Nusa Tenggara Barat (Indonesia)

West Nusa Tenggara (Indonesian: Nusa Tenggara Barat – NTB) is a province of Indonesia. It comprises the western portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the exception of Bali which is its own province. The area of this province is 19,675.89 km2 (7,596.90 sq mi) which consists of two main islands, namely Lombok Island and Sumbawa Island as well as several other small islands. The two largest islands in this province are the smaller but much more populated Lombok in the west and the much larger in area but much less densely populated Sumbawa island in the east. Mataram, on Lombok, is the capital and largest city of the province. It shares maritime borders with Bali to the west and East Nusa Tenggara to the east. Geographically, West Nusa Tenggara is divided into a flat coastal area, especially in western and southern Lombok, and a mountainous area that includes Mount Rinjani, the highest mountain in the province at 3,726 meters, which is also an active volcano and one of the most popular natural tourist destinations. On Sumbawa Island, the landscape is more varied with steeper hills and mountains and dry grasslands in the east. The province has a population of around 5 million, with the majority of the population living in coastal areas and large cities such as Mataram, the provincial capital located on Lombok Island. West Nusa Tenggara is known for its Sasak culture in Lombok and Samawa and Mbojo culture in Sumbawa, which still maintain their local customs and arts. West Nusa Tenggara is also known for its natural environment, including beaches such as Kuta Beach in Lombok and Lakey Beach in Sumbawa, which are popular surfing destinations. The Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno) located off the coast of Lombok are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia, known for their clear sea water and coral reefs. Apart from beach tourism, West Nusa Tenggara also has cultural and historical sites, such as Sade Village in Lombok which maintains traditional Sasak architecture and lifestyle, as well as ancient palaces from the era of the Bima Sultanate in Sumbawa.