Babar Islands

The Babar Islands (Pulau-pulau Babar) are located in Maluku Province, Indonesia between latitudes 7 degrees 31 minutes South to 8 degrees 13 minutes South and from longitudes 129 degrees 30 minutes East to 130 degrees 05 minutes East. Tepa (population 2000 people) is the capital of the Babar Islands municipality ("Kecamatan Pulau-pulau Babar") actually now reduced in size to encompass only the western half of Babar Island, Wetang Island and Dai Island. The town of Letwurung on the east side of Babar island is the capital of the new municipality called "East Babar" ("Kecamatan Babar Timor") in the east half of the Babar Islands, consisting of the East half of Babar Island, Masela Island, Dawera Island and Dawelor Island.

The islands take their name from the large central island of Babar which is roughly 32 km (20 mi) across and a circumference of 97 km (60 mi). Babar Island has a maximum elevation of approximately 750 meters and is lightly covered with sub-tropical montane forest, although the 5 rivers and 2 large year-round springs afford tropical forest in their narrow ravine courses.

The topography of all the Babar islands is distinctive for their marked stepped appearance, the result of a combination of periodic uplifting of the tectonic plate interacting with the erosive action of the constant ocean waves. Water action on the coral base over the millennia has created many caves and shafts.

Rain is plentiful from December to July so corn, plantains, bananas, cassava, various tubers and red rice (unirrigated) grow plentifully. Fish is the main source of protein. Sufficient potable water on Babar Island is provided by year round springs and shallow wells. Coconut oil is important for consumption while the oily meat called copra, is sold. Other items harvested and sold for export are sea shells, sea weed, sea cucumbers, shark fins, live lizards and birds, cattle, cashews, nutmeg, cloves and eucalyptus oil.

This situation contrasts markedly with the much smaller islands ringing Babar Island. These are low-lying, uplifted reef and limestone (with the exception of Dai Island, which is largely granite), infertile, not heavily forested and lacking in fresh water sources. The more difficult environment leads the indigenous inhabitants to focus more of their energies on fishing and hand-crafts which are then traded for garden produce from Babar Island. The people collect rain water in large above ground cisterns which can last them through the driest time of the year (September to December). When the drought is longer than usual the water in these tanks is exhausted and the people have to walk miles to the few villages with springs or wells, and queue up for a turn to draw a few liters of water. People camp overnight beside the well waiting their turn. The Indonesian government has provided funds for many more collection tanks for rain water, so the situation has improved markedly in the last few years.

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Wikipedia