Flores
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{{Infobox Islands
|name = Flores
|image name = Flores Topography.png
|image caption = Topography of Flores
|locator map = Flores map.png
|native name =
|native name link =
|location = [[South East Asia]]
|coordinates= {{coor dm|8|37|S|121|08|E|type:isle}}
|archipelago = [[Lesser Sunda Islands]]
|total islands =
|major islands =
|area = 13,540 km²<ref name="MONK_7">{{cite book |last=Monk |first=K.A. |coauthors=Fretes, Y., Reksodiharjo-Lilley, G. |title=The Ecology of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku |publisher=Periplus Editions Ltd. |date=1996 |page=page 7|location=Hong Kong |id=ISBN 962-593-076-0}}</ref>
|highest mount = [[Poco Mandasawu]]
|elevation = 2,370 m
|country = Indonesia
|country admin divisions title = Province
|country admin divisions = [[East Nusa Tenggara]]
|country largest city = [[Maumere]]
|country largest city population =
|population = 1,600,000
|population as of = 2003
|density = 112/km²
|ethnic groups =
}}
<!--[[Image:Lesser_Sunda_Islands.png|thumb|300px|right|Map of Lesser Sunda Islands]]-->
'''Flores''' is one of the [[Lesser Sunda Islands]], an [[island arc]] with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the [[Java (island)|Java]] island of [[Indonesia]]. The population is estimated to be around 1.5 million <ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/01/0129_030129_komodo_2.html "Trapping Komodo Dragons for Conservation"] National Geographic - 28 Jan 2003</ref>, and the largest town is [[Maumere]].
Flores is located east of [[Sumbawa]] and [[Komodo (island)|Komodo]] and west of [[Lembata]] and the [[Alor Archipelago]]. To the southeast is [[Timor]]. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is [[Sumba]] and to the north, beyond the [[Flores Sea]], is [[Sulawesi]].
On [[December 12]] [[1992]], an [[1992 Indonesia earthquake|earthquake]] measuring 7.8 on the [[Richter magnitude scale|Richter scale]] occurred, killing 2,500 people near the island of Flores.
==Administration==
Flores is part of the [[East Nusa Tenggara]] province. The island is split into seven [[Regency (Indonesia)|regencies]] (local government districts); from west to east these are: [[West Manggarai]], [[Central Manggarai]], [[Ngada]], [[ Nagekeo ]], [[Ende Regency|Ende]], [[Sikka]] and [[Flores Timur]].
==Flora and fauna==
The west coast of Flores is one of the few places, aside from the island of [[Komodo (island)|Komodo]] itself, where the [[Komodo dragon]] can be found in the wild. The [[Flores Giant Rat]] is also endemic to the Island.
In September 2003, at [[Liang Bua Cave]] in western Flores, [[paleoanthropologist]]s discovered skeletons of a previously unknown [[Hominidae|hominid]] [[species]]. ''[[Homo floresiensis]]'', affectionately termed ''[[hobbit]]s'' after the small characters in [[the Lord of the Rings]], appear to be miniaturized versions of ''[[Homo erectus]]'' standing about one [[metre]] tall. They may have existed until as recently as [[Upper Paleolithic|11,000 BC]]. Local reports of [[elf]]-like people, the [[Ebu Gogo]], or the [[Orang Pendek]] of Sumatra, have caused speculation that Flores man may have survived into the historical period, or even to the present. The discovery has been published in the [[October 28]], [[2004]], issue of ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'' magazine and the [[April 2005]] issue of the [[National Geographic]] Magazine.<ref>[http://www.nature.com/news/specials/flores/index.html Flores Special], ''Nature''</ref>
Flores was also a habitat of the extinct [[Stegodon]] dwarf elephant until approximately 18,000 years ago. It also was the habitat of species of giant rodents. It is speculated by scientists that limited resources drove the few species that lived upon the island to [[gigantism]] and [[dwarfism]]. <ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060821-hobbits.html "Hobbits" Were Pygmy Ancestors, Not New Species, Study Says] National Geographic - 21 Aug 2006</ref>
==Culture==
[[Image:FloresFishingBoat.jpg|left|thumb|Some [[Fishing Boats]] on Flores]]
There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian]] family. In the centre of the island in the districts of [[Ngada]], [[Nagekeo]], and [[Ende Regency|Ende]] there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight [[linguistics|linguistic]] differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: [[Ngadha]], [[Nage]], [[Keo language|Keo]], [[Ende language|Ende]], [[Lio (language)|Lio]] and [[Palu'e]], which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add [[So'a]] and [[Bajawa]] to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha.
[[Portugal|Portuguese]] traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to [[Larantuka]] and [[Sikka]]. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language and culture. In fact, the island's name, Flores, means "flowers" in [[Portuguese_language|Portuguese]].
Flores is almost entirely Catholic and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in the Malukus and Sulawesi, the divide is more rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes.
==Tourism==
[[Image:BenaVillage.jpg|thumb|Bena Village]]
The most famous tourist attraction in Flores is [[Kelimutu]]; three coloured lakes in the district of Ende and close to the town of Moni. These [[crater lake]]s are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acid water. The coloured lakes change colours on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake (see Pasternack, [http://pasternack.ucdavis.edu/kelimutu.htm Keli Mutu Volcanic Lakes]), from bright red through green and blue. The latest colours (late 2004) were said to be turquoise, brown and black.
There is good [[snorkelling]] and [[diving]] on several locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably [[Maumere]] and [[Riung]]. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed.
Labuanbajo (on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists, from where they can visit [[Komodo (island)|Komodo]] and [[Rinca]]. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as [[whale sharks]] inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo.
Tourists can visit Luba and Bena villages to see traditional houses in Flores. [[Larantuka]], on the isle's eastern end, is known for its [[Holy Week]] festivals.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:SundaIslands.A2003242.0225.500m.jpg|The Lesser Sunda Islands with Flores in the upper right
Image:Flores Moni Kelimutu.jpg|[[Kelimutu]]
Image:Jesus_Statue_Maumere.jpg|A statue of Jesus in Maumere, Flores
Image:MaumereBay.jpg|Maumere Bay
</gallery>
==See also==
* [[Dutch Empire]]
* [[Nage|Nage tribe]]
* [[Portuguese Empire]]
* [[Simon Milward]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{portal|Indonesia}}
* [http://www.nature.com/news/specials/flores/index.html Flores Man special at Nature.com]
[[Category:Islands of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Lesser Sunda Islands]]
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[[id:Pulau Flores]]
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