The Islands Of Raja Ampat

 

Raja Ampat, or Four kings is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small Islands, cays and shoals in the Northwest tip of the Peninsula of bird's head New Guinea. It is located on the northeast coast of the Indonesian province of West Papua. The four main Islands of the archipelago — Misoul, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo, as well as a small island, Kofi.





The Raja Ampat area contains the highest recorded diversity of marine flora and fauna on Earth, according to research by Conservation International. Diversity is considerably greater than in any other region of the Coral Triangle composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and East Timor. Located in the largest biodiversity of coral reefs in the world, Raja Ampat has the richest ecosystems and is very popular among lovers of wildlife.

Including mostly uninhabited Islands, Raja Ampat offers the best diving spots in the world. The sparsely populated Islands are also ideal for birding and just study the sublime landscapes, jungle-covered Islands, white sand beaches, hidden lagoons, spooky caves, weird Islands of mushroom-shaped and transparent waters. But under water you can see the amazing abundance of life. There are 1,500 species of fish, 537 species of coral and 699 species of molluscs. 96% of all stone corals, registered in Indonesia, are found on these Islands. 75% of all species that exist in the world. Raja Ampat is also mentioned in the collection of the reef Islands in the world.



The name Raja Ampat comes from local mythology that tells about a woman who found seven eggs. Four of the seven eggs have become the kings, who finished the four largest Islands, and the other three become a Ghost, a woman and a stone.

The story goes that Raja Ampat was once a part of Tidore Sultanate, a powerful Kingdom of Maluku. But after the Dutch invasion Maluku quickly passed into the possession of the Netherlands. The main occupation for people in this area — fishing, so Ampat is completely at the mercy of the sea. People live in a small colony of tribes that spreads throughout the area. Although traditional culture still prevalent, the islanders are very welcoming to visitors.

 

Source: lifeglobe.net/