Situated in the middle of the Lesser Sunda Islands chain with Alas Strait and Lombok to the west , Flores to the east, and Sumba further to the southeast, Sumbawa is a part of the province of West Nusa Tenggara. Sumbawa is also surrounded by smaller islands, most notably Moyo Island, Sangeang Island and Komodo Islands to the east.
Sumbawa is 15,448 km2 or 5,965 sq mi with a population of around 1.5 million. The kingdoms located in Sumbawa Besar and Bima were the two focal points of Sumbawa. This division of the island into two parts remains today; Sumbawa Besar and Bima are the two largest towns on the island, and are the centers of distinct cultural groups that share the island.