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Ainaro (district)
Encyclopedia
Ainaro is one of 13 administrative districts
of East Timor
, in the southwest part of the country. It has a population of 53,629 (census 2004) and an area of 797 km2. Its capital is the city of Ainaro
, a small mountain town.
The district is identical to that of the same in Portuguese Timor
, with the following exceptions: during the Indonesia
n occupation, the subdistrict of Turiscai
became part of Manufahi
from Ainaro, and the subdistrict of Hatu Udo became part of Ainaro in exchange. The suco of Mape-Zumalai became part of Cova-Lima
in 2003.
The district borders the districts of Aileu
to the north, Manufahi
to the south, Cova-Lima to the southwest, Bobonaro to the west, and Ermera
to the northwest. The subdistricts of Ainaro now are Ainaro
, Hatu Udo, Hatu Builico, and Maubisse
.
Ainaro has a great abundance of rivers and fertile terrain for agriculture. It has a coastal area, on the Timor Sea
, but also mountainous zones, including the highest point in East Timor, Mount Ramelau (2,960 m), also known as Tatamailau, which lies near the border with Ermera
. Historically, Ainaro played an important role during the brutal Indonesia
n occupation of East Timor, providing shelter for the mountain-based guerrilla resistance army. Former guerrilla leader and current President Xanana Gusmão
spent many years directing the resistance from Ainaro.
In addition to the official languages of Tetum and Portuguese
, a large number of inhabitants of Ainaro speak the Malayo-Polynesian language Mambai
. The inhabitants include catholic
s, protestants, and muslim
s living side by side.
Districts of East Timor
||East Timor is divided into thirteen administrative districts. The districts are divided into subdistricts, and further subdivided into sucos.The borders between Cova-Lima and Ainaro and between Baucau and Viqueque were changed in 2003.-References:...
of East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, in the southwest part of the country. It has a population of 53,629 (census 2004) and an area of 797 km2. Its capital is the city of Ainaro
Ainaro
Ainaro is a town in East Timor, the capital of the Ainaro District, and is located in the southwest part of the country. The subdistrict has a population of approximately 12,000 people. It contains the small mountain town of Ainaro, the district capital, along with the villages of Soro, Maununo,...
, a small mountain town.
The district is identical to that of the same in Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor was the name of East Timor when it was under Portuguese control. During this period, Portugal shared the island of Timor with the Netherlands East Indies, and later with Indonesia....
, with the following exceptions: during the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n occupation, the subdistrict of Turiscai
Turiscai
Turiscai is a town and subdistrict in the Manufahi District of East Timor. Its population at the 2004 census was 6,073.-Reference:*...
became part of Manufahi
Manufahi
Manufahi is one of the districts of East Timor. It has a population of 44,235 and an area of 1,325 km2. The capital of the district is Same. The subdistricts are Alas, Fatuberlio, Same, and Turiscai. In the times of the Portuguese colony, the district was called Same, after the capital city...
from Ainaro, and the subdistrict of Hatu Udo became part of Ainaro in exchange. The suco of Mape-Zumalai became part of Cova-Lima
Cova-Lima
Cova Lima is a district of East Timor, in the Southwest part of the country. It has a population of 55,941 and an area of 1,226 km2. The capital of the district is Suai, which lies 136 km from Dili, the national capital...
in 2003.
The district borders the districts of Aileu
Aileu (district)
Aileu is an administrative district of East Timor. It has a population of 36,889 and an area of 729 km². The capital of the district is also named Aileu. The subdistricts are Aileu, Laulara, Lequidoe and Remexio....
to the north, Manufahi
Manufahi
Manufahi is one of the districts of East Timor. It has a population of 44,235 and an area of 1,325 km2. The capital of the district is Same. The subdistricts are Alas, Fatuberlio, Same, and Turiscai. In the times of the Portuguese colony, the district was called Same, after the capital city...
to the south, Cova-Lima to the southwest, Bobonaro to the west, and Ermera
Ermera
Ermera is one of the districts of East Timor, located in the west-central part of the country. It has a population of 103,169 and an area of 746 km2. Its capital is Gleno, which is located 30 km to the southwest of the national capital, Dili...
to the northwest. The subdistricts of Ainaro now are Ainaro
Ainaro
Ainaro is a town in East Timor, the capital of the Ainaro District, and is located in the southwest part of the country. The subdistrict has a population of approximately 12,000 people. It contains the small mountain town of Ainaro, the district capital, along with the villages of Soro, Maununo,...
, Hatu Udo, Hatu Builico, and Maubisse
Maubisse
Maubisse is a town, suco and subdistrict in Ainaro District, East Timor. The suco has 4,947 inhabitants ....
.
Ainaro has a great abundance of rivers and fertile terrain for agriculture. It has a coastal area, on the Timor Sea
Timor Sea
The Timor Sea is a relatively shallow sea bounded to the north by the island of Timor, to the east by the Arafura Sea, to the south by Australia and to the west by the Indian Ocean....
, but also mountainous zones, including the highest point in East Timor, Mount Ramelau (2,960 m), also known as Tatamailau, which lies near the border with Ermera
Ermera
Ermera is one of the districts of East Timor, located in the west-central part of the country. It has a population of 103,169 and an area of 746 km2. Its capital is Gleno, which is located 30 km to the southwest of the national capital, Dili...
. Historically, Ainaro played an important role during the brutal Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n occupation of East Timor, providing shelter for the mountain-based guerrilla resistance army. Former guerrilla leader and current President Xanana Gusmão
Xanana Gusmão
Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão GCL is a former militant who was the first President of East Timor, serving from May 2002 to May 2007...
spent many years directing the resistance from Ainaro.
In addition to the official languages of Tetum and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, a large number of inhabitants of Ainaro speak the Malayo-Polynesian language Mambai
Mambai
The Mambai are the second largest ethnic group in East Timor. Their language is also called Mambai and has ISO 639-3 code mgm.-People:...
. The inhabitants include catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s, protestants, and muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s living side by side.