- Komodo (island)
Infobox Islands
name = Komodo
image caption =
locator
native name =
native name link =
location =South East Asia
coordinates= coord|8.55|S|119.45|E|region:ID_type:isle|display=inline,title
archipelago =Lesser Sunda Islands
total islands =
major islands =
area = 390 km²
highest mount =
elevation =
country = Indonesia
country admin divisions title =Province
country admin divisions =East Nusa Tenggara
country largest city =
country largest city population =
population =c. 2000
population as of =
density =
ethnic groups =Bugis , othersKomodo is one of the 17,508 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia. The island has a surface area of 390 km² and over 2000 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the island are descendants of former
convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed themselves with theBugis fromSulawesi . The population are primarily adherents of Islam but there are also Christian and Hindu minorities.
[Komodo Dragon at the Island of Komodo video|thumb|250px|left] Komodo is part of the Lesser Sunda chain of islands and forms part of theKomodo National Park . Particularly notable here is the nativeKomodo dragon . In addition, the island is a popular destination for diving. Administratively, it is part of theEast Nusa Tenggara province.Location
Komodo lies between the substantially larger neighboring islands
Sumbawa to the west andFlores to the east.Fauna
The island is famous not only for its heritage of convicts but also for the unique fauna which roam it. The
Komodo dragon , the world's largest living lizard, takes its name from the island. A type ofmonitor lizard , it inhabits Komodo and some of the smaller surrounding islands, attracting manytourist s.Discovery
The Island was visited in 1910 by a Dutch Officer Van Steyn van Hensbroek.
ee also
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Islands of Indonesia
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