Nusa Tenggara

Nusa Tenggara is the name for the chain of islands which lies to the east of Bali. Including the islands of Komodo, Lombok, Flores and Timor, Nusa Tenggara spans a variety of landscapes, from tropical forests, high volcanic lakes and dry savannahs. The largest islands are Lombok and Sumbawa, with hundreds of smaller islands between. East Nusa Tenggara has 566 islands. The long northern arch of the island chain is the result of volcanic activity, whilst the southern islands are formed from coral deposits. Most of the eastern islands are arid, due to hot winds blowing from the continent of Australia and sparsely vegetated. The Western half of Nusa Tenggara is moister and has denser vegetation. The Northern part of the chain is known for deep lakes contained in the craters of extinct volcanoes, the most famous of which are the coloured mineral lakes on Gunung Keli Mutu in Flores

Taken from: English in Focus Grade VIII