Native name: Pulau Pantar | |
|---|---|
 Map of the islands of East Nusa Tenggara, including Pantar | |
 Interactive map of Pantar | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 8°21′29″S124°04′28″E / 8.35806°S 124.07444°E /-8.35806; 124.07444 |
| Archipelago | Alor archipelago,Lesser Sunda Islands |
| Area | 776.12 km2 (299.66 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Indonesia | |
| Province | East Nusa Tenggara |
| Regency | Alor |
| Largest settlement | Baranusa |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 45,106 (mid 2024 estimate[1]) |
| Pop. density | 58.1/km2 (150.5/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Alorese and other indigenous people of Pantar |
Pantar (Indonesian:Pulau Pantar;Indonesian pronunciation:[ˌpulau̯ˈpan̪t̪ar]) is the second largest island in theIndonesianAlor Archipelago, afterAlor. To the east is the island of Alor and other small islands in the archipelago; to the west is theAlor Strait, which separates it from theSolor Archipelago. To the south is theOmbai Strait, and 72 kilometres (45 mi) away, the island ofTimor. To the north is theBanda Sea. Pantar is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north-to-south, and varies from 11 to 29 kilometres (6.8 to 18.0 mi) in east–west width. It has an area of 776.12 square kilometres (299.66 sq mi). The main towns on the island areBaranusa andKabir. Administratively, the island is part of theAlor Regency.
The island consists of two distinct geographic zones. The eastern zone is dominated by a range of verdant hills which drop steeply to the coast of theAlor Strait. The western zone is relatively flat, consisting of a plain which gently slopes to the west fromMount Sirung, an 862-metre-high (2,828-foot) active volcano. The western zone is characteristically drier and much less densely populated than the eastern zone. Owing to its relatively low elevation, the entire island is drier than neighboringAlor. The dry season is long, interspersed with heavy rainfall during the rainy season, which peaks during January and February.
The earliest written reference to Pantar is in the fourteenth-century Javanese poemNagarakretagama, which describes the power and extent of the empire ruled by the fourth king of Majapahit,Hayam Wuruk. Pantar is referred to with the term 'Galiao', which is known in the Alor archipelago.[2] The precise location of the Majapahit dependency within Pantar is a subject of discussion.[3][4][5]
The economy is dominated by subsistence agriculture and fishing. The most common crops arerice,corn, andcassava. Crops are harvested annually in April and stored for consumption throughout the dry season. Excess production is sometimes traded for fish or to help support school children studying in the district capital ofKalabahi. Recently,[when?] commercial production ofseaweed has been promoted along the north coast. A limited craft industry focused onikat weaving is centered inBaranusa. Tourism remains underdeveloped, though a small dive resort was recently[when?] established on the northeast coast.
Until 2021, access to the island was by water only. Pantar Airport was opened in March 2021, near the village of Kabir. It has a single paved runway 2,950ft in length. Small wooden power boats ply the route between Alor and Pantar daily, serving numerous communities. The state-run ferry serves Baranusa weekly betweenKalabahi (Alor) andLarantuka (Flores).
The island comprises fivedistricts (kecamatan) ofAlor Regency, tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census[6] and the 2020 census,[7] together with the official estimates as at mid 2024.[1] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of villages (ruraldesa and urbankelurahan) in each district, and its post code. Eight small offshore islands are included within these districts.
| Kode Wilayah | Name of District (kecamatan) | English name | Area in km2 | Pop'n census 2010 | Pop'n census 2020 | Pop'n estimate mid 2024 | Admin centre | No. of villages | Post codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53.05.06 | Pantar(a)[8] | 119.82 | 8,798 | 10,069 | 10,796 | Kabir | 11(b) | 85881 | |
| 63.05.09 | Pantar Barat(c)[9] | West Pantar | 58.71 | 6,729 | 6,878 | 7,059 | Baranusa | 7 | 85880 |
| 53.05.14 | Pantar Timur(d)[10] | East Pantar | 141.44 | 10,740 | 11,368 | 11,826 | Bakalang | 11 | 85884 |
| 53.05.17 | Pantar Barat Laut(e)[11] | Northwest Pantar | 150.13 | 4,276 | 4,946 | 5,325 | Marisa | 7 | 85882 |
| 53.05.16 | Pantar Tengah[12] | Central Pantar | 306.02 | 9,313 | 9,750 | 10,100 | Maliang | 10 | 85883 |
| Pantar | Total Pantar Island | 776.12 | 39,856 | 43,011 | 45,106 | 46 |
Notes: (a) includes just the northern part of Pantar Island. (b) includes thekelurahan of Kabir. (c) includes offshore islands of Pulau Kura and uninhabited Pulau Batang and Pulau Lapang.
(d) includes offshore Pulau Treweng. (e) includes offshore islands of Pulau Kangge and uninhabited Pulau Kambing, Pulau Rusa and Pulau Tikus.
At least eight different languages are spoken on Pantar. These include at least five (dependent on classification)Papuan languages belonging to theAlor–Pantar family (Western Pantar,Sar,Blagar,Nedebang, andKaera) as well as the Austronesian languageAlorese. A small community ofBajau speakers is located north of Kabir. Local varieties ofMalay (Alor Malay) and more standardizedIndonesian are used as languages of wider communication.[13]
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
8°25′00″S124°07′01″E / 8.41667°S 124.117°E /-8.41667; 124.117
