LOMBLEN ISLAND

Indonesian Pulau Lomblen, also called Kawula, or Kawoela largest of the Solor Islands, in the Lesser Sundas, Nusa Tenggara Timur provinsi (province), Indonesia. Lomblen lies between the Flores Sea (north) and the Savu Sea (south), about 25 miles (40 km) east of Flores and just east of Adonara Island. The island is irregular in shape, with a southwest-northeast length of about 50 miles (80 km) and a width east-west of about 20 miles (32 km). It covers an area of 499 square miles (1,292 square km). Lomblen is mountainous, rising to 5,394 feet (1,644 m) in the northeast; the coastal areas have patches of fertile soil as a result of volcanic ash deposits. Its warm and humid climate and prolonged rainy season favour the cultivation of corn (maize), bananas, papayas, and rice. There are coconut plantations along the coasts, and the population engages in deep-sea fishing and some whaling. The island is densely inhabited by the Solorese peoples. Transportation is mainly among the Alor, Solor, and Flores island groups.