PEOPLE AND VILLAGES AROUND
KOMODO NATIONAL PARK

Komodo National Park has widely known with the home of the giant lizard Komodo Dragon - which has just declare to be one of the latest heritage of the world. Komodo National Park is nestled between eastern Sumbawa and western Flores lie three tiny grass-covered islands Komodo, Padar and Rinca, which together form the  Komodo National Park, a protected wildlife reserve.

There are a total of over 2,300 people living in the park. There are only 3 village in the park. Komodo village has 1400 people, Rinca village has 1074 people and Kerora Village has 223 people

In Komodo village , most people are originally from Bima (East Sumbawa), Selayar (South Sulawesi) and Manggarai (West Flores).

In Rinca village, the people come from the same places as Komodo village, but there are also Bajo people from Sulawesi. In Kerora village, the people originally came from Bima and Manggarai. 

There is some evidence that the original people of Komodo lived on Gunung Ara. Trees such as jackfruit, coconut and mango, as well as remains of ceramics on Gunung Ara suggest that people once inhabited that area several hundred years ago. 

However, the people of Komodo village are thought to have settled there less than 100 years ago. There is a story that the settler of Komodo village were exiles from Bima. 

Most people who live in the park are fishermen, but there are also merchants and teachers. Some people carve Komodo dragons for sale to the visitors.