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West Nusa Tenggara

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West Nusa Tenggara is a province in Indonesia.

Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat
Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat

It is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. The Flores Sea sits to the north of the province. The Indian Ocean lies to the south. To the west, it borders the province of Bali. To the east, it borders East Nusa Tenggara. This region is made of two main islands. These are Lombok Island and Sumbawa Island. There are also several smaller islands nearby.

Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat
Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat

The islands have very different shapes and sizes. Lombok is in the west and is smaller. However, it has many more people living there. Mataram is the capital city on Lombok.

Mount Rinjani Ultra 8
Mount Rinjani Ultra 8

Lombok has a flat coast in the south and west. It also has high mountains. Mount Rinjani is the highest peak at 3,726 meters. It is an active volcano. It has a beautiful crater lake called Segara Anak.

Mount Rinjani Ultra 8
Mount Rinjani Ultra 8

Sumbawa is in the east and is much larger. It has fewer people living on it. The land there has steep hills and dry grasslands.

Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia
Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia

History shows many different people lived here. Long ago, people from Southeast Asia lived in the area. They left behind items like decorated stoneware and stone axes. The Sasak people are the largest group on Lombok. On Sumbawa, people are divided into Samawa and Bima groups. In the 14th century, the Majapahit Empire ruled these islands. Later, Islam spread to the coastal areas. This happened after the Majapahit Empire fell. A king named Abdul Kahir was the first to embrace Islam in Bima.

Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat
Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat

Many things happened during the colonial period. The Portuguese and the Dutch both came to the region. The Dutch made many deals with local kings. They wanted to control trade in Lombok. One very big event happened on April 5, 1815.

Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia
Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia

Mount Tambora erupted on Sumbawa. This was one of the largest eruptions in history. It changed things all over the world. The eruption caused two kingdoms to disappear. More than 10,000 people died in this event.

Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia
Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia

Today, the province has a busy economy. Many people work in farming. They grow rice, corn, soybeans, and tobacco.

Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year in West Nusa Tenggara, 2001-2024
Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year in West Nusa Tenggara, 2001-2024

Other people work in fishing or mining. There are large gold mines on Sumbawa. Tourism is also a big part of life. People visit the Gili Islands for the clear water. They go to Kuta Beach or Lakey Beach to surf. You can also see traditional homes in Sade Village.

Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year in West Nusa Tenggara, 2001-2024
Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year in West Nusa Tenggara, 2001-2024
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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia.jpg
Caldera Mt Tambora Sumbawa Indonesia.jpg
File:Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year in West Nusa Tenggara, 2001-2024.png
Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year...
File:Mount Rinjani Ultra 8.jpg
Mount Rinjani Ultra 8.jpg
File:Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat.jpg
Prov. Nusa Tenggara Barat.jpg
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