madura

Madura is an Indonesian island off the northeastern coast of Java, near the port of Surabaya. It has an area of approximately 4,250 km and a population of about 1.5 million, predominantly Muslim since the 16th century. It is administered as part of the East Java province. The main language of Madura is Madurese, which is also spoken on many of the 66 outlying islands. The main occupations are farming, fishing, and cattle-raising. The island is also a major producer of salt. Madura is famous for is bull-racing competitions, where a jockey, usually a young boy, rides a simple wooden sled pulled by a pair of bulls over a course of about 100 meters in ten to fifteen seconds. Several towns on the island hold races in August and September of each year, with a large final for the Presidential Trophy held in Pamekasan in late September or October.

Madura

See also