Viqueque District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Viqueque District (Vikeke) |
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District | ||
Rice fields in Viqueque
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Country | East Timor | |
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Subdistricts | Lacluta, Ossu, Uato-Lari, Uato Carabau, Viqueque | |
Capital | Viqueque | |
- coordinates | 8°51′N 126°22′E / 8.850°N 126.367°E | |
Area | 1,880 km² (726 sq mi) | |
Population | 73,581 (2011) | |
Density | 39 /km² (101 /sq mi) | |
District Administrator | Francisco Guterres | |
Timezone | Time in East Timor (UTC+9) | |
ISO 3166-2 | TL-VI | |
Viqueque (Tetum: Vikeke) is the largest of the districts of East Timor. The name comes from the ancient name "We Keke"; We means "water" and Keke "bracelet".
Geography
Viqueque is on the south coast of Timor, on the Timor Sea. It has an area of 1,880.39 km2 (726.02 sq mi).
It borders the districts Baucau to the north, Lautém to the east, and Manatuto to the west.
The capital of the district has the same name: Viqueque and the present district administrator is Francisco Guterres.
There are five subdistricts: Lacluta, Ossu, Uato-Lari (which was known in Portuguese Timor as Leça, and, in Tetum, is spelled Watulari), Uato Carabau (spelled Watucarbau in Tetum), and Viqueque.
Among the rivers that flow through the Viqueque district and into the Timor Sea are: Nunuc, Tuco, Cuha, Bularan, Benaro, Beaco and Weburak in the subdistrict Viqueque; Lugassa on the border with Uato -Lari; Saqueto, Bebui, Borouai and Oiqui in the Uato-Lari subdistrict; and Molaiuai and Uaidori in the Uatucarbau subdistrict.
The Ossu subdistrict is surrounded by several mountains: Monte Mundo Perdido in the west, the Builo in the south, the Matebian massif to the east and Fatu Laritame in the north. In Monte Mundo Perdido, 16,100 hectares (40,000 acres) are protected for hunting and for the protection of birds as Important Bird Area. Here, there are many endemic species, including many rare orchids.
Population
The district of Viqueque had a population of 73,581 in 2011. Its density is 39.1 inhabitants per km².
Viqueque is a homeland of the Malayo-Polynesian language Tetum. In East Timor it is co-official with Portuguese. In the east part of the district live speakers of the Papuan language Makasae.
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Water buffalos on the road to Viqueque
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Tebe Dahur dance
See also
In Spanish: Distrito de Viqueque para niños