Natuna Islands

Coordinates: 4°00′N 108°15′E / 4.000°N 108.250°E / 4.000; 108.250

Natuna Islands
Kepulauan Natuna
Islands and Regency

Seal
Motto: Laut Sakti Rantau Bertuah

Natuna location in the South China Sea.
Country Indonesia
Province Riau Islands
Capital Ranai
Area
 • Total 2,009.04 km2 (775.69 sq mi)
Population (2014)
 • Total 83,498
 • Density 42/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zone WIB (UTC+7)
Website www.natunakab.go.id

The Natuna Islands archipelago (272 islands) is located in the south part of the South China Sea in the Natuna Sea. It is part of the larger Tudjuh Archipelago, off the northwest coast of Borneo. Administratively, the islands (including the nearby Bunguran Islands) constitute a regency within the Riau Islands Province of Indonesia and are the northernmost non-disputed island group of Indonesia.

Indonesia's exclusive economic zone off the coast of Natuna slightly overlaps the area within the PRC's South China Sea claim denoted by the so-called "Nine-Dash Line". In 2014–2015, the presence of the Indonesian army on the islands was reinforced, which the Indonesian government hoped would reduce the chance of any conflict.[1]

The Natuna Islands themselves are divided into three groups:

Administration

The Regency is divided into twelve districts (kecamatan) – tabulated below with their 2010 Census population:[2]

Name Population
(2010 Census)[2]
Midai 5,007
Bunguran Barat (West Bunguran) 10,893
Bunguran Utara (North Bunguran) 3,817
Pulau Laut 2,169
Pulau Tiga 4,826
Bunguran Timur (East Bunguran) 22,800
Bunguran Timur Laut (Northeast Bunguran) 4,306
Bunguran Tengah (Central Bunguran) 2,834
Bunguran Selatan (South Bunguran) 2,537
Serasan 4,506
Subi 2,577
Serasan Timur (East Serasan) 2,731

Demographics

According to statistics released in 2010, the population of the islands stood at 69,003 people. 85.27% of the inhabitants were Malays, with the remainder consisting of Javanese, Sumatrans and Chinese. By January 2014, the population was officially estimated to be 83,498.

Despite being politically part of Indonesia, the majority of the inhabitants trace their ancestry to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The predominant language is a distinct variety of Malay which has strong similarities with Terengganu Malay and Sarawak Malay. Malaysia has no claims to the Natunas and acknowledges the islands as Indonesian territory.

Islam is the predominant religion of the islands.[3]

Economy

Despite important natural gas reserves, most of the locals work as fishermen or farmers. There is no significant tourism industry. Farming is not on an industrial scale, just small holdings. The other main source of income is gained by people working for the government.

Geography

The Natuna Islands have a rich diversity of birds, although some, like the Green Iora are threatened by habitat loss

The Natuna Islands are a 272-island archipelago of Indonesia, located in the Natuna Sea between Peninsular Malaysia to the west and Borneo to the east. They extend in a NNW direction for 300 km from Tanjung Api, the northwest extremity of Kalimantan/Borneo. The Natuna Sea itself is a section of the South China Sea.

The North Group consists of a large island (Pulau Laut), two small islands and several adjacent islets and reefs which lie about 50 km NNW of Natuna Besar Island. Pulau Laut is about 11 km long with a greatest width of 5 km towards the south; it is generally hilly, rising to 273 metres near its north end.

The Middle Group consists of Natuna Besar Island, which contains the bulk of the area and population of the archipelago, together with small offshore islets and reefs; the Bodas Islands (Kepulauan Bodas) are a group of moderately high wooded islands lying close to the southwest coast of Natuna Besar.

The Southern Group (Kepulauan Natuna Selatan) consists primarily of two groups of islands separated from the coast of Kalimantan by the Api Passage. The Subi Islands (Kepulauan Subi) of which the main islands are Subi Besar, Subi Kecil, Bakau, Panjang and Seraya, lie southeast of Natuna Besar. Serasan Island (Pulau Serasan) is the largest of the islands lying further to the southeast and nearer to Kalimantan.

Natural resources

Natuna has large reserves of natural gas (estimated to 1.3 billion m3) that is exported to neighbouring countries such as Singapore. Matak Island now serves as an offshore exploitation base.

Ecology

The Natuna Islands have a remarkable avifauna with 71 species of bird registered, including the near-threatened lesser fish-eagle, the Natuna serpent-eagle. Other endangered species include the green iora, the brown fulvetta or the green broadbill.

Colourful coral reefs are found in the neighbouring waters. The Natuna banded leaf monkey, Presbytis natunae, is among[4] the 25 most endangered primates on Earth.

See also

References

  1. ↑ The sleepy island Indonesia is guarding from China, BBC News, Karishma Vaswani, 19 October 2014
  2. 1 2 Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
  3. ↑ The Natuna Islands: Geographically Malaysian, politically Indonesian, mstar.com.my. 7 December 2013 (in Malay)
  4. ↑ Martjan Lammertink, Vincent Nijman and Utami Setiorini, "Population size, Red List status and conservation of the Natuna leaf monkey Presbytis natunae endemic to the island of Bunguran, Indonesia." Oryx / Volume 37 / Issue 04 / October 2003, pp 472 – 479

Further reading

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