World War II
a Japanese invasion force landed at Reo on 14 May 1942 and occupied Flores.
After the war Flores became part of independent Indonesia
The most famous tourist attraction in Flores is Kelimutu
, a volcano containing three colored lakes, located in the district of Ende close to the town of Moni. These crater lake
s are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acidic water. The colored lakes change colors on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake from bright red through green and blue.
There are snorkelling and diving
locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably Maumere
and Riung. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed.
Labuan Bajo
(on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists as a base to visit Komodo
and Rinca. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as whale sharks inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo.
The Luba and Bena villages include traditional houses in Flores. Larantuka
, on the isle's eastern end, is known for its Holy Week
festivals.
, maize
, sweet potato
and cassava
, while the main cash crops are coffee
, coconut
, candle nut and cashew
. Flores is one of the newest origins for Indonesian coffee
. Previously, most Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica
) from Flores was blended with other origins. Now, demand is growing for this coffee because of its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes.
Lesser Sunda Islands
The Lesser Sunda Islands or Nusa Tenggara are a group of islands in the southern Maritime Southeast Asia, north of Australia. Together with the Greater Sunda Islands to the west they make up the Sunda Islands...
, an island arc
Island arc
An island arc is a type of archipelago composed of a chain of volcanoes which alignment is arc-shaped, and which are situated parallel and close to a boundary between two converging tectonic plates....
with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. The population was 1.831.000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere
Maumere
Maumere is the largest town of Flores, Indonesia and the centre of business. It lies on the north coast of the island and the port is in the northwest part of the town. The Maumere Airport is located in Maumere...
. Flores is Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for "flowers".
Flores is located east of Sumbawa
Sumbawa
Sumbawa is an Indonesian island, located in the middle of the Lesser Sunda Islands chain, with Lombok to the west, Flores to the east, and Sumba further to the southeast. It is in the province of West Nusa Tenggara....
and Komodo
Komodo (island)
Komodo is one of the 17,508 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia. The island has a surface area of 390 km² and over 2000 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the island are descendants of former convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed themselves with the Bugis from...
and west of Lembata
Lembata
Lembata is an island in the Lesser Sunda Islands, formerly known as Lomblen island, is the largest island of the Solor Archipelago, in the Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia. It forms part of the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur. The length of the island is about 80 km from the Southwest to the...
and the Alor Archipelago
Alor Archipelago
The Alor Archipelago is located at the easternmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands.Alor is the largest island in the archipelago which is located at its eastern end. Other islands in the archipelago include Pantar, Kepa, Buaya, Ternate , Pura and Tereweng...
. To the southeast is Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is Sumba
Sumba
Sumba is an island in eastern Indonesia, is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, and is in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. Sumba has an area of 11,153 km², and the population was officially at 611,422 in 2005...
and to the north, beyond the Flores Sea
Flores Sea
The Flores Sea covers 93,000 square miles of water in Indonesia.- Geography :The seas that border the Flores Sea are the Bali Sea , Java Sea , and the Banda Sea ....
, is Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
.
On December 12, 1992, an earthquake
1992 Indonesia earthquake
The 1992 Flores earthquake occurred on December 12, 1992 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. With a magnitude of 7.8, it was the largest and also the deadliest earthquake in 1992.-Description:...
measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
occurred, killing 2,500 people in and around Maumere, including islands off the North coast.
Administration
Flores is part of the East Nusa TenggaraEast Nusa Tenggara
East Nusa Tenggara is a province of Indonesia, located in the eastern portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, including West Timor. The provincial capital is Kupang, located on West Timor...
province. The island along with smaller minor islands are split into eight regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: Manggarai Barat (West Manggarai), Manggarai Tengah (Central Manggarai), Manggarai Timur
East Manggarai Regency
East Manggarai Regency is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. Established in 2007, the regency has its seat in Borong.- References :...
(East Manggarai), Ngada, Nagekeo, Ende
Ende Regency
Ende Regency is one of the eight regencies which divide the island of Flores, within East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The town of Ende is the capital of Ende Regency. The area of Ende Regency is 2,046.62 sq.km, and it had a population of 238,127 .- External links :...
