Editing Natuna Regency (section)

==Geography==
The Natuna Islands are a 272-island [[archipelago]] of [[Indonesia]], located in the [[Natuna Sea]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-22/no-overlapping-claims-with-china-in-indonesian-waters-says-fm/7534498?pfmredir=sm|title=Natuna Islands: Indonesia says no 'overlapping' South China Sea claims with China|newspaper=ABC News|date=22 June 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-15/south-china-sea-territory-renamed-by-indonesia/8711346?pfmredir=sm|title=South China Sea: Indonesia renames part of maritime economic zone in defiance of Beijing|newspaper=ABC News|date=15 July 2017 }}</ref> between [[Peninsular Malaysia]] to the west and [[Borneo]] to the east. They extend in a NNW direction for 300&nbsp;km from Tanjung Api, the northwest extremity of [[Kalimantan]]/Borneo. The Natuna Sea itself is a section of the South China Sea.

The North Group consists of a large island ('''Pulau Laut'''), two small islands and several adjacent islets and reefs which lie about 50&nbsp;km NNW of [[Natuna Besar]] Island. Pulau Laut is about 11&nbsp;km long with a greatest width of 5&nbsp;km towards the south; it is generally hilly, rising to 273 metres near its north end.

The [[Bunguran Islands|Middle Group]] consists of '''[[Natuna Besar]]''' or '''Bunguran Island''', which contains the bulk of the area and population of the archipelago, together with small offshore islets and reefs; the '''Bodas Islands''' (''Kepulauan Bodas'') are a group of moderately high wooded islands lying close to the southwest coast of Natuna Besar, and are administratively classed as the districts of Pulau Tiga and Pulau Tiga Barat.

The [[South Natuna|Southern Group]] (''Kepulauan Natuna Selatan'') consists primarily of two groups of islands separated from the coast of Kalimantan by the Api Passage. The '''Subi Islands''' (''Kepulauan Subi'') of which the main islands are Subi Besar, Subi Kecil, Bakau, Panjang and Seraya, lie southeast of Natuna Besar. '''[[Serasan Island]]''' (''Pulau Serasan'') is the largest of the group of islands lying further to the southeast and nearer to Kalimantan, from which it is separated by the Serasan Strait. A third group - centred on [[Midai Island]] - lies to the west of the Subi Islands.

The highest point of the Bunguran Islands is Mount Ranai at {{convert|1035|m|ft}}. The islands had a population of 52,000 inhabitants according to the 2010 census; the estimated population in mid 2023 was about 64,250. The principal settlement is [[Ranai, Natuna Island|Ranai]]. The island can be reached by scheduled air services via [[Ranai Airport]].

===Natural resources===
Natuna has large reserves of natural gas (estimated at 1.3&nbsp;billion m<sup>3</sup>) that is exported to neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} [[Matak|Matak Island]] located in [[Anambas Islands Regency|Anambas]] now functions as an offshore exploitation base.

===Ecology===
The Natuna Islands are part of the [[Borneo lowland rain forests]] ecoregion.<ref>[https://ecoregions2017.appspot.com "Ecoregions 2017" interactive map. Resolve 2017]</ref>

The Natuna Islands have a remarkable [[Bird|avifauna]] with 71 species of bird registered, including the near-threatened [[lesser fish eagle]], the [[Serpent-eagle|Natuna serpent-eagle]]. Other endangered species include the [[green iora]], the [[brown fulvetta]] or the [[green broadbill]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Natuna Islands bird checklist – Bird Checklists of the World | website=Avibase | date=2019-08-10 | url=https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?region=IDstkrna | ref={{sfnref | Avibase | 2019}} | access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref>

The Natuna Islands is home to three [[species]] of non-human [[primate]]s: the slow [[loris]] (''[[Nycticebus coucang]]''), the long-tailed [[macaque]] (''[[Macaca fascicularis]]''), and the Natuna [[leaf monkey]] (a.k.a. Natuna pale-thighed surili, ''[[Presbytis natunae]]'').<ref>Lammertink, Nijman, and Setiorini, 2003. ''Oryx'' '''37'''(4):472–479</ref><ref>Brandon-Jones et al. 2004. Asian Primate Classification. ''International Journal of Primatology'' '''25'''(1):97–164.</ref> A small number of wild goats live on the island as well as sea birds. Over 360 species of bird have been recorded on the island.<ref name="lepage">{{cite web |last1=Lepage |first1=Denis |title=Natuna Besar |url=https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?region=IDstkrnb&list=howardmoore&region=IDstkrnb&list=howardmoore |website=Avibase – Bird Checklists of the World | date = 2018 |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>

Colourful coral reefs are found in the neighbouring waters. The Natuna banded leaf monkey, ''[[Presbytis natunae]]'',<ref>Martjan Lammertink, Vincent Nijman and Utami Setiorini, [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=186909 "Population size, Red List status and conservation of the Natuna leaf monkey Presbytis natunae endemic to the island of Bunguran, Indonesia."] Oryx / Volume 37 / Issue 04 / October 2003, pp 472 – 479</ref> is among the 25 most endangered primates on Earth.