Editing Lombok (section)

== Economy and politics ==

Many of the visitors to Lombok and much of the islands goods come across the Lombok Strait by sea or air links from [[Bali]]. Only {{convert|25|mi|km|order=flip}} separate the two islands.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiner |first=Eric |date=2008-09-21 |title=Living in Bali's Shadow, but Maybe Not for Long |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/travel/21next.html?ref=travel |access-date=2010-04-04 |website=[[The New York Times]] |language=en}}</ref> Lombok is often marketed as "an unspoiled Bali," or "Bali's sister island." With support from the central government, Lombok and Sumbawa are being developed as Indonesia's second destination for international and domestic tourism.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} Lombok has retained a more natural, uncrowded and undeveloped environment, which attract travelers who come for its relaxed pace and the opportunity to explore the island's unspoiled natural environment.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} The more contemporary marketing campaigns for Lombok/Sumbawa seek to differentiate from Bali and promote the island of Lombok as a standalone destination. The opening of the [[Lombok International Airport]] on 1 October 2011 assisted in this endeavor.

[[File:Sasak1.jpg|thumb|Local [[Sasak]] children ({{circa| 1997}})]]

[[Nusa Tenggara Barat]] and Lombok may be considered economically depressed by [[First World]] standards and a large majority of the population live in poverty. Still, the island is fertile, has sufficient rainfall in most areas for agriculture, and possesses a variety of climate zones. Consequently, food in abundant quantity and variety is available inexpensively at local farmer's markets, though locals still suffer from famine due to drought and subsistence farming. A family of 4 can eat [[rice]], [[vegetables]], and [[fruit]] for as little as US$0.50. Even though a family's income may be as small as US$1.00 per day from fishing or farming, many families are able to live a contented and productive life on a low income. However, the people of Lombok are coming under increasing pressure from rising food and fuel prices. Access to housing, education and health services remains difficult for many of the island's indigenous population although public education is free throughout the province and an attempt is made to provide elementary schools even in remote areas.

The percentage of the population living in poverty in urban areas of [[Nusa Tenggara Barat]] in 2008 was 29.47% and in 2009 it was 28.84%. For those living in rural areas in 2008 it was 19.73% and in 2009 it reduced marginally to 18.40%. For combined urban and village the figures were 23.81% and in 2009 it fell slightly to 22.78%.<ref>{{cite web| author =Source: Adapted from National Social Economic Survey (SUSENAS)| title =Poverty Line, Number and Percentage of Poor People in West Nusa Tenggara Province in March 2008 – March 2009| publisher =Badan Pusat Statistik Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Barat (Central Bureau of Statistics West Nusa Tenggara Province).| date =December 11, 2009| url =http://missjoaquim.com/jumlah-rumah-tangga-dan-rata-rata-anggota-rumah-tangga-menurut-kabupatenkota-di-provinsi-ntb-tahun-2008/| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20170821125710/http://missjoaquim.com/jumlah-rumah-tangga-dan-rata-rata-anggota-rumah-tangga-menurut-kabupatenkota-di-provinsi-ntb-tahun-2008/| archive-date =2017-08-21| url-status =dead}}</ref>

In Mataram in 2008 the percentage of the population that was unmarried was 40.74%, married 52.01%, divorced 2.51% and widowed 4.75%.<ref>{{cite web| author =Source: Adapted from National Social Economic Survey (SUSENAS)| title =Percentage of Population Aged 10 Years and Over and Marital Status 2008In West Nusa Tenggara Province in March 2008 – March 2009| publisher =Badan Pusat Statistik Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Barat (Central Bureau of Statistics West Nusa Tenggara Province).| date =December 11, 2009| url =http://missjoaquim.com/jumlah-rumah-tangga-dan-rata-rata-anggota-rumah-tangga-menurut-kabupatenkota-di-provinsi-ntb-tahun-2008/| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20170821125710/http://missjoaquim.com/jumlah-rumah-tangga-dan-rata-rata-anggota-rumah-tangga-menurut-kabupatenkota-di-provinsi-ntb-tahun-2008/| archive-date =2017-08-21| url-status =dead}}</ref>

Illegal cage bird trade has been observed in the city of Mataram and during five market visits in 2018 and 2019, 10,326 birds of 108 species were observed, with 18 of these species being nationally protected and many others harvested from the wild in violation of national harvest and trade quotas. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Leupen |first1=Boyd T. C. |last2=Shepherd |first2=Loretta |last3=Shepherd |first3=Chris R |last4=Damianou |first4=Evros |last5=Nijman |first5=Vincent |date=2022-04-30 |title=Market surveys in Mataram, Lombok, illustrate the expanse of legal and illegal Indonesian bird trade networks |url=https://journal.unpak.ac.id/index.php/InJAST/article/view/5127 |journal=Indonesian Journal of Applied Environmental Studies |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=42–52 |doi=10.33751/injast.v3i1.5127 |s2cid=248481041 |issn=2722-0141|doi-access=free }}</ref>