Sumbawa

Last updated
Sumbawa
Sumbawa Topography.png
Indonesia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Sumbawa
Geography
Location Southeast Asia
Coordinates 8°47′S118°5′E / 8.783°S 118.083°E / -8.783; 118.083
Archipelago Lesser Sunda Islands
Area15,323.77 km2 (5,916.54 sq mi)
Area rank 57th
Highest elevation2,850 m (9350 ft)
Highest point Mount Tambora
Administration
Indonesia
Province West Nusa Tenggara
Demographics
DemonymSumbawan
Population1,626,517 (mid 2022 estimate)
Pop. density106.14/km2 (274.9/sq mi)
Ethnic groups Sumbawans, Bima people
The caldera of Mt Tambora, 2011 Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia.jpg
The caldera of Mt Tambora, 2011

Sumbawa (Sumbawa: Semawa) 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. Along with Lombok, it forms the province of West Nusa Tenggara, but there have been plans (currently held in abeyance) by the Indonesian government to split the island off into a separate province. [1] Traditionally, the island is known as the source of sappanwood, as well as honey and sandalwood. Its savanna-like climate and vast grasslands are used to breed horses and cattle, as well as to hunt deer.

Contents

Sumbawa has an area (including minor offshore islands) of 15,323.77 square kilometres or 5,916.54 square miles (three times the size of Lombok) with a population (at the 2020 Census) of 1,561,461; [2] the official estimate as at mid-2023 was 1,626,517. [3] It marks the boundary between the islands to the west, which were influenced by religion and culture spreading from India, and the region to the east which was less influenced. In particular, this applies to both Hinduism and Islam.

Etymology

Sumbawa come from Portuguese Cumbava or Cimbava, assimilated from the locally used name Sambawa (still found as such in Makassarese, cf. also Semawa in the Sumbawa language). This name is probably derived from Sanskrit śāmbhawa (शम्भु), meaning 'related to Śambhu (= 'the Benevolent', a name for Shiva)'. [4]

History

The 14th-century Nagarakretagama mentioned several principalities identified to be on Sumbawa; Dompu, Bima, Sape, and one on the Sang Hyang Api island just off the coast of northeast Sumbawa. Four principalities in western Sumbawa were dependencies of the Majapahit Empire of eastern Java. Because of Sumbawa's natural resources, it was regularly invaded by outside forces – from the Javanese, Balinese, and Makassar, to the Dutch and Japanese. The Dutch first arrived in 1605 but did not effectively rule Sumbawa until the early 20th century.

For a short period, the Balinese kingdom of Gelgel ruled a part of western Sumbawa. The eastern parts of the island were traditionally divided into four sultanates: Sumbawa, Sanggau, Dompo, and Bima, which had links to the Bugis and Makassar peoples of South Sulawesi.

Historical evidence indicates that people on Sumbawa island were known in the East Indies for their honey, horses, [5] sappanwood, which is used to make red dye, [6] and sandalwood, which is used for incense and medications. The area was thought to be highly productive agriculturally. In the 18th century, the Dutch introduced coffee plantations on the western slopes of Mount Tambora, a volcano on the north side of Sumbawa, thus creating the Tambora coffee variant.

Tambora's colossal eruption in 1815 was the most powerful in recorded history, ejecting 180 cubic kilometres (43 cu mi) of ash and debris into the atmosphere. The eruption killed up to 71,000 people and triggered a period of global cooling known as the "Year Without a Summer" in 1816. It also apparently destroyed a small culture of Papuan [7] affinity, known to archaeologists as the "Tambora culture". [8]

Administration

Sumbawa is administratively divided into four regencies (kabupaten) and one kota (city). The regencies and cities are listed below with their administrative capitals, their areas, and their populations at the 2010 census [9] and the 2020 census, [2] together with the official estimates as of mid-2023. [3]

