Atambua

Town in Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia

Atambua

Town

Atambua

Location in Timor, Lesser Sunda Islands and [ Indonesia

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Atambua

Atambua (Lesser Sunda Islands)

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Atambua

Atambua (Indonesia)

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Coordinates: 9°6′22″S 124°53′33″E﻿ / ﻿9.10611°S 124.89250°E﻿ / -9.10611; 124.89250
Country|  Indonesia
Region| Lesser Sunda Islands
Province| East Nusa Tenggara
Regency| Belu Regency
Area

• Total

| 56.18 km2 (21.69 sq mi)
• Land| 56.18 km2 (21.69 sq mi)
• Water| 0.0 km2 (0.0 sq mi)  0%
Elevation

| 350 m (1,150 ft)
Population

(mid 2024 estimate)

• Total

| 82,258
| [1]
Time zone| UTC+8 (ICST)
Area code| (+62) 389
Climate| Aw
Website| belukab.go.id

Atambua is the regency seat of Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

The town stretches 8.5 km from north to south and 5 km from east to west, and is in the north of the western half of Timor Island. The town is located at an altitude of about 350 m above sea level with temperatures ranging between 23 and 35 degrees Celsius.

## Administration

[edit]

The town has no single level of government, but consists of three of the districts of Belu Regency, each district being composed of four urban subdistricts (kelurahan).

Kode
Wilayah | Name of
District
(kecamatan) | Area
in km2 | Pop'n
Estimate
mid 2024 | Subdistricts (kelurahan)

|
|
|
|

53.04.12 | Kota Atambua[2]
(Central Atambua) | 24.90 | 32,119 | Fatubenoa, Atambua,
Manumtin, Tenukiik
53.04.21 | Atambua Barat[3]
(West Atambua) | 15.55 | 23,440 | Beirafu, Berdao,
Tulamalae, Umanen
53.04.22 | Atambua Selatan[4]
(East Atambua) | 15.73 | 26,699 | Fatukbot, Lidak,
Manuaman, Rinbesi
| Total Atambua town | 56.18 | 82,258 |

## History

[edit]

Atambua was founded by the Dutch in October 1916, having moved from Atapupu, a port village in Kakuluk Mesak. Atambua was briefly occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army from 1942 to 1943. They planted many trees, which can be seen in Hutan Jati Nenuk. After Independence, Indonesia's first president, Sukarno went to Atambua and planted more trees in the place now called Lapangan Umum. The most notable tree planted there is the banyan tree. In September 1999, more than 250,000 refugees arrived here from East Timor, after their vote for independence and the following violence. As late as 2002, an estimated 60,000 refugees remained in camps.[5]

Atapupu Harbour, near Atambua town in the time of Dutch East Indies

## Transportation

[edit]

### Air

[edit]

There is an airport in Atambua, A. A. Bere Tallo Airport, about 5 kilometers from the town centre. The airport's runway is 1600m long.

### Water

[edit]

Atambua has two sea ports, Atapupu for cargo and oil, and Teluk Gurita for passengers (ferry port). There is a weekly Atambua-Kalabahi (Alor) ferry service.

## Climate

[edit]

Atambua has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with moderate to little rainfall from April to October and heavy rainfall from November to March.

Climate data for Atambua

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 28.5
(83.3)  | 28.2
(82.8)  | 28.9
(84.0)  | 29.2
(84.6)  | 28.9
(84.0)  | 28.2
(82.8)  | 27.7
(81.9)  | 27.9
(82.2)  | 28.5
(83.3)  | 29.3
(84.7)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 29.1
(84.4)  | 28.7
(83.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 25.7
(78.3)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 25.5
(77.9)  | 25.5
(77.9)  | 25.1
(77.2)  | 24.4
(75.9)  | 23.6
(74.5)  | 23.5
(74.3)  | 24.1
(75.4)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 26.5
(79.7)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 25.0
(77.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 22.9
(73.2)  | 22.3
(72.1)  | 22.1
(71.8)  | 21.8
(71.2)  | 21.3
(70.3)  | 20.6
(69.1)  | 19.5
(67.1)  | 19.2
(66.6)  | 19.7
(67.5)  | 21.2
(70.2)  | 23.1
(73.6)  | 23.2
(73.8)  | 21.4
(70.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches)  | 293
(11.5)  | 237
(9.3)  | 257
(10.1)  | 113
(4.4)  | 51
(2.0)  | 35
(1.4)  | 19
(0.7)  | 6
(0.2)  | 11
(0.4)  | 37
(1.5)  | 135
(5.3)  | 238
(9.4)  | 1,432
(56.2)
Source: Climate-Data.org[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, Kabupaten Belu Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog 1102001.5306)
2. ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306060).
3. ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Barat Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306061).
4. ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Selatan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306062).
5. ^ East Timor's refugees head home, BBC April 11, 2002
6. ^ "Climate: Atambua". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 17 November 2020.

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Borders of Indonesia

Land (official)|

* East Timor Atambua/Atapupu (Mota'ain)

| Malaysia|

* Entikong (Tebedu, Sarawak)
* Aruk ((Biawak, Sarawak)
* Badau (Lubok Antu District, Sarawak)

|

Passenger Seaports|

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Authority control databases

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* VIAF

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* Israel

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* Yale LUX

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