Halmahera

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Halmahera
Corner of Halmahera Island.jpg
Coastline of Halmahera
Morotai and Halmehera Islands.jpg
Small scale map of the island
Indonesia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Halmahera
Geography
Location South East Asia
Coordinates 0°39′N127°54′E / 0.65°N 127.90°E / 0.65; 127.90
Archipelago Maluku Islands
Area17,780 km2 (6,860 sq mi)
Area rank 51st
Highest elevation1,560 m (5120 ft)
Highest point Mount Gamkonora
Administration
ProvinceFlag of North Maluku.svg  North Maluku
Largest settlement Tobelo
Demographics
Population449,938 (2010)
Pop. density25.3/km2 (65.5/sq mi)
Ethnic groups Tobelo, Bugis, Togutil, Galela, Sahu, Waioli, Modole, Pagu, Kao Islam, Sawai, Gane, Buli, Maba, Loloda, Tabaru, Patani, Bicoli. Significant migrant groups include Sangir, Ternate, Tidore, Makian, and Javanese.

Halmahera, formerly known as Jilolo, Gilolo, or Jailolo, is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku province of Indonesia, and Sofifi, the capital of the province, is located on the west coast of the island.

Contents

Halmahera has a land area of 17,780 km2 (6,860 sq mi); [1] it is the largest island of Indonesia outside the five main islands. It had a population of 162,728 in 1995; by 2010, it had increased to 449,938 for the island itself (excluding the tip which is considered part of the Joronga Islands, but including Gebe and Ju islands) and 667,161 for the island group (including all of South Halmahera and Tidore, but not Ternate). [2] [3] Approximately half of the island's inhabitants are Muslim and half are Christian.

History

A Togutil man of Halmahera island Natives of Halmahera Island.jpg
A Togutil man of Halmahera island

Sparsely-populated Halmahera's fortunes have long been closely tied to those of the smaller islands of Ternate and Tidore, both off its west coast. These islands were both the sites of major kingdoms in the era before Dutch East India Company colonized the entire archipelago.

During World War II, Halmahera was the site of a Japanese naval base at Kao Bay.

In 1999 and 2000, Halmahera was the site of violence that began as a purely ethnic dispute between residents of (mainly Christian) Kao and (entirely Muslim) Malifut sub-districts and then took on a religious nature as it spread through much of the North Moluccas, called the Maluku sectarian conflict. Thousands of people on Halmahera were killed in the fighting between religious militias. In June 2000, about five hundred people were killed when a ferry carrying refugees from the fighting on Halmahera sank off the northeast tip of Sulawesi island. Conspiracy theories about this event abound. A memorial to this tragedy can be found in Duma village in North Halmahera district.

Today, much transportation to the rest of Indonesia is through connections on the provincial capital, Ternate island although Tobelo, the largest town on Halmahera, also has direct ferry and cargo sea links to Surabaya and Manado.[ citation needed ]

Particularly, since the inauguration of the first ever directly elected Bupati (Regent or District Head), Tobelo is undergoing rapid development and is aiming at rivaling Ternate's historical dominance.[ citation needed ] As it is surrounded by flat land, Tobelo has the potential for expansion.[ citation needed ] Ternate is limited by its size, being a small island which can be driven around in forty-five minutes. Also, in 2010, the provincial government has moved the provincial capital from Ternate City to Sofifi, a small village on the Halmahera coast opposite Tidore island.

North Maluku Province consists of eight regencies and two municipalities (cities); five of the regencies and one municipality include a part of Halmahera island. The regencies are North Halmahera, West Halmahera, East Halmahera, Central Halmahera, South Halmahera, Morotai, Sula Islands and Taliabu, while the municipalities are Ternate and Tidore Islands. Only Ternate Municipality, and Morotai, the Sula Islands and Taliabu regencies do not include any part of Halmahera.

Uncontacted members of the Hongana Manyawa (Togutil) people are being threatened by a massive Indonesian mining project to produce nickel for electric car batteries. [4]

Geology

Topography of Halmahera Halmahera Topography.png
Topography of Halmahera

The volcanic island lies on an island arc that includes the Raja Ampat Islands, all uplifted by the northward migration of the continent of Australia and subduction of the Pacific Plate. Dukono is an active volcano at the north end of the island. Mount Ibu is an active volcano on the island's northwest coast.

