Kupang
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Tanjung Kupang
in Johore
Kupang is the provincial capital of East Nusa Tenggara
province
in southeast Indonesia
.
The city is located in West Timor
on the island of Timor
, and had a population estimated in 2010 at 335,050. It is surrounded by (but is separate from) the regency of Kupang, which had a population estimated in 2009 at 394,173. It is the biggest city and port on the island of Timor.
Kupang's economy
is mainly based on its cement
industry
and the export
and import
of goods from its busy port. The airport of Kupang El Tari Airport
(IATA-Code: KOE), is approximately 8 km from the city center and is situated to the east. As capital of East Nusa Tenggara, the transport and administrative links from Kupang with isolated islands are extensive.
The location was an important port and trading point during the Portuguese
and Dutch
colonial eras. There are ruins and remnant signs of the colonial presence in the city.
The city was an important landing and refueling place for early long distance airplane flights between Europe
and Australia
in the early twentieth century. It was an important location during the conflict in East Timor
, for the Indonesian military, as well as the militias. The camps around Kupang were also of significant impact on the city.
In 1962, the University of Nusa Cendana
was established, and the city became important both in the field of education and also economically.
In 1967, the city was made the seat of the Diocese of Kupang. In 1989 the diocese
was elevated to become the Archdiocese of Kupang.
who was set adrift in an open boat during the Mutiny on the Bounty
(1789). The Mutiny on the Bounty took place about 30 nautical miles (56 km) from Tofua
. Lt William Bligh navigated the overcrowded 23 foot (7 m) open launch on an epic 41-day voyage first to Tofua and then to the West Timor city of Kupang equipped only with a sextant and a pocket watch— no charts or compass. He recorded the distance as 3,618 nautical miles (6710 km). He passed through the difficult Torres Strait along the way and landed on June 14. The only casualty of his voyage was a crewman named John Norton who was stoned to death by the natives of Tofua, the first island they tried to land on.
, Australia. A group of nine convicts and two children, led by William Bryant, stole a small uncovered government boat and escaped from Port Jackson
, Australia. Ten weeks later, they arrived at Kupang, having covered 3254 nautical miles (6,026.4 km), a feat as remarkable as Blighs, given that only three members of the group had any sailing experience.
. Unlike many cities outside Indonesia with this climate, average temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year, averaging around 28 degrees Celsius,the temperatures have never exceeded 42.0 °C (108.0 °F) and have never fallen below 15.9 °C (60.6 °F). Kupang experiences wet
and dry
seasons of equal length, with the wet season spanning from November through April, and the dry season covering the remaining six months. Kupang sees its heaviest precipitation between December and March. The city sees on average roughly 1550 mm of precipitation annually.
rally which starts in Darwin
, Australia towards the end of July each year. In 2006 about 100 yachts from around the world took part in the rally. From Kupang yachts head north to Alor
and then stop at various ports in Indonesia over a period of about three months ending up in Singapore
.
Tanjung Kupang
Not to be confused with Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara and Tanjung Pinang in Riau IslandsTanjung Kupang is a small village near Nusajaya in Gelang Patah, Johor, Malaysia.-Malaysia Airlines Flight 653:...
in Johore
Kupang is the provincial capital of East Nusa Tenggara
East 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
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
in southeast 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 city is located in West Timor
West Timor
West Timor is the western and Indonesian portion of the island of Timor and part of the province of East Nusa Tenggara, .During the colonial period it was known as "Dutch Timor" and was a centre of Dutch loyalists during the Indonesian National Revolution...
on the island 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 had a population estimated in 2010 at 335,050. It is surrounded by (but is separate from) the regency of Kupang, which had a population estimated in 2009 at 394,173. It is the biggest city and port on the island of Timor.
Kupang's economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
is mainly based on its cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
and the export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
and import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
of goods from its busy port. The airport of Kupang El Tari Airport
El Tari Airport
El Tari Airport is an airport in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The airport's ICAO code was changed from WRKK to WATT in 2004.-Airlines and destinations:...
(IATA-Code: KOE), is approximately 8 km from the city center and is situated to the east. As capital of East Nusa Tenggara, the transport and administrative links from Kupang with isolated islands are extensive.
History
Portugal
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...
and Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
colonial eras. There are ruins and remnant signs of the colonial presence in the city.