, Sikka
Sikka
Sikka is a regency within East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, on the island of Flores. It covers an area of 1.731,9 km² and has a population of 278,628 . The capital is Maumere.- External links :...
and Flores Timur (East Flores). It has 39.1% of the provincial population as of 2010, and the most Indonesians of all islands in the province. However, Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
including the nation of East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
is more populated. It is the island with the 9th most Indonesians. Among all islands containing Indonesian territory, it is the 10th most populous after Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, Madura
Madura
Madura is an Indonesian island off the northeastern coast of Java. The island comprises an area of approximately 4,250 km². Madura is administered as part of the East Java province. It is separated from Java by the narrow Strait of Madura.-History:...
, Lombok
Lombok
Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east...
, and Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
.
| Name | Capital | Est. | Statute !! Area (km²) !! Population 2010 Census |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manggarai Regency | Ruteng Ruteng Ruteng is a small town on the western end of Flores Island, Indonesia. It is the capital of West Manggarai regency. The population is predominantly Roman Catholic, but still preserve the ancient Manggarai custom of caci , which is usually practiced at weddings, and serves as a tourist attraction.... |
1958 | UU 69/1958 | ||
| Sikka Regency | Maumere Maumere Maumere is the largest town of Flores, Indonesia and the centre of business. It lies on the north coast of the island and the port is in the northwest part of the town. The Maumere Airport is located in Maumere... |
1958 | UU 69/1958 | ||
| Ngada Regency Ngada Regency Ngada Regency is one of the eight regencies which divide the island of Flores, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Bajawa is the capital of Ngada Regency... |
Bajawa Bajawa Bajawa is a town of Flores, Indonesia and the capital of the Ngada Regency. It lies south of the East Nusa Tenggara province and southeast of Ruteng. Bajawa features natural hot springs which are used for bathing and volcanic scenery. The population is primary Roman Catholic.... |
1958 | UU 69/1958 | ||
| Ende Regency Ende Regency Ende Regency is one of the eight regencies which divide the island of Flores, within East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The town of Ende is the capital of Ende Regency. The area of Ende Regency is 2,046.62 sq.km, and it had a population of 238,127 .- External links :... |
Ende Ende, Indonesia Ende is the capital of the Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. Ende is located on the southern coast of Flores Island. The city has a population of 60,000 residents.-History:... |
1958 | UU 69/1958 | ||
| East Flores Regency East Flores Regency East Flores Regency is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. Established in 1958, the regency has its seat in Larantuka.... |
Larantuka Larantuka Larantuka is a subdistrict of East Flores Regency, on the eastern end of Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Like much of the region, Larantuka has a strong a colonial Portuguese influence... |
1958 | UU 69/1958 | ||
| West Manggarai Regency West Manggarai Regency West Manggarai Regency is one of the eight regencies which divide the island of Flores, located in the province of East Nusa Tenggara in Indonesia.... |
Labuan Bajo Labuan Bajo Labuan Bajo is a fishing town located on the western coast of Flores in the Nusa Tenggara region of Indonesia.Once a small fishing village, Labuan Bajo in Flores is now a busy bustling epicenter of tourism... |
2003 | UU 8/2003 | ||
| Nagekeo Regency Nagekeo Regency Nagekeo Regency is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. Established in 2007, the regency has its seat in Mbay.-Salt Plant:August 2011: Due to long dry season at the location, Australian saltmaker Cheetam Saltworks Ltd... |
Mbay | 2007 | UU 2/2007 | ||
| East Manggarai Regency East Manggarai Regency East Manggarai Regency is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. Established in 2007, the regency has its seat in Borong.- References :... |
Borong | 2007 | UU 36/2007 | ||
| Flores | * |
Flora and fauna
The west coast of Flores is one of the few places, aside from the island of KomodoKomodo (island)
Komodo is one of the 17,508 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia. The island has a surface area of 390 km² and over 2000 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the island are descendants of former convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed themselves with the Bugis from...
itself, where the Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
can be found in the wild, and is part of Komodo National Park
Komodo National Park
The Komodo National Park is a national park in Indonesia located within the Lesser Sunda Islands in the border region between the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara. The park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Padar and Rincah, and 26 smaller ones, with a total area of...
, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Kelimutu National Park
Kelimutu National Park
Kelimutu National Park is located on the island of Flores, Indonesia. It consists of a region with hills and mountains, with Mount Kelibara as its highest peak. Mount Kelimutu, which has the three coloured lakes, is also located in this national park...
is the second national park designated on Flores to protect endangered species. The Flores giant rat
Flores Giant Rat
The Flores Giant Rat is a rodent of the family Muridae that occurs on the island of Flores in Indonesia. It is found in primary, secondary and disturbed forest over a wide range of elevations...
is also endemic to the island, and Verhoeven's giant tree rat
Verhoeven's Giant Tree Rat
Verhoeven's Giant Tree Rat is an extinct rat of subfamily Murinae that lived on Flores in Indonesia. It was assessed as being extinct in 1996. However, experts believed that it died out before 1500 AD. The species is known only from several subfossil fragments. It was named after Dutch priest...
was formerly present. These giant lizards and rodents are considered examples of island gigantism
Island gigantism
Island gigantism or insular giantism is a biological phenomenon in which the size of animals isolated on an island increases dramatically in comparison to their mainland relatives....
.
Flores was also the habitat of several extinct dwarf forms of the proboscidean Stegodon
Stegodon
Stegodon , is a genus of the extinct subfamily Stegodontinae of the order Proboscidea. It was assigned to the family Elephantidae , but has also been placed in Stegodontidae . Stegodonts were present from 11.6 mya to 4,100 years ago...
, the most recent (Stegodon florensis insularis) disappearing approximately 12 000 years ago. It is speculated by scientists that limited resources and an absence of advanced predators made the few megafaunal species that reached the island subject to insular dwarfism
Insular dwarfism
Insular dwarfism, a form of phyletic dwarfism, is the process and condition of the reduction in size of large animals – typically mammals – when their population's range is limited to a small environment, primarily islands. This natural process is distinct from the intentional creation of dwarf...
.
Homo floresiensis
In September 2004, at Liang Bua CaveLiang Bua Cave
The Liang Bua is a limestone cave on the Island of Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia was the site of the 2003 discovery of a potentially new species of Homo genus, Homo floresiensis, the remains of which are coded LB1, LB2, etc., after the cave...
in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered small skeletons that they described as a previously unknown hominid
Hominidae
The Hominidae or include them .), as the term is used here, form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees , gorillas , humans , and orangutans ....
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, Homo floresiensis
Homo floresiensis
Homo floresiensis is a possible species, now extinct, in the genus Homo. The remains were discovered in 2003 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Partial skeletons of nine individuals have been recovered, including one complete cranium...
. These are informally named hobbit
Hobbit
Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.Hobbits first appeared in the novel The Hobbit, in which the main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is the titular hobbit...
s and appear to have stood about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall. The most complete individual (LB1) is dated as 18,000 years old.
Culture
Austronesian languages
The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia that are spoken by about 386 million people. It is on par with Indo-European, Niger-Congo, Afroasiatic and Uralic as one of the...
family. In the centre of the island in the districts of Ngada, Nagekeo, and Ende
Ende Regency
Ende Regency is one of the eight regencies which divide the island of Flores, within East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The town of Ende is the capital of Ende Regency. The area of Ende Regency is 2,046.62 sq.km, and it had a population of 238,127 .- External links :...
there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngadha, Nage
Nage
For the poaching liquor, see nage The Nage are an indigenous people living on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores.-Study of the tribe:...
, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e
Palu'e
Palu'e Island is an island located north of Flores Island in the Flores Sea. It is part of Lesser Sunda Islands. Palu'e island is under the administrative region of Sikka regency of East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia....
, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa
Bajawa
Bajawa is a town of Flores, Indonesia and the capital of the Ngada Regency. It lies south of the East Nusa Tenggara province and southeast of Ruteng. Bajawa features natural hot springs which are used for bathing and volcanic scenery. The population is primary Roman Catholic....
to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha.
Flores is almost entirely Roman Catholic and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in the Maluku Islands
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
and Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, the divide is less rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes.
History
PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to Larantuka
Larantuka
Larantuka is a subdistrict of East Flores Regency, on the eastern end of Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Like much of the region, Larantuka has a strong a colonial Portuguese influence...
and Sikka. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language, culture and religion.
The Dominican order was extremely important in this island, as well as in the neighbouring islands of Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
and Solor
Solor
Solor is a volcanic island located off the eastern tip of Flores island in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia, in the Solor Archipelago. The island supports a small population that has been whaling for hundreds of years. They speak the languages of Adonara and Lamaholot. There are at least five...
