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Rote Ndao Regency is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia, consisting primarily of the island of Rote, situated south-west of the western tip of West Timor with an area of 978.54 km2, together with minor offshore islands including Usu (19.4 km2), Ndana (13.83 km2), Ndao, Landu and Nuse; the total area including the minor offshore islands is 1,280.10 km2. The regency seat is in the village of Ba'a (or Baadale), which is situated in Lobalain District. The population of the Regency was 119,908 as of the 2010 census and 143,764 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 155,371 (comprising 78,172 males and 77,199 females).

Mayoritas penduduk Kabupaten Rote Ndao adalah suku Rote yang menghuni pulau utama Rote dan juga suku Dhao yang menghuni pulau kecil Ndao di sebelah barat Rote. Sebagian lainnya berasal dari suku bangsa asal NTT, terutama suku Atoni dan pendatang etnis Jawa.

Jeremias August Pah, salah satu pemain Sasando yang membangkitkan alat musik Sasando.

Alat musik Sasando menjadi ikon alat musik di provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur. Sasando sendiri berasal dari kabupaten Rote Ndao. Alat musik Sasando dalam bahasa Rote disebut Sasandu, yang artinya bergetar atau berbunyi. Pada masyarakat Rote sendiri, alat musik ini digunakan untuk mengiringi nyanyian, juga untuk tarian tradisional, serta digunakan pada acara penghiburan keluarga yang berduka.

Pada perkembangannya, alat musik Sasando memiliki dua tipe, yakni tradisional dan elektrik. Tipe tradisional yakni Sasando yang dimainkan tanpa listrik, tanpa pengeras suara, dan ini merupakan bentuk asli Sasando. Sementara tipe elektrik, telah dimodifikasi dan digunakan dengan menggunakan listrik dan pengeras suara, umumnya digunakan untuk acara-acara besar yang lebih modern. Sasando digunakan dengan cara dipetik, yang dibagi menjadi beberapa jenis seperti Sasando engkel, Sasando dobel, Sasando gong, dan Sasando biola. Sasando engkel memiliki 28 dawa, sementara Sasando dobel memiliki 56 atau 84 dawai, sehingga memiliki banyak jenis suara.

Created under Law (Undang-Undang) RI No.9 of 2002, Rote Ndao Regency was established with effect from 10 April 2002; it was previously a part of Kupang Regency.

In 1962, it was divided into 4 districts; West, East, South, and Central Rote. Later, in 1967 it was split into 8 districts to fulfill requirements to become an independent regency. This goal was finally realized in 2002 after central government was pressurised by around 300 cultural figures from 19 traditional regions in the area.

The regency is surrounded by water, bordering the Savu Sea to the north, the Indian Ocean to the south and west, and the Pukuafu Strait to the east. It is composed of 107 islands, 8 of which are inhabited and 99 are uninhabited. The topography varies from flat make up 35% of its territory to hills around 25%, from 0 to 1,500 metres above sea level. Around 60% of its territory are 200 metres above sea level.