Baucau Municipality
Baucau (Tetum: Baukau), is the name of one of the 13 municipalities of East Timor, on the northern coast in the eastern part of the country. The municipality was the same during colonial times.
Baucau | |
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.jpg.webp) Osolata beach | |
.png.webp) Flag  Coat of arms | |
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OpenStreetMap | |
| Coordinates: 8°35′S 126°30′E | |
| Country |  East Timor |
| Capital | Baucau |
| Administrative Posts |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 1,504.2 km2 (580.8 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 4th |
| Population (2015 census) | |
| • Total | 123,203 |
| • Rank | 3rd |
| • Density | 82/km2 (210/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 5th |
| Households (2015 census) | |
| • Total | 22,976 |
| • Rank | 3rd |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (TLT) |
| ISO 3166 code | TL-BA |
| HDI (2017) | 0.602[1] medium · 9th |
| Website | Baucau Municipality |
The capital is the city of Baucau (formerly Vila Salazar), the second city of East Timor after Dili that is at about 122 km (76 mi) to the west; it lies at about 512 meters above sea level.
Geography
Its north edge is to the Wetar Strait, opposite the island of Wetar; it also borders the municipalities of Lautém to the east, Viqueque to the south, and Manatuto to the west.
The municipality has an area of 1,507.95 km2 (582.22 sq mi). The largest part of the municipality is at an altitude between 100 and 500 m (330 and 1,640 ft). Just right on the coast, the country is falling fast at sea level.
The highest mountain of Baucau, and the third highest in East Timor, is Matebian, with 2,316 m (7,598 ft) high; it is in the Quelicai subdistrict.
The rivers Laleia and Manuleiden, in the west of the district, flow to the north into the Wetar Strait. The rivers Seiçal, Borauai, Lequinamo, Binagua and other small rivers are to the east of the city of Baucau; only the Seiçal has water all year round.
Baucau also has a wide shoreline with sandy beaches that are ideal for swimming and other water sports.
Population
In 2015, about 123,000 people lived in Baucau. The average age is 18.5 years.
Besides the national official languages of Tetum and Portuguese, most of the inhabitants speak the Papuan language Makasae. While most of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics, a few Muslims also live there.
Subdivisions administratives
It is divided in six administrative posts:Baucau, Laga, and Vemasse with a coastal plain, while Venilale, Quelicai, and Baguia are located inland.
| Subdistrict | Population | Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|
| Baguia | 12,962 | 213.99 |
| Baucau | 47,294 | 369.53 |
| Laga | 18,359 | 191.99 |
| Quelicai | 17,450 | 206.46 |
| Vemasse | 9,643 | 374.62 |
| Venilale | 17,495 | 151.37 |
Economy
Baucau has the most highly developed agriculture in East Timor. Besides the staples rice and corn, Baucau produces beans, peanuts, sweet potatoes, coconuts, candlenut and manioc. It also raises buffalo and goats.
References
- "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
Other websites
- Ministry of State Administration Archived 2013-09-22 at the Wayback Machine
- Bacau District Development Plan 2002/2003 Archived 2009-03-28 at the Wayback Machine