West Manggarai Regency

Manggarai Barat Regency
Regency

Seal

Location of Manggarai Barat Regency in East Nusa Tenggara
Country Indonesia
Province East Nusa Tenggara
Capital Labuan Bajo
Area
 • Total 3,650 sq mi (9,450 km2)
Population (2010)
 • Total 220,430
 • Density 60/sq mi (23/km2)

West Manggarai Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Manggarai Barat) is one of the eight regencies which divide the island of Flores, located in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur) in Indonesia. The regency's capital is the town of Labuan Bajo.

Geography

The regency includes the western portion of Flores island (Pulau Flores) and several small islands around it, including the two largest islands, Komodo (Pulau Komodo) and Rinca (Pulau Rinca) as well as others such as Seraya Besar (Pulau Seraya Besar), Seraya Kecil (Pulau Seraya Kecil), Bidadari (Pulau Bidadari) and Longgos (Pulau Longgos). The total area of West Manggarai Regency is 9,450 square kilometres (3,650 sq mi), with a land area of 2,947 square kilometres (1,138 sq mi) and a sea area of 7,052 square kilometres (2,723 sq mi). The population as at the 2010 Census was 220,430 inhabitants.

Administration

West Manggarai Regency is divided into seven districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their 2010 Census population.

Name Population
Census 2010
Komodo 41,258
Boleng 16,567
Sanonggoang 25,113
Lembor 49,732
Welak 19,100
Kuwus 40,365
Macang Pacar 29,568

Development issues

Rural development

The West Manggarai Regency, along with other nearby regencies on Flores, has a long and hot dry season. Programs of tree-planting have been initiated in recent years which are helping improve the local environment.[1] These activities include efforts to promote continued attention to the cultivation of sugar palms (Arenga pinnata).[2]

Education

Education facilities in the region are limited, especially in the outlying areas. Some non-government organisations help, for example, with the provision of books for children to isolated villages.[3]

Tourism

Various local community groups in different parts of the regency work to promote the local tourist industry through, for example, the development of local dance troupes and foods from local areas.[4] In Liang Ndara village, which has been designated as a tourist site, there are programs to teach English in the local community to support the tourist industry,[5]

Mount Mbeliling (Indonesian: Gunung Mbeliling), one of the highest peaks in the regency (1,325 meters) is a well-known destination for climbers and tourists to the regency.[6] The area around Mt Mbeliling, which is rich in bird life, attracts bird-watching groups[7]

Sano Nggoang

Sano (means Mount) Nggoang is 513 hectares (1.9 sq. mi.) of volcanic crater lake with depth of around 600 meters (1968.5 ft.), the deepest lake of its kind in the world.[8]

Shark and manta ray sanctuary

In late August 2013, the local authority designated that all regency's marine and coastal water up to 12 nautical miles offshore occupied 7,000 square kilometer area as a shark and manta ray sanctuary (includes sea around Komodo Island).[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Markus Makur, 'Marselinus Agot: Three million trees for Manggarai Raya', The Jakarta Post, 30 September 2011. Also Markus Makur, 'Aventinus Sadip: Greening to ease warming', The Jakarta Post, 2 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Markus Makur, 'Abraham Manggas: Rescuing sugar palms', The Jakarta Post, 14 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Eva Muchtar, 'Gardens of Learning', The Jakarta Post Weekender, 26 April 2012.
  4. ↑ Markus Makur, 'Yoseph Ugis: Never give up', The Jakarta Post, 28 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Markus Makur, 'Tourism: Farmers learn English to welcome more foreign tourists', The Jakarta Post, 22 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Markus Makur, Onesimus Patrio Nyamang: Climbing mountains', The Jakarta Post, 3 September 2012.
  7. ↑ Markus Makur, 'Samuel Rabenak: From fascination to preservation', The Jakarta Post, 8 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "Sano Nggoang Danau Vulkanik Terdalam di Dunia yang Eksotik". October 7, 2012.
  9. ↑ "West Manggarai establishes shark, manta ray sanctuary". September 12, 2013.
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