The city was an important landing and refueling place for early long distance airplane flights between Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the early twentieth century. It was an important location during the conflict in 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...
, for the Indonesian military, as well as the militias. The camps around Kupang were also of significant impact on the city.
In 1962, the University of Nusa Cendana
University of Nusa Cendana
University of Nusa Cendana is a public university in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. It was established on September 1, 1962. Its current rector is Frans Umbu Datta.-Schools:The university has 8 faculties:# School of Education and Teacher Training...
was established, and the city became important both in the field of education and also economically.
In 1967, the city was made the seat of the Diocese of Kupang. In 1989 the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
was elevated to become the Archdiocese of Kupang.
William Bligh
Kupang was the final destination of William BlighWilliam Bligh
Vice Admiral William Bligh FRS RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A notorious mutiny occurred during his command of HMAV Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, after being set adrift in the Bounty's launch by the mutineers...
who was set adrift in an open boat during the Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the Bounty was a mutiny that occurred aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Bounty on 28 April 1789, and has been commemorated by several books, films, and popular songs, many of which take considerable liberties with the facts. The mutiny was led by Fletcher Christian against the...
(1789). The Mutiny on the Bounty took place about 30 nautical miles (56 km) from Tofua
Tofua
Tofua Caldera, in Tonga, is the summit caldera of a steep-sided composite cone that forms Tofua Island. Tofua Island is in Tonga's Ha'apai island group. Pre-caldera activity is recorded by a sequence of pyroclastic deposits and lavas constituting the older cone, followed on the northern part of the...
. Lt William Bligh navigated the overcrowded 23 foot (7 m) open launch on an epic 41-day voyage first to Tofua and then to the West Timor city of Kupang equipped only with a sextant and a pocket watch— no charts or compass. He recorded the distance as 3,618 nautical miles (6710 km). He passed through the difficult Torres Strait along the way and landed on June 14. The only casualty of his voyage was a crewman named John Norton who was stoned to death by the natives of Tofua, the first island they tried to land on.
William and Mary Bryant
News of the journey of Captain Bligh inspired the escape of a party of convicts from the penal colony at Sydney CoveSydney Cove
Sydney Cove is a small bay on the southern shore of Port Jackson , on the coast of the state of New South Wales, Australia....
, Australia. A group of nine convicts and two children, led by William Bryant, stole a small uncovered government boat and escaped from Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, Australia. Ten weeks later, they arrived at Kupang, having covered 3254 nautical miles (6,026.4 km), a feat as remarkable as Blighs, given that only three members of the group had any sailing experience.
Climate
Kupang has a tropical wet and dry climate according to the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
. Unlike many cities outside Indonesia with this climate, average temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year, averaging around 28 degrees Celsius,the temperatures have never exceeded 42.0 °C (108.0 °F) and have never fallen below 15.9 °C (60.6 °F). Kupang experiences wet
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
and dry
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
seasons of equal length, with the wet season spanning from November through April, and the dry season covering the remaining six months. Kupang sees its heaviest precipitation between December and March. The city sees on average roughly 1550 mm of precipitation annually.
Sailing
Kupang is the first port of call for yachts in the annual Sail IndonesiaSail Indonesia
Sail Indonesia is a series of sailing and other events for yachts conducted each year in Indonesia. The events are organised by Yayasan Cinta Bahari Indonesia and supported by the high profile tourist destinations to international yachtsmen and women with a view to expanding the tourism potential...
rally which starts in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, Australia towards the end of July each year. In 2006 about 100 yachts from around the world took part in the rally. From Kupang yachts head north to Alor
Alor
Alor is the largest island in the Alor Archipelago located at the eastern-most end of the Lesser Sunda Islands that runs through southern Indonesia, which from the west include such islands as Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, and Flores....
and then stop at various ports in Indonesia over a period of about three months ending up in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Kupang Bay Salt Farm
With investment about Rp.500 billion ($58.5 million), PT Garam will begin building a 4,000-hectare salt farm of 500,000 tons per year in Kupang Bay, in 2012 and expected would intial produce in 2013.Sister cities
Kupang has a sister city relationship with:- DarwinDarwin, Northern TerritoryDarwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... - ZhuhaiZhuhaiZhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
, People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...