Flores

Flores, town, Guatemala

Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the Itzá Mayan city of Tayasal. Tayasal was not taken by the Spanish until 1697 and may have been the last major functioning Mayan ceremonial complex. All traces of Tayasal were destroyed by the Spanish. Flores is a commercial center for the surrounding region; chief products include chicle, hardwoods, rubber, and sugarcane. The town is connected to the lakeshore and the neighboring towns of Santa Elena and San Benito by a causeway.

---

Flores, island, Indonesia

Flores (flôr`ĕs), island, 6,627 sq mi (17,164 sq km), E Indonesia, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Flores is heavily wooded, rugged, and mountainous, rising to 7,872 ft (2,399 m). The inhabitants are predominantly Christian, mainly Roman Catholic; those in the west are chiefly Malayans, and those in the east are Papuans. Corn and coconuts are grown. Ende (1990 pop. 48,966) is the chief town and port. The Flores Sea is north of the island and S of Sulawesi.

Among the prehistoric inhabitants of the island were small-proportioned humans that some scientists consider a separate human species, which they classified as Homo floresiensis in 2004; the individuals lived on Flores as recently as 13,000 years ago. Other scientists, however, believe that the ancient remains that have been found on Flores are those of microcephalic modern humans who also suffered from dwarfism. Much later under the rule of the princes of Sulawesi, Flores came under Dutch influence c.1618. The Dutch gradually gained control of the island, although Portugal held the eastern end until 1851 and the natives were not completely subjugated until 1907.

---

Flores, island, Azores

Flores (flô`rĭz, Port. flô`rəsh), island (1991 pop. 4,435), 58 sq mi (150 sq km), Horta dist., in the N Atlantic, the most westerly of the Azores, Portugal. Santa Cruz is its chief town. Cattle raising is the main industry.

---

Flores

1. an island in Indonesia, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, between the Flores Sea and the Savu Sea: mountainous, with active volcanoes and unexplored forests. Chief town: Ende. Area: 17 150 sq. km (6622 sq. miles)

2. an island in the Atlantic, the westernmost of the Azores. Chief town: Santa Cruz. Area: 142 sq. km (55 sq. miles)