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The Island
 

Topography
 

The climate
 

Flora & Fauna

Flora

Fauna
 

Population
 

Religion
 

Temples &

Architecture
 

Government
 

Economy

The flora.

The trees

There is no other island in the Indonesian archipelago that is so intensively cultivated as Bali. Rice-fields extend as far as the eye can reach, and every part of earth, however small, is used to produce up to two rice harvests a year.

 

However, the Bali Barat National Park, is a region of tropical jungle. It consists of woods such as mahogany at the lower levels, slender pines and various dipterocarpaceous species more uphill. The latter species are trees with two-winged fruits.

 

The mahogany tree is a deciduous tree, which can grow up to 20m tall.

In the south, there are extensive forests of palm trees, which in the gently rising country to the centre of the island give place to the rice-fields.

 

 

 

 

The mighty banyan tree (Sanskrit nyagrodha), a species of fig-tree characteristic of South-East Asia, is regarded as a holy sacred tree. The banyan found on Bali is Ficus bengalensis, which can reach a height of 30 m, with a wide spreading crown whose branches are supported on aerial roots. Since banyans drive out other trees, they are rarely found in isolation, but form whole forests. The banyan is particularly venerated by the Hindu people. Almost every village on Bali has a banyan tree, and often more than one. 

 

 

In eastern Bali, the mountain reach down close to the coast. There are still aereas suitable for agricultural development.

 

In the upland the flora becomes sparser. It vegetation consists of low growing shrubs and plants. At the very higer levels of the mountains, flora gives place to a barren region of black lava.

 

 

 

 

 

The flowers

 

Strangly enough, but orchids are rarer on Bali, than in other parts of South-East Asia. On the other hand, you'll find a lot of lotus flowers. On Bali, flowers and fruits are very important for offering to the gods. Beautiful flowers such as Allamanda, Lotus lilies and Bougainvillea are mostly used to give color in landscape.
Frangipani, Kenanga and Sedap Malam (Night fragrant) flowers particularly used for ritual and dance purposes. Flamboyant, Kasia flowers generally planted in the street side to give shade
to the road. Jasmine flower is the national flower of Indonesia, its pure white color symbolize of the purification.

Allamanda flower

 

The lotus flower

 

 

 

Other...

 

The rich flora of Bali primarily serves to provide the population with food. There are large plantations of pineapples, bananas, vegetables, coffee, coconuts and betel nuts. Betel nuts are popular with older people as an aphrodisiac drug ;-). The advantage of the betel nut as a drug is that it has a stimulating effect and produces a feeling of wellbeing without interfering with the user's capacity of work. But the betel nut stains the teeth, saliva and lips red and may sometimes produce chronic inflammations in the mouth.

 

You'll find local cultivated coffee, tea, spices and tobacco on markets. Most of these products are cultivated on a very small scale. The amount cultivated of these products are too small to for export.