Kupang

Kupang

Kupang, also spelled Koepang, city and capital of East Nusa Tenggara propinsi (or provinsi; province), Timor island, Indonesia. It is located near the southwestern tip of the island on Kupang Bay of the Savu Sea. Roads link it with Soe in the province and Dili in East Timor; Kupang also has an airport and lies on the Java-Australia air route. It is a trade and transshipment centre; copra, hides, sandalwood, pearls, and fish are exported to Java, western (Indonesian) New Guinea, and Australia. The majority of the population is Papuan, with an admixture of Malayan and Polynesian peoples. Fishing and handicrafts, including wood carving, basket making, and leather tanning, are economically important. Coastal vessels are built in the port. Nusa Cendana University, founded in 1962, is located in Kupang. The Portuguese occupied the city in the 1530s but were expelled by the Dutch in 1613. The city was under Japanese occupation during World War II. Pop. (2010 prelim.) 315,768.