Sipura

Sipora (also called Sipura ) is one of the Mentawai islands, one belonging to Indonesia archipelago southwest of Sumatra.

Geography

The island is located about 130 kilometers west of Sumatra, in the south is located, across the narrow sea Selat Sipura, Nordpagai, in the north, beyond the Selat Siberut Bungalaut. Sipora is mostly flat, the highest elevation is 285 meters above the sea. The area of 845 km ² is partially covered by tropical rain forests.

Management

Sipora is also a district ( Kecamatan ) of 1999 formed government district ( kabupaten ) Mentawai islands and the capital Tua Pejat (on Sipora ) in the Province of Sumatera Barat (West Sumatra).

Population

After the last Ice Age the island were separated by rising sea levels of Sumatra. BC before 1000 Sipora was settled from the southern Siberut in the north. The residents differ in language and customs of the inhabitants of Sumatra. 2000, there were 12,840 inhabitants here.

History

1792 reached a ship of the British East India Company and the first European entered the Pagai Islands. It was only in July 1864 but was Sipora part of the Dutch East Indies. 1901 German missionaries reached the Mentawai Islands. Otherwise left to the natives largely in peace. That changed after independence, as the indigenous animistic religion was banned. Today, most of the inhabitants are Christians. The mid- 1990s Australian surfers discovered with the other Mentawai Islands also Sipora for surfing. Tourism has a modest but growing extent.

After the earthquake off Sumatra in 2004, the seismic activity beneath the island has greatly increased.

Wildlife ( fauna)

Live on the island, some endemic species, including the Pagai macaque, whose existence is now under threat.