Atauro Island (also Pulau Atauro, Ataúro) is a small island situated 25km north of Dili, East Timor, on the extinct Wetar segment of the volcanic Inner Banda Arc, between the Indonesian islands of Alor and Wetar. Politically it comprises one of the subdistricts of the Dili District of East Timor. It is about 25 km long and 9 km wide, about 105 km² in area, and is inhabited by about 8000 people. East Timor map from CIA factbook File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Dili, also spelled Díli, Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor. ... A volcano is a geological landform where magma (rock from the Earths interior made molten by extremely high temperatures along with a reduction in pressure and/or the introduction of water or other volatiles) erupts through the surface of a planet. ... Alor is the largest island in the Indonesia, which from the west include such islands as Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores Solor and Lomblen. ... Wetar is an island in Indonesias Barat Daya Islands, separated from the Lesser Sunda Islands by the Wetar Strait. ...

Name

The name means 'goat' in the local language, and it is also known as Kambing Island (Pulau Kambing) by the Indonesians ('Kambing' means 'goat' in Bahasa Indonesia). It was so named because of the large number of goats kept there. Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is the official language of Indonesia and a remarkable language in several ways. ...

Geography

The island is separated into 5 districts, each surrounding a village: Bikeli and Beloi in the north, Macadade (formerly Anartutu) in the southwest, and Makili and Vila (formerly Maumeta) in the southeast. The largest town is Vila. Other major towns include Pala, Uaroana, Arlo, Adara, and Berau. One bitumen road connects Vila to Pala, with walking paths to the other villages on the island. There is an airstrip (IATA designation: AUT (WPAT)). Bitumen Bitumen is a category of organic liquids that are highly viscous, black, sticky and wholly soluble in carbon disulfide. ... The International Air Transport Association is an international trade organization of airlines headquarted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ...

Mt. Manucoco is the highest point at 995m above sea level. The ocean strait between Atauro and Timor drops 3500m below sea level; conversely, it is much shallower along the ridge leading to Wetar. Geologists from Melbourne University are working together with the East Timor Energy Minerals and Resources Directorate (EMRD) and the Polytechnical Institute of Dili to make the first geological map of the island, in part to improve the infrastructure of the island. [1] For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... The University of Melbourne, located in Melbourne, in Victoria, is the second oldest university in Australia (the University of Sydney is the oldest). ...

Atauro is a small and unstable island with a rugged landscape, frequented by landslides and a shortage of fresh water, especially during the drier months. Fresh water springs are present approximately 2km north of Berau, with minor reservoirs around Macadade, and the eastern slopes of Mt. Manucoco. Wells along the coast provide water of poor quality to most coastal townships. Lisbon is funding a new project to improve the availability of water and its distribution infrastructure.[2] A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes, and shallow debris flows, see flow. ... For the village on the Isle of Wight, see Freshwater, Isle of Wight. ... A natural spring. ... For the Scottish football team, see Motherwell F.C. The Whole Earth Lectronic Link (or The WELL) is one of the oldest virtual communities still online. ... District or region Lisbon Mayor   - Party Carmona Rodrigues PSD Area 84. ...

Atauro has two distinct seasons - wet and dry. Vegetation consists of open Eucalyptus sp. woodland, representative of its Australasian affinities, on open slopes and hillsides commonly where limestones outcrop. Rainforest is present within valleys. The island has suffered from extensive clearing since Portuguese settlement in the early 16th century. A wet season or rainy season is a season in which the average rainfall in a region is significantly increased. ... The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. ... Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is, by far, the most abundant biotic element of the biosphere. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Oceania. ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

A ferry connects the island to the capital Dili, which takes about two hours. It can also be reached by fisherman's boats. Atauro is also being considered as a destination for eco-tourism, and its coral reefs are becoming known to scuba enthusiasts.[3] Dili, also spelled Díli, Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor. ... Ecotourism essentially means ecological tourism, where ecological has both environmental and social connotations. ... Part of a coral reef. ... SCUBA is an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. ...

Culture

Atauro is unusual in East Timor because many of the northern inhabitants are Protestants, not Catholics. They were evangelized by a Dutch Calvinist mission from Alor in the early 20th century. There are also some protestants among the southern population, as well. Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... In an unadorned church, the 17th century congregation stands to hear the sermon. ... Alor is the largest island in the Indonesia, which from the west include such islands as Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores Solor and Lomblen. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

The people of Atauro speak three dialects of Wetarese, which is mainly spoken on Wetar and Liran in Indonesia. Wetarese is the language of Wetar, an island in the south Moluccas, Indonesia, as well as the nearby islands Lirar and Atauro, the latter belonging to East Timor. ... Wetar is an island in Indonesias Barat Daya Islands, separated from the Lesser Sunda Islands by the Wetar Strait. ...

History

See also: History of East Timor

Atauro was colonized along with East Timor by Portugal in the 16th century. It was used as a prison island soon after the settlement of the Portuguese. // Pre-colonial history Timor was populated as part of the human migrations that have shaped Australasia more generally. ...

In Portuguese Timor, Atauro was organized as part of the Dili municipality, coinciding with modern Dili District. When East Timor became independent, there was a proposal to reorganize the districts and split off Atauro as an autonomous area. However, that has not been put into effect, and it remains a subdistrict of Dili District. Portuguese Timor is the former name (1596 - 1975) of East Timor when it was under Portuguese control. ...

On August 11, 1975, when the UDT mounted a coup in a bid to halt the increasing popularity of Fretilin, the Portuguese Governor Mário Lemos Pires fled to Atauro, from where he later attempted to broker an agreement between the two groups. He was urged by Fretilin to return and resume the decolonisation process, but he insisted that he was awaiting instructions from the government in Lisbon, now increasingly uninterested. The chaos ultimately led to the Indonesian occupation. UDT can mean: The Underwater Demolition Teams the precursor to the current U.S. Navy SEALs. ... Categories: East Timor | Politics stubs ...

External links

• Australian editorial on Atauro's poverty
• Community Run Eco Tourism on Atauro Island