Bawean

Bawean (Indonesian: Pulau Bawean) is an island of Indonesia located approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of Surabaya in the Java Sea, off the coast of Java. It is administered as part of Gresik Regency of East Java province. It is approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) in diameter and is circumnavigated by a single narrow road. Bawean is dominated by an extinct volcano at its center that rises to 655 meters (2,149 feet) above sea level. Its population as of the 2010 Census was about 70,000 people, but more than 26,000 of the total (that is about 70% of the male population) were temporarily living outside, working in other parts of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. As a result, females constituted about 77% of the actual population of the island, which is thus often referred to as "the Island of Women" (Indonesian: Pulau Putri). The 2020 Census revealed a population of 80,289, while the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 86,764. The island territory is divided into two administrative districts, Sangkapura and Tambak. About 63.8% of the population (about 55,344 in mid 2025) live in the district of Sangkapura, centred on the town of that name located on the southern coast of the island. The other 36.2% live in Tambak District, in the northern 36% of the island. The island has rich nature with many endemic species, such as Bawean deer which is only found on the island and is included to the IUCN Red List.