Kode
Wilayah		Name of
City or
Regency		CapitalArea
in
km2		Pop'n
2010
census		Pop'n
2020
census		Pop'n
mid 2023
estimate		 HDI [10]
2014 estimates
52.04 Sumbawa Regency Sumbawa Besar 6,643.99415,789509,753529,4870.628 (Medium)
52.05 Dompu Regency Dompu 2,324.55218,973236,665247,1880.635 (Medium)
52.06 Bima Regency Woha 4,389.40439,228514,105535,5300.626 (Medium)
52.07 West Sumbawa Regency
(Sumbawa Barat)		 Taliwang 1,743.58114,951145,798152,9500.671 (Medium)
52.72 Bima City Bima 222.25142,579155,140161,3620.722 (High)
Total Sumbawa 15,323.771,331,5201,561,4611,626,517

The Indonesian Government is currently considering the division of West Nusa Tenggara Province to create a separate Sumbawa Island province. [11] There is no information as to whether the remaining part of the present province (i.e. the districts comprising Lombok Island) would then be renamed.

Demographics

Islam, the dominant faith of the island, was introduced by the Makassarese of Sulawesi.

Sumbawa had, historically speaking, three major linguistic groups who spoke languages that were unintelligible to each other. The Sumbawa people centered on the western side of the island speak Basa Semawa (Indonesian: Bahasa Sumbawa) which is similar to the Sasak language from nearby Lombok; the Bima people in the east speak Nggahi Mbojo (Bahasa Bima). They were once separated by the Tambora culture, which spoke a language related to neither. After the demise of Tambora due to the 1815 eruption, local kingdoms based in Sumbawa Besar and Bima became the two focal points of Sumbawa. This division of the island into two parts remains today; Sumbawa Besar and Bima are the two largest towns on the island and are the centers of distinct cultural groups that share the island. The Don Donggo or "Mountain People" are a small minority ethnic group who occupy the cloudy highlands west of Bima Bay.

The population of the island (including minor outlying islands) was 1.56 million at the latest decennial census in 2020, comprising 29.46% [2] of the population of the entire Province of West Nusa Tenggara's 5.32 million people; [12] the official estimate as at mid-2023 was 1,626,517. [3]

Due to the lack of work opportunities on the island and its frequent droughts, [13] many people on the island seek work in the Middle East as laborers or domestic servants; some 500,000 workers, or over 10% of the population of West Nusa Tenggara, have left the country to work overseas. [14]

Geography

Beach on Moyo Island, North Sumbawa in March 2012 Moyo Island, North Sumbawa.JPG
Beach on Moyo Island, North Sumbawa in March 2012

The island is bounded by bodies of water; to the west is Alas Strait, south is the Indian Ocean, Saleh Bay creates a major north-central indentation in the island, and the Flores Sea runs the length of the northern coastline. The Sape Strait lies to the east of the island and separates Sumbawa from Flores and the Komodo Islands, there are several bays and gulfs, most notably Bima Bay, Cempi Bay, and Waworada Bay.

Sumbawa's most distinguishing features are Saleh Bay and the Sanggar Peninsula. On the latter stands Mount Tambora (8°14’41” S, 117°59’35” E), a large stratovolcano famous for its VEI 7 eruption in 1815, one of only a few eruptions of such magnitude in the last 2,000 years. The eruption obliterated most of Tambora's summit, reducing its height by about a third and leaving a six-kilometer-wide caldera. Regardless, Tambora remains the highest point on the island. Highlands rise in four spots on the island, as well as on Sangeang Island. The large western lobe of Sumbawa is dominated by a large central highland, and Tambora, Dompu, and Bima each have more minor highlands.

There are several large surrounding islands, most notably Moyo Island, volcanically active Sangeang Island, [15] and the tourist Komodo Islands (administered under Flores) to the east.

Sumbawa is part of the Lesser Sunda deciduous forests ecoregion.

