Sumbawa or Soembawa, island (1990 pop. 965,674), 5,964 sq mi (15,447 sq km), Indonesia, one of the Lesser Sundas, between the Flores Sea and the Indian Ocean. Bima, with an excellent harbor, is the port for Raba, the chief town. Sumbawa is mountainous, rising to 9,168 ft (2,794 m); there are many volcanic peaks, most notably Tambora, whose 1815 eruption was one of the most violent of modern times. The island is nearly split in two, from north to south, by Saleh Bay, in central Sumbawa. The soil has been somewhat depleted, but corn, beans, and other subsistence crops are produced. Cattle raising is important.

Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, south-central Indonesia. Its irregular coastline includes Bima Bay, one of the best harbours in Indonesia. The island, with an area of 5,965 sq mi (15,448 sq km), is largely mountainous. Its highest point is volcanic Mount Tambora (9,354 ft [2,851 m]), which erupted in 1815, killing 50,000 people. Sumbawa was once part of the Majapahit empire. In 1674 the Sumbawanese nobility signed agreements that gave the Dutch East India Company some power over the island; the Dutch gained direct control in the early 20th century. Sumbawa was occupied by the Japanese during World War II and became part of independent Indonesia in 1950. Agricultural products include rice, corn (maize), coffee, and copra.

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