Atambua
title: "Atambua" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-east-nusa-tenggara", "regency-seats-of-east-nusa-tenggara", "west-timor"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-east-nusa-tenggara" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atambua" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| official_name | Atambua |
| settlement_type | Town |
| image_caption | A road in Atambua |
| pushpin_map | Timor#Indonesia_Lesser Sunda Islands#Indonesia |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location in Timor, Lesser Sunda Islands and [ |
| pushpin_label_position | left |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Indonesia |
| subdivision_type1 | Region |
| subdivision_name1 | Lesser Sunda Islands |
| subdivision_type2 | Province |
| subdivision_name2 | East Nusa Tenggara |
| subdivision_type4 | Regency |
| subdivision_name4 | Belu Regency |
| area_total_km2 | 56.18 |
| area_land_km2 | 56.18 |
| area_water_km2 | 0.0 |
| area_water_percent | 0% |
| population_as_of | mid 2024 estimate |
| population_note | |
| population_total | 82258 |
| timezone | ICST |
| utc_offset | +8 |
| coordinates | |
| elevation_m | 350 |
| blank_name | Climate |
| blank_info | Aw |
| website | |
| area_code_type | Area code |
| area_code | (+62) 389 |
| :: |
| official_name = Atambua | motto = | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_caption = A road in Atambua | image_flag = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Timor#Indonesia_Lesser Sunda Islands#Indonesia | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Timor, Lesser Sunda Islands and [ Indonesia | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_label_position = left | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Indonesia | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Lesser Sunda Islands | subdivision_type2 = Province | subdivision_name2 = East Nusa Tenggara | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = Regency | subdivision_name4 = Belu Regency | established_title = | established_date = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 56.18 | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_km2 = 56.18 | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_km2 = 0.0 | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = 0% | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | population_as_of = mid 2024 estimate | population_note = | population_total = 82258 | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_urban = | timezone = ICST | utc_offset = +8 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | coordinates = | elevation_m = 350 | elevation_ft = | blank_name = Climate | blank_info = Aw | website = | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = (+62) 389 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
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). ::data[format=table] | Kode Wilayah || Name of District (kecamatan) || Area in km2|| Pop'n Estimate mid 2024 ||Subdistricts (kelurahan) | |---| | 53.04.12 | | 53.04.21 | | 53.04.22 | | | ::
History
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.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_De_haven_van_Atapoepoe_TMnr_10010357.jpg" caption="Atapupu Harbour, near Atambua town in the time of [[Dutch East Indies"] ::
Transportation
Air
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
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
Atambua has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with moderate to little rainfall from April to October and heavy rainfall from November to March. |width = auto | location = Atambua | metric first = Yes | single line = Yes | Jan high C = 28.5 | Feb high C = 28.2 | Mar high C = 28.9 | Apr high C = 29.2 | May high C = 28.9 | Jun high C = 28.2 | Jul high C = 27.7 | Aug high C = 27.9 | Sep high C = 28.5 | Oct high C = 29.3 | Nov high C = 29.9 | Dec high C = 29.1
| Jan mean C = 25.7 | Feb mean C = 25.2 | Mar mean C = 25.5 | Apr mean C = 25.5 | May mean C = 25.1 | Jun mean C = 24.4 | Jul mean C = 23.6 | Aug mean C = 23.5 | Sep mean C = 24.1 | Oct mean C = 25.2 | Nov mean C = 26.5 | Dec mean C = 26.1 | year mean C = | Jan low C = 22.9 | Feb low C = 22.3 | Mar low C = 22.1 | Apr low C = 21.8 | May low C = 21.3 | Jun low C = 20.6 | Jul low C = 19.5 | Aug low C = 19.2 | Sep low C = 19.7 | Oct low C = 21.2 | Nov low C = 23.1 | Dec low C = 23.2 |rain colour=green |Jan rain mm=293 |Feb rain mm=237 |Mar rain mm=257 |Apr rain mm=113 |May rain mm=51 |Jun rain mm=35 |Jul rain mm=19 |Aug rain mm=6 |Sep rain mm=11 |Oct rain mm=37 |Nov rain mm=135 |Dec rain mm=238 |source 1 = Climate-Data.org{{cite web |url = https://en.climate-data.org/location/27567/ |title = Climate: Atambua |publisher=Climate-Data.org |accessdate = 17 November 2020}}
References
References
- Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Kabupaten Belu Dalam Angka 2025'' (Katalog 1102001.5306)
- Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306060).
- Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Barat Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306061).
- Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Selatan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306062).
- [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1923632.stm East Timor's refugees head home, BBC April 11, 2002]
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