List of offshore islands

[16] There are several smaller offshore islands which fall within the regencies based on Sumbawa Island:

Economy

We want to say that there has been a decline, but a slow decline. There is no seriousness from the government. (About around 20 children died from malnutrition in Sumbawa in October 2012) —Ida, Alliance of Prosperous Villages (ADS) [17]

Batu Hijau mine, 2006 Batu hijau mine.jpg
Batu Hijau mine, 2006

Many of the island residents are at risk of starvation when crops fail due to lack of rainfall.[ citation needed ] The majority of the population works in agriculture. Tourism is just beginning, with a few surf spots renowned for being world-class, Jelenga and Supersuck Beaches [16] near the mine, as well as Hu'u and Lakey Beach [16] in the Gulf of Cempi.

Newmont Mine

A large gold and copper mine, Newmont Mining Corporation's Batu Hijau mine began commercial operations in 2000, a decade after the copper and gold were discovered. [18] Newmont holds a 45% stake in the operation through its shareholding in PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara. A local unit of Japan's Sumitomo Corporation has a 35% share. The mine is located in southwest Sumbawa.

Due to the mine, Sumbawa Barat Regency along with other remote mining towns, and Jakarta, has the highest GDP per capita rates in Indonesia, Sumbawa Barat's is 156.25 million rupiah (US$17,170) as of 2010, [19] Newmont and its partners have invested about $1.9 billion in the mine. The reserves are expected to last until 2034, making Batu Hijau one of the largest copper mines in the world.

Harbour of Poto Tano PotoTanoHarbour.JPG
Harbour of Poto Tano

Transport

There is a road network in Sumbawa, but it is poorly maintained and has long portions of rough gravel. Frequent ferry service to Sumbawa (Poto Tano) from Lombok (Labuhan Lombok) exists; however, the ferry service to Flores from Sape is infrequent. Bima is the largest city on Sumbawa and has ferry and bus services directly to Java and Bali, though service breakdowns are common.

The most convenient way to reach Sumbawa is via air. There are commercial flights connecting the island's main airport, the Bima airport, to Denpasar and Makassar.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flores</span> Island of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia

Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, a group of islands in the eastern half of Indonesia. Administratively, it forms the largest island in the East Nusa Tenggara Province. Including Komodo and Rinca islands off its west coast, the land area is 14,731.67 km2, and the population was 1,878,875 in the 2020 Census ; the official estimate as of mid-2023 was 1,962,405. The largest towns are Maumere and Ende. The name Flores is of Portuguese origin, meaning "Flowers".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lombok</span> Island in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

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. It is roughly circular, with a "tail" to the southwest, about 70 kilometres across and a total area of about 4,607.38 square kilometres including smaller offshore islands. The provincial capital and largest city on the island is Mataram.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Nusa Tenggara</span> Province of Indonesia

West Nusa Tenggara is a province of Indonesia. It comprises the western portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the exception of Bali which is its own province. The province's land area is 19,931.45 km2. The two largest islands by far in the province are the smaller but much more populated Lombok in the west and the much larger in area but much less densely populated Sumbawa island in the east. Mataram, on Lombok, is the capital and largest city of the province. It shares maritime borders with Bali to the west and East Nusa Tenggara to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bima</span> City in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Bima is a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sumbawa in central Indonesia's province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is the largest city on the island of Sumbawa, with a population of 142,443 at the 2010 census and 155,140 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid-2023 was 161,362. It is separate from the adjoining Regency of Bima which had a population of 535,530 according to the mid-2023 official estimates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumbawa Besar</span> Place in Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia

Sumbawa Besar is a town on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, and is the second-biggest settlement on the island after Bima. It is the administrative capital of the Sumbawa Regency within the province of West Nusa Tenggara, and has a population of 56,337 inhabitants as of the 2010 census and 62,753 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 63,362.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batu Hijau mine</span>

