Komodo is one of the 17,508
islands that compose the
Republic of Indonesia. The island is particularly notable as the habitat of the
Komodo dragon, the largest lizard on Earth, which is named for the island. Komodo Island has a surface area of 390 square kilometres and a human population of over two thousand. The people of the island are descendants of former
convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed with
Bugis from
Sulawesi. The people are primarily adherents of
Islam but there are also
Christian and
Hindu congregations.