Flores Island, Indonesia

Topography of Flores
Geography
Location	South East Asia
Coordinates	8°40′29″S 121°23′04″E / 8.67472°S 121.38444°E / -8.67472; 121.38444Coordinates: 8°40′29″S 121°23′04″E / 8.67472°S 121.38444°E / -8.67472; 121.38444
Archipelago	Lesser Sunda Islands
Area	13,540 km2 (5,228 sq mi)[1]
Area rank	60th
Highest elevation	2,370 m (7,780 ft)
Highest point	Poco Mandasawu
Country
Indonesia
Province	East Nusa Tenggara
Largest city	Maumere (pop. 70,000)
Demographics
Population	1,831,000 (as of 2010)
Density	135 /km2 (350 /sq mi)

Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1,831,000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese for "flowers".

Flores is located east of Sumbawa and Komodo and west of Lembata and the Alor Archipelago. To the southeast is Timor. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is Sumba and to the north, beyond the Flores Sea, is Sulawesi.

On December 12, 1992, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred, killing 2,500 people in and around Maumere, including islands off the North coast.

[edit] Homo floresiensis

In September 2004, at Liang Bua Cave in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered small skeletons that they described as a previously unknown hominid species, Homo floresiensis. These are informally named hobbits and appear to have stood about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall. The most complete individual (LB1) is dated as 18,000 years old.

History[link]

Indigenous warrior from Ende, Flores.

Portuguese traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to Larantuka and Sikka. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language, culture and religion.

The Dominican order was extremely important in this island, as well as in the neighbouring islands of Timor and Solor. When in 1613 the Dutch attacked the Fortres of Solor, the population of this fort, led by the Dominicans, moved to the harbor town of Larantuka, on the eastern coast of Flores. This population was mixed, of Portuguese and local islanders descent and Larantuqueiros, Topasses (people that wear heats) or, as Dutch knew them, the 'Black Portuguese' (Swarte Portugueezen).

The Larantuqueiros or Topasses became the dominant sandalwood trading people of the region for the next 200 years. This group used Portuguese as the language for worship, Malay as the language of trade and a mixed dialect as mother tongue. This was observed by William Dampier, a British Brigadier visiting the Island in 1699:

These [the Topasses] have no Forts, but depend on their Alliance with the Natives: And indeed they are already so mixt, that it is hard to distinguish whether they are Portugueze or Indians. Their Language is Portugueze; and the religion they have, is Romish. They seem in Words to acknowledge the King of Portugal for their Sovereign; yet they will not accept any Officers sent by him. They speak indifferently the Malayan and their own native Languages, as well as Portugueze. [1]

In 1846, Dutch and Portuguese initiated negotiations towards delimiting the territories but these negotiations led to nowhere. In 1851 the new governor of Timor, Solor and Flores, Lima Lopes, faced with an impoverished administration, agreed to sell eastern Flores and the nearby islands to Dutch in return for a payment of 200,000 Florins. Lima Lopes did so without the consent of Lisbon and was dismissed in disgrace, but his agreement was not rescinded and in 1854 Portugal ceded all its historical claims on Flores. After this, Flores became part of the territory of Dutch East Indies.

During World War II a Japanese invasion force landed at Reo on 14 May 1942 and occupied Flores.^[2]

After the war Flores became part of independent Indonesia.^[3]

Administration[link]

Flores is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. The island along with smaller minor islands are split into eight regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: Manggarai Barat (West Manggarai), Manggarai Tengah (Central Manggarai), Manggarai Timur (East Manggarai), Ngada, Nagekeo, Ende, Sikka and Flores Timur (East Flores). It has 39.1% of the provincial population as of 2010, and the most Indonesians of all islands in the province. However, Timor including the nation of East Timor is more populated. It is the island with the 9th most Indonesians. Among all islands containing Indonesian territory, it is the 10th most populous after Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Bali, Madura, Lombok, and Timor.

Flora and fauna[link]

The west coast of Flores is one of the few places, aside from the island of Komodo itself, where the Komodo dragon can be found in the wild, and is part of Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kelimutu National Park is the second national park designated on Flores to protect endangered species. The Flores giant rat is also endemic to the island, and Verhoeven's giant tree rat was formerly present. These giant lizards and rodents are considered examples of island gigantism.

Flores was also the habitat of several extinct dwarf forms of the proboscidean Stegodon, the most recent (Stegodon florensis insularis) disappearing approximately 12 000 years ago.^[5] It is speculated by scientists that limited resources and an absence of advanced predators made the few megafaunal species that reached the island subject to insular dwarfism.^[6]

Culture[link]

There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the Austronesian family. In the centre of the island in the districts of Ngada, Nagekeo, and Ende there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngadha, Nage, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha.

Flores is almost entirely Roman Catholic and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in the Maluku Islands and Sulawesi, the divide is less rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes.

Tourism[link]

The most famous tourist attraction in Flores is Kelimutu, a volcano containing three colored lakes, located in the district of Ende close to the town of Moni. These crater lakes are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acidic water. The colored lakes change colors on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake^[7] from bright red through green and blue.

There are snorkelling and diving locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably Maumere and Riung. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed.