The Batu Hijau mine is an open pit copper-gold mine operated by PT. Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara. The mine is the second largest copper-gold mine in Indonesia behind the Grasberg mine of PT. Freeport Indonesia. The mine is located 1,530 kilometres (950 mi) east of the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Sumbawa, an island in West Nusa Tenggara Province, more precisely in the southern part of West Sumbawa Regency. The mine is the result of a ten-year exploration and construction program based on a 1999 discovery of the porphyry copper deposit. Production began in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bima Regency</span> Regency in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Bima Regency is a regency of the Indonesian Province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is located on the island of Sumbawa and the capital is Woha. The Regency covers an area of 4,389.40 km2, and had a population of 438,522 at the 2010 Census and 514,105 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 535,530. It administratively excludes but geographically completely surrounds Bima City on the landward side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woha, Sumbawa</span> Place in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Woha is a town and administrative district which serves as the capital of the Bima Regency, on the eastern part of the island of Sumbawa, in the Indonesian province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is connected by provincial road to the towns of Bima and Sape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Lombok Regency</span> Regency in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

West Lombok Regency is a regency of the Indonesian Province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is located on the island of Lombok and the administrative capital is the town of Gerung. The regency covers a land area of 922.91 km2 and had a population of 599,609 at the 2010 census and 721,481 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 753,641.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Lombok Regency</span> Regency in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

East Lombok Regency is a regency of the Indonesian Province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is located on the island of Lombok, of which it comprises the eastern third ; the administrative capital is the town of Selong. The Regency covers an area of 1,605.55 km2 and had a population of 1,105,582 at the 2010 Census and 1,325,240 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 1,404.343.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Lombok Regency</span> Regency in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Central Lombok Regency is a regency of the Indonesian Province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is located on the island of Lombok and the capital is Praya. It covers an area of 1,208.39 km2, and had a population of 859,309 at the 2010 census and 1,034,859 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 1,099,211.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dompu Regency</span> Regency in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Dompu Regency is a regency of the Indonesian Province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is located on the island of Sumbawa and the capital is Dompu. It is bordered to the north and to the east by two non-contiguous parts of Bima Regency, and to the west by Sumbawa Regency, as well as on its coasts by Saleh Bay, Sanggar Bay, and Cempi Bay. It covers an area of 2,324.55 km2, and the population at the 2010 Census was 218,984 and at the 2020 Census was 236,665; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 247,188.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Lombok Regency</span> Regency in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

North Lombok Regency is a regency of the Indonesian Province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is located in the northwest of the island of Lombok and includes the offshore Gili Islands. The capital is Tanjung situated on the northwest coast of the island. The regency covers an area of 809.53 km2 and had a population of 200,072 at the 2010 Census and 247,400 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 265,500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Sumbawa Regency</span> Regency in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

West Sumbawa Regency is a Regency (Kabupaten) of the Indonesian Province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is located on the island of Sumbawa and has an area of 1,743.58 km2. The regency was created on 18 December 2003 from what were at that time the westernmost five districts (kecamatan) of Sumbawa Regency. The population at the 2010 Census was 114,754, and at the 2020 Census was 145,798; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 152,950 comprising 77,030 males and 75,920 females. The capital is the town of Taliwang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manggarai Regency</span> Regency in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Manggarai Regency is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia, situated on the island of Flores. Established in 1958 the regency was reduced in size and population by the separation of the more western districts to form West Manggarai Regency in 2003 and of the more eastern districts to form East Manggarai Regency in 2007. The area of the residual Manggarai Regency is 1,343.83 km2 and its population was 292,037 at the 2010 census and 312,855 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 328,758. The capital of the regency is the town of Ruteng.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dompu</span> Town in Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia

Dompu is a town and the administrative centre of the Dompu Regency, located in the eastern part of the island of Sumbawa, in central Indonesia's province of West Nusa Tenggara. It is the third largest town on the island of Sumbawa, with a population of 49,854 at the 2010 Census, which by the 2020 Census had grown to 54,987; the official estim,ate as at mid 2023 was 57,680. It is connected by provincial road to Bima and Sape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bima Sultanate</span>