. When in 1613 the Dutch attacked the Fortres of Solor, the population of this fort, led by the Dominicans, moved to the harbor town of Larantuka
Larantuka
Larantuka is a subdistrict of East Flores Regency, on the eastern end of Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Like much of the region, Larantuka has a strong a colonial Portuguese influence...
, on the eastern coast of Flores. This population was mixed, of Portuguese and local islanders descent and Larantuqueiros, Topasses (people that wear heats) or, as Dutch knew them, the 'Black Portuguese' (Swarte Portugueezen).
The Larantuqueiros or Topasses became the dominant sandalwood trading people of the region for the next 200 years. This group used Portuguese as the language for worship, Malay as the language of trade and a mixed dialect as mother tongue. This was observed by William Dampier, a British Brigadier visiting the Island in 1699:
In 1846, Dutch and Portuguese initiated negotiations towards delimiting the territories but these negotiations led to nowhere. In 1851 the new governor of Timor, Solor and Flores, Lima Lopes, faced with an impoverished administration, agreed to sell eastern Flores and the nearby islands to Dutch in return for a payment of 200000 florin. Lima Lopes did so without the consent of Lisbon and was dismissed in disgrace, but his agreement was not rescinded and in 1854 Portugal ceded all its historical claims on Flores. After this, Flores became part of the territory of Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a Japanese invasion force landed at Reo on 14 May 1942 and occupied Flores.
After the war Flores became part of independent Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
Tourism
Kelimutu
Kelimutu is a volcano, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island of Indonesia containing three summit crater lakes of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes...
, a volcano containing three colored lakes, located in the district of Ende close to the town of Moni. These crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
s are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acidic water. The colored lakes change colors on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake from bright red through green and blue.
There are snorkelling and diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably Maumere
Maumere
Maumere is the largest town of Flores, Indonesia and the centre of business. It lies on the north coast of the island and the port is in the northwest part of the town. The Maumere Airport is located in Maumere...
and Riung. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed.
Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo is a fishing town located on the western coast of Flores in the Nusa Tenggara region of Indonesia.Once a small fishing village, Labuan Bajo in Flores is now a busy bustling epicenter of tourism...
(on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists as a base to visit Komodo
Komodo (island)
Komodo is one of the 17,508 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia. The island has a surface area of 390 km² and over 2000 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the island are descendants of former convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed themselves with the Bugis from...
and Rinca. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as whale sharks inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo.
The Luba and Bena villages include traditional houses in Flores. Larantuka
Larantuka
Larantuka is a subdistrict of East Flores Regency, on the eastern end of Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Like much of the region, Larantuka has a strong a colonial Portuguese influence...
, on the isle's eastern end, is known for its Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
festivals.
Economy
In addition to tourism, the main economic activities on Flores are agriculture, fishing and seaweed production. The primary food crops being grown on Flores are riceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, sweet potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
and cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
, while the main cash crops are coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, candle nut and cashew
Cashew
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...
. Flores is one of the newest origins for Indonesian coffee
Indonesian coffee
Indonesia is currently the fourth largest producer of coffee in the world. Coffee in Indonesia began with its colonial history, and has played an important part in the growth of the country. Indonesia is located within an ideal geography for coffee plantations...
. Previously, most Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica
Coffea arabica
Coffea arabica is a species of Coffea originally indigenous to the mountains of Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula, hence its name, and also from the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan. It is also known as the "coffee shrub of Arabia", "mountain coffee" or "arabica coffee"...
) from Flores was blended with other origins. Now, demand is growing for this coffee because of its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes.
See also
- Dutch EmpireDutch EmpireThe Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
- Nage tribeNageFor the poaching liquor, see nage The Nage are an indigenous people living on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores.-Study of the tribe:...
- Portuguese EmpirePortuguese EmpireThe Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
- Simon MilwardSimon MilwardSimon Milward was the General Secretary of the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations , based in Brussels, Belgium from 1992 to 1999. He represented motorcyclists in the institutions of the European Union concerning road safety and consumer issues.A collision with a car resulted in...
- Homo floresiensisHomo floresiensisHomo floresiensis is a possible species, now extinct, in the genus Homo. The remains were discovered in 2003 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Partial skeletons of nine individuals have been recovered, including one complete cranium...