Atambua is a town which serves as the regency seat of Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, 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 villages (kelurahan). KodeWilayah Name of District(kecamatan) Area in km2 Pop'nEstimate2024 Villages (kelurahan) 53.04.12 (Kota) Atambua Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306060). (Central Atambua) 25.80 32,119 Fatubenoa, Atambua, Manumtin, Tenukiik 53.04.21 Atambua Barat Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Barat Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306061). (West Atambua) 22.27 20,339 Beirafu, Berdao, Tulamalae, Umanen 53.04.22 Atambua Selatan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Atambua Selatan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.5306062). (South Atambua) 15.73 26,699 Fatukbot, Lidak, Manuaman, Rinbesi Total Atambua town 63.8079,157
History Atambua was founded by the Dutch in October 1916, having moved from Atapupu, a port village in Kakuluk Mesak District in the north of the regency. 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.East Timor's refugees head home, BBC April 11, 2002
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.
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