TIMOR, the most important of the chain of islands which stretch eastward from Java, lies in 8° 16' to 10° 25' s. lat. and 125° 25' to 127° 10' e. long., has an area of 8,820 sq.m., and pop. of about 400,000. A chain of wood-clad mountains runs throughout its entire length; Alas, on the s.e., being 11,800 ft. in height; Lakaan, in 9° 10' s. lat., 6,175 ft. ; and Miomaffo, 4,630. The prevailing rocks are of the graywacke formation, which, at the s. base of 3liomaffo, is cut by serpentine mountains of limestone; and cal careous rocks resembling ruins frequently occur. Magnetic iron, porphyry, syenite, gold, copper, malachite (containing 22 per cent of pure copper), sulphur, and naphtha are found.
The dry monsoon is from May to November, during which no rain falls. From November to April there are daily storms of rain and wind from the n.w. ; the streams are swollen; the thermometer rises to 94° F. in the shade; the earth is covered with a dark-green carpet, and myriads of insects come into life. The rivers are numerous, but small, and most of them yield gold. Near the sea are very fertile lands, on which are grown rice, maize, beans, tobacco, sugar-cane, cotton, potatoes, and all sorts of tropical fruits. There are many varieties of the palm, the lontar being useful for food and other purposes. Timber trees suited for masts attain a height of 100 ft., and from 3 to 4 in diameter; the wild nutmeg, cinnamon, and tamarind are plentiful; and bamboos make the forests 'Impenetrable in many parts. About 600 species of plants are known, a great number being medicinal, and few poisonous. Indigo grows everywhere, and potatoes in the mountains.
Three-fourths of Timor on the s.w. is subject to the Dutch, whose chief settlement is Koepaug (Knpang); the remaining part in the n.e. belongs to the Portuguese, who have a
town called Dilley, on the a. coast, with a safe roadstead, and a fort, which was nearly destroyed by an earthquake in 1857. Timor is divided into small kingdoms, ruled by rajahs under Dutch or Portuguese control.
Koepang lies at the base of a semicircle of wooded hills, on a beautiful bay in the south-west. It is irregularly built, the principal buildings being the governor's house and the Protestant church. There is a Mohammedan and a Chinese temple, one Dutch and two Malay schools. Pop. 3,500, including 100 Europeans and 500 Chinese. Whalers and trading-ships from Sydney, Van Dieman's Land, etc., call for provisions on their way to or from Java and Singapore; and Timor will be a convenient market for horses and supplies to the settlements in North Australia, which is only eight days' sailing dis tant.
The exports are—sandal-wood, horses, wax, tortoise-shell, edible nests, etc.; imports —cotton, woolen, and silk fabrics, provisions, and general supplies. Pearls are found on a bank 30 m. s.e. from Koepang. The natives are partly Oceanian negroes, and partly of Malay race. They worship a supreme being called " Lord of the sun." Near the Netherlands' settlements, some hundreds have been baptized, but missionary efforts have not been very successful. The fathers dispose of their daughters for gold and buf faloes, and polygamy prevails among the rich.
Koepang is the capital of, the Netherlands' residency or government of Timor, which includes Samao, Rotti, Savu, the Sandal-wood island, Sumbawa, Flores, Adanara, Solor, Lomblem, Ombay, and all the small islands belonging to the chain.