Bawean

Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / area missing

Bawean (Sanskrit for sunlight) is an island in the Malay Archipelago, which belongs to Indonesia.

Geography and topography

Bawean is below 5 ° 51'18 '' south latitude and 112 ° 38'52 '' east longitude about 200 km north of Surabaya in the Java Sea between Java and Borneo. The island is 18.5 km long and 11 km wide. Parallel to the coast to a closed road winds. The island is dominated by a single extinct volcano whose summit rises to 650 m and contains the crater lake Telaga Kastoba. The beaches show white sand, with smaller pools that remain during low tide, and mangrove forest.

Bawean is surrounded by coral reefs and small islands of sand.

The island has about 65,000 inhabitants, of whom 40,000 reside in the largest city Sangkapura, the rest are small villages that are scattered on the island.

Language and Culture

As part of Indonesia is Indonesian ( Bahasa Indonesia ) is the official language, it is spoken, a local dialect, which is related to the Madurese.

Bawean is also referred to as the " Island of Women ", since most men on merchant ships often are absent for a long time as sailors. They say: " You're not really a man on Bawean, if you have not spent a few years abroad. " Many residents of the island are returned from Europe, China, Japan, North and South America.

The religion is Islam, mixed with natural religion ( animism and shamanism ). Thus, it is generally believed that people who swim in the crater lake Teraga Kastoba be cursed and will die soon.

Economy

Men on merchant ships are not absent, either working as fishermen or farmers. The main source of food is rice, which is grown on the gentle slopes.

Most of the houses on the island are without running water and electricity. There is an internet cafe in Sangkapura.

Flora and Fauna

Cultivated fruits are Mangosteen, Durian, Mudah Merah ( red fruit ) and different varieties of bananas.

On Bawean the Bawean deer (Axis kuhlii ) is native, can only be found here on the island. Previously, there was probably also a breed of horse that was so small that she could be ridden by children. Due to the high export of these horses they died out in the 20th century.