Labuan Bajo (on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists as a base to visit Komodo and Rinca. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as whale sharks inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo.

The Luba and Bena villages include traditional houses in Flores. Larantuka, on the isle's eastern end, is known for its Holy Week festivals.

Economy[link]

In addition to tourism, the main economic activities on Flores are agriculture, fishing and seaweed production. The primary food crops being grown on Flores are rice, maize, sweet potato and cassava, while the main cash crops are coffee, coconut, candle nut and cashew.^[8] Flores is one of the newest origins for Indonesian coffee. Previously, most Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) from Flores was blended with other origins. Now, demand is growing for this coffee because of its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes.^[9]

Gallery[link]

• 

  The Lesser Sunda Islands with Flores in the upper right

• 

  Kelimutu

• 

  A statue of Jesus in Maumere, Flores

• Ngada megalith.jpg

  An ancient Ngada megalith

See also[link]

Indonesia portal

• Dutch Empire
• Nage tribe
• Portuguese Empire
• Simon Milward
• Homo floresiensis

Notes[link]

References[link]

• L, Klemen (1999-2000). "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942". http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/index.html. 

External links[link]

• Flores & Komodo - History

Sergio Flores

Personal information
Full name	Dustin Sergio Flores
Date of birth	(1985-02-22) 22 February 1985 (age 27)
Place of birth	Smithfield, Utah, USA
Playing position	Left winger, Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005	Real Salt Lake	0	(0)
2007–2008	Crystal Palace Baltimore	32	(5)
National team‡
	USA U-18
	USA U-20
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 August 2008. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 May 2008

Sergio Flores (born 22 February 1985) is a former American footballer of Bolivian descent. He played as either a striker or a winger.

Flores has represented the United States at U18 and U20 levels. He has played for Real Salt Lake, The Strongest of Bolivia and Chacarita Juniors of Argentina. In five pre-season games for Crystal Palace Baltimore in their first ever season, Flores scored eight goals.

He retired from professional soccer at the young age of 23.

Career statistics[link]

(correct as of 27 September 2008)

References[link]

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This biographical article related to an American soccer forward is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Nikki Flores
[[File: Nikki Flores |frameless|alt=|]]
Background information
Birth name	Nikki Flores
Born	(1988-10-17) October 17, 1988 (age 23)
Origin	Los Angeles, CA
Genres	R&B, pop
Occupations	Singer, Songwriter, Actress
Years active	2003–present
Associated acts	Ryan Tedder, Brian Kennedy, Midi Mafia, Danja, Willow Smith, Miss A,
Website	http://www.nikkiflores.com/Nikki_Flores.html

Nikki Flores (born October 17, 1988) is an American R&B and pop singer, pianist, and songwriter.

Career[link]

Mexican American singer/songwriter Nikki Flores landed a music contract with Epic Records in 2003. Her parents—both musicians themselves—encouraged her talent by allowing her to record in the family's home studio and by age 12 she had written her first song ("Cry"). Flores released her debut album "This Girl" in Fall 2005. The first single off This Girl was "Strike", where Flores sings in both English and Spanish.^[1] The album was eventually shelved and she was signed under Ryan Tedder's own Patriot Records which is under Universal Republic. Flores is now actively pursuing a full time career as a songwriter under the direction of Sony/ATV Music Publishing where she has been signed as a writer since 2005. She most recently has co written songs for South Korean pop group Miss A (Lips^{[disambiguation needed ]}), Willow Smith, and many more.^[2][3][4][5]

Personal[link]

Nikki Flores is currently residing in Los Angeles, California.

Singles[link]

• "City Lights"

Released: September 21, 2010^[6]

Format: Digital download

Genre: Pop

Releases[link]

Filmography[link]

Super Sweet 16: The Movie - July, 2007

References[link]

Antonio Floro Flores

Personal information
Full name	Antonio Mariano Floro Flores
Date of birth	(1983-06-18) 18 June 1983 (age 29)
Place of birth	Naples, Italy
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Udinese
Number	83
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2003	Napoli	48	(2)
2003	→ Sampdoria (loan)	4	(1)
2004	Napoli	14	(1)
2004–2005	Perugia	27	(8)
2005–2007	Arezzo	79	(28)
2007–2010	Udinese	114	(22)
2011	→ Genoa (loan)	18	(10)
2011–	Udinese	16	(2)
National team
2002–2004	Italy U-21	5	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 January 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

Antonio Mariano Floro Flores (born 18 June 1983) is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Udinese Calcio in Serie A.

Floro Flores was born in Naples, and started his career at Napoli. He made his Serie A debut on 28 January 2001 against Roma. After six months on loan to Serie A Sampdoria, Floro Flores transferred to Perugia after the club had gone bankrupt. At Perugia, Floro Flores scored 8 goals in Serie B, and two more against Treviso in the promotion play-off second legs. But Perugia also faced bankruptcy, and Floro Flores joined Arezzo in the summer of 2005.

After Arezzo got relegated to Serie C1 on summer 2007, he was signed by Udinese Calcio in co-ownership deal.

In August 2011 he signed a new 5-year contract.^[1]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Career statistics (Italian)

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