Ecology

Semioptera wallacii by Richard Bowdler Sharpe (1847-1909) Semioptera wallacei by Bowdler Sharpe.jpg
Semioptera wallacii by Richard Bowdler Sharpe (1847–1909)

The flightless invisible rail is endemic to the island. [5] The recently discovered palm tree Jailoloa halmaherensis is also endemic to Halmahera. [6]

The naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace visited Halmahera, as described in his 1869 book The Malay Archipelago . He considered the standardwing bird of paradise, Semioptera wallacii, to be his greatest prize. [7] It was in February 1858, on the island of Ternate (or perhaps while on Halmahera itself), between bouts of fever, that Wallace came to the idea of natural selection via the survival of the fittest. Wallace wrote his ideas during the next couple of days, and sent the historical letter to Darwin.

Mining

Halmahera is the site of several mining projects.

PT Weda Bay Nickel operates a nickel and cobalt mining project in North and Central Halmahera Regencies, the Weda Bay Industrial Park.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maluku Islands</span> Archipelago in eastern Indonesia

The Maluku Islands or the Moluccas are an archipelago in the eastern part of Indonesia. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located east of Sulawesi, west of New Guinea, and north and east of Timor. Lying within Wallacea, the Moluccas have been considered as a geographical and cultural intersection of Asia and Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bacan Islands</span> Archipelago in Indonesia

The Bacan Islands, formerly also known as the Bachans, Bachians, and Batchians, are a group of islands in the Moluccas in Indonesia. They are mountainous and forested, lying south of Ternate and southwest of Halmahera. The islands are administered by the South Halmahera Regency of North Maluku Province. They formerly constituted the Sultanate of Bacan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Maluku</span> Province of Indonesia

North Maluku is a province of Indonesia. It covers the northern part of the Maluku Islands, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the north, the Halmahera Sea to the east, the Molucca Sea to the west, and the Seram Sea to the south. It shares maritime borders with North Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi to the west, Maluku to the south, Southwest Papua to the west, and Palau and the Philippines to the north. The provincial capital is Sofifi on the largest island of Halmahera, while the largest city is the island city of Ternate. The population of North Maluku was 1,038,087 in the 2010 census, making it one of the least-populous provinces in Indonesia, but by the 2020 Census the population had risen to 1,282,937, and the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 1,319,338.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morotai Island Regency</span> Regency in North Maluku, Indonesia

Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. It covers an area of 2,336.6 km2 including the smaller Rao Island to the west of Morotai. The population was 52,860 at the 2010 census and 74,436 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 78,270.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ternate</span> City in North Maluku, Indonesia

Ternate, also known as the City of Ternate, is a city in the Indonesian province of North Maluku and an island in the Maluku Islands. It was the de facto provincial capital of North Maluku before Sofifi on the nearby coast of Halmahera became the capital in 2010. It is off the west coast of Halmahera, and is composed of eight islands: Ternate, the biggest and main island of the city, and Moti, Hiri, Tifure, Mayau, Makka, Mano, and Gurida. In total, the city has a land area of 162.17 square kilometres and had a total population of 185,705 according to the 2010 census, and 205,001 according to the 2020 census, with a density of 1,264 people per square kilometre; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 206,745. It is the biggest and most densely populated city in the province, is the economic, cultural, and education center of North Maluku, and acts as a hub to neighbouring regions. It was the capital of the Sultanate of Ternate in the 15th and 16th centuries, and fought against the Sultanate of Tidore over control of the spice trade in the Moluccas before becoming a main interest to competing European powers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidore</span> City in Maluku Islands, Indonesia

Tidore is a city, island, and archipelago in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia, west of the larger island of Halmahera. Part of North Maluku Province, the city includes the island of Tidore together with a large part of Halmahera Island to its east. In the pre-colonial era, the Sultanate of Tidore was a major regional political and economic power, and a fierce rival of nearby Ternate, just to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obi Islands</span> Group of islands in North Maluku, Indonesia