The Sultanate of Bima, officially known as The Settlements and Lands of Mbojo, alternatively the Kingdom of Bima was a Muslim state in the eastern part of Sumbawa in Indonesia, at the site of the present-day regency of Bima. It was a regionally important polity which formed the eastern limit of Islam in this part of Indonesia and developed an elite culture inspired by Makassarese and Malay models. Bima was subjected to indirect colonial rule from 1669 to 1949 and ceased to be a sultanate in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satonda Island</span> Island in Dompu Regency of Indonesia

Satonda is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. It is off the north coast of Sumbawa island. The Island is located in Dompu Regency, 3 km from Sanggar Strait in the Flores Sea, and is administratively part of the Nangamiro Village area of Pekat District. Satonda Island was formed from the eruption of Mount Satonda thousands of years ago. Satonda volcano is said to be older than Mount Tambora, which is about 30 kilometers from the island. Satonda Island has a vast natural coral reef in the surrounding waters and was designated a Marine Nature Park (TWAL) in 1999 by the Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia. The island is proposed to be part of Moyo Satonda National Park along with neighbouring Moyo Island.

The 2022 Liga 3 West Nusa Tenggara or 2022 Bank NTB Syariah Liga 3 for sponsor reasons, is the fifth season of Liga 3 West Nusa Tenggara organized by Asprov PSSI NTB.

References

  1. ↑ Jakarta Post, 14 November 2013
  2. 1 2 3 Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2024, Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Barat Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.52)
  4. ↑ Noorduyn, J. (1987). "Makasar and the islamization of Bima". Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde. 143 (2/3): 312–342. doi:10.1163/22134379-90003330. JSTOR   27863842. Sumbawa is a Portuguese corruption, Cumbava or Cimbava, of the original name Sambawa - possibly deriving from Sham- bhawa (Van Naerssen 1938:92) 'related to Shambhu', i.e. God Shiva
  5. ↑ Jong Boers, B.D. de (2007), 'The 'Arab' of the Indonesian Archipelago: The Famed Horse Breeds of Sumbawa' in: Greg Bankoff and Sandra Swart (eds), Breeds of Empire: The 'invention' of the horse in Southern Africa and Maritime Southeast Asia, 1500–1950. Copenhagen: NIAS Press, pp 51–64.
  6. ↑ Jong Boers, B.D. de (1997), "Sustainability and time perspective in natural resource management: The exploitation of sappan trees in the forests of Sumbawa, Indonesia (1500–1875)" in: Peter Boomgaard, Freek Colombijn en David Henley (eds), Paper landscapes; Explorations in the environmental history of Indonesia. Leiden: KITLV Press, pp. 260–281.
  7. ↑ Donohue, Mark (2008-01-03). "The Papuan Language of Tambora". Oceanic Linguistics. 46 (2): 520–537. doi:10.1353/ol.2008.0014. ISSN   1527-9421. S2CID   26310439.
  8. ↑ Roach, John (February 27, 2006). ""Lost Kingdom" Discovered on Volcanic Island in Indonesia". National Geographic News. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on March 11, 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  9. ↑ Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
  10. ↑ Indeks-Pembangunan-Manusia-2014
  11. ↑ Officials support new province for Sumbawa | The Jakarta Post
  12. ↑ "Indonesia (Urban City Population): Provinces & Cities - Statistics & Maps on City Population". Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  13. ↑ "Local Government Asks People to Be Careful of Drought Hazard Threats". Gaung NTB. March 30, 2010. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012.
  14. ↑ Frode F. Jacobsen (2009). Hadrami Arabs in Present-day Indonesia: An Indonesia-oriented Group with an Arab Signature. Routledge. p. 30. ISBN   978-1-134-01852-9.
  15. ↑ "Warum wird diese Seite angezeigt?". Informationsphere.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  16. 1 2 3 West Nusa Tenggara Map, Provincial Tourism and Cultural Office, West Nusa Tenggara, 2008
  17. ↑ "Malnourishment 'Not Taken Seriously' as 20 Kids Die in Indonesia's NTB". Jakarta Globe. Jakarta. 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  18. ↑ Archived October 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ "Perkembangan Beberapa Indikator, Utama Sosial-Ekonomi, Indonesia" (PDF). Bps.go.id. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.