Komodo Island, Indonesia

Geography: Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago,which is made up of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited).  Lying 200 nautical miles east of Bali, Komodo National Park nestles between the large islands of Sumbawa and Flores, all of which are part of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands. Komodo National Park is especially known for its native Komodo Dragon - the world's largest living lizard! 


Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)

National Symbols: Garuda - mythical bird

National Anthem: "Indonesia Raya"

Language: Bahasa Indonesia 

Area Comparison:  Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km. Wheras the total area of Indonesia is slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Distance from Pittsburgh: 16,000 km or 9,942 miles

Terrain: The terrain of Indonesia is mostly coastal lowlands but the larger islands have interior mountains


Highest Point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Weather You Should Expect: The climate of Indonesia is tropical, hot and humid but more moderate in the highlands.
 

What You Must See: Komodo Dragon National Park

Historical Fact: In 1928 the Dutch colonial government of the then Dutch East Indies formalized the nature reserve status originally conferred on Komodo in 1915 by the Raja of Biwa in neighbouring Sumbawa. Indonesia decreed the area a national park in 1980, and in 1992 Komodo was declared a World Heritage Site.

Science Fact: This unique biosphere was born in the great volcanic uplift that formed Sumatra, Java, Bali and the islands lying eastward to Papua New Guinea.

Interesting Fact: Komodo is an Indonesian island home to approximately 2,000 people who are mostly descendants of former convicts once exiled here. 

Fun Fact: Humidity & heat are the most significant features of this area. The fruits mostly are not edible for humans, but one plant produces a grape-like fruit that is used as lamp oil. The fish in the ocean are poisonous and the snakes will bite and are venomous!
 

Another Fun Facts: In 1986, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance.

Everything You Need to Know About the Komodo Dragon:

The Komodo dragon is an ancient species whose ancestors date back over 100 million years. The varanid genus originated between 25 and 40 million years ago in Asia.

The Komodo is long lived with an estimated life expectancy of over 50 years in the wild.

These giant monitor lizards grow up to 10-12 ft and weigh up to 250 lbs! They have a flickering, long, forked tongue, long claws and leathery, thick skin.

An adult Komodo can consume up to 80% of its body weight in one gorging.

The Komodo can sprint briefly at 20 kilometers an hour.

The Komodo dragons may not kill you or their prey but may brake your leg, or knock you down with its massive tail.

*If bitten or scratched by the Komodo dragons claws or teeth, you  will surely die due to it poisonous saliva once bitten.

The Komodo is a stealth predator, which lies motionless and camoflouged alongside game trails for its prey, which include deer, boar, wild buffalo, the maleo bird, snakes, reptiles and small mammals. In an attack, the Komodo lunges at its victim with blinding speed and clasps it with the serrated teeth of the jaw.

The dragons like rotting meat the best. If they kill a deer or pig, they will let it rot in the heat & sun until it is "just right & tasty" to their liking.

On the odd occasion people are also attacked by the Komodo dragon. There have been eight recorded instances of attacks on humans since Komodo has become a national park, almost all of which occurred on Rinca.