The Obi Islands are a group of 42 islands in the Indonesian province of North Maluku, north of Buru and Ceram, and south of Halmahera. With a total area of 3,048.08 km2, they had a population of 41,455 at the 2010 Census and 50,760 at the 2020 Census. The official estimate as at mid 2022 was 52,588.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sofifi</span> City and capital of North Maluku, Indonesia

Sofifi is a town on the west coast of the Indonesian island of Halmahera, and since 2010 has been the capital of the province of North Maluku. It is located in North Oba District of the city of Tidore Islands. At the 2020 Census, the town had a population of 2,498, while North Oba District had a population of 19,552. Previously, Ternate had been the province's capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobelo language</span> North Halmahera language spoken in Indonesia

Tobelo is a North Halmahera language spoken on the eastern Indonesian island of Halmahera and on parts of several neighboring islands. The Tobelo-speaking heartland is in the six administrative districts of Tobelo, located on the western shore of Kao Bay and forming the central part of Halmahera Utara Regency. Other Tobelo-speaking areas are the five districts of Wasile on the southern and eastern shores of Kao Bay, and the northern half of Morotai Island. The district capital, also known as Tobelo, serves as a regional commercial and administrative center and is the largest settlement on Halmahera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobelo</span> Town in North Maluku, Indonesia

Tobelo is a town and a district on the eastern Indonesian island of Halmahera. It is the capital of the regency (kabupaten) of North Halmahera, part of the province of North Maluku. The town was formalised as the capital of North Halmahera in the district elections held in 2004. It had a population of 34,150 at the 2020 Census. A palm tree lined coastal road connects Tobelo to Galela. The town is predominantly Muslim with a large Christian minority and a Protestant Church has existed in Tobelo since at least 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidore language</span> West Papuan language spoken in Indonesia

Tidore is a language of North Maluku, Indonesia, spoken by the Tidore people. The language is centered on the island of Tidore, but it is also spoken in some areas of the neighbouring Halmahera. A North Halmahera language, it is unlike most languages in Indonesia which belong to the Austronesian language family. Tidore and other North Halmahera languages are perhaps related to languages of the Bird's Head Peninsula, West Papua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halmahera rain forests</span> Ecoregion in Halmahera, Indonesia

The Halmahera rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in Indonesia. The ecoregion includes the island of Halmahera and neighboring islands, including Bacan, Morotai, the Obi Islands, Ternate, Tidore, Gebe, and many smaller islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aketajawe-Lolobata National Park</span> National park in Indonesia

Aketajawe-Lolobata National Park is a national park on Halmahera, the biggest island in the North Maluku province of Indonesia. The park is considered by BirdLife International to be vital for the survival of at least 23 endemic bird species. Aketajawe-Lolobata, which has an area of 167,300 hectares, was declared a national park in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Halmahera Regency</span> Regency in North Maluku, Indonesia

North Halmahera Regency is a regency of North Maluku Province, Indonesia. It was declared a separate Regency on 31 May 2003, formed from part of the former North Maluku Regency. The capital town of the regency lies at the port of Tobelo. The Regency, which has been considerably reduced by the separation of Morotai Island in 2008, now covers an area of 3,891.62 square kilometres (1,502.56 sq mi) and had a population of 161,847 people at the 2010 Census, 179,783 at the 2015 Intermediate Census. and 197,640 at the 2020 Census. The official estimate as at mid 2022 was 202,755. The principal settlements are Tobelo, Kao and Galela. The area is noted for its white beaches and coral reefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galela (city)</span> Town in North Maluku, Indonesia

Galela, is a small town on the eastern Indonesian island of Halmahera. It is located in the North Halmahera Regency, part of the province of North Maluku. Views of Mount Tarakani can be seen from the scenic coast. Galelarese constitutes an official ethnic group in North Halmhera and is also a language, spoken in the Galela region, neighboring parts of Tobelo and Loloda districts, on the island of Morotai and in villages scattered in southern Halmahera as well as on Bacan and Obi. The town borders Lake Galela.

Central Halmahera Regency is a regency in North Maluku Province, Indonesia. It covers a land area of 2,485.76 km2, and had a population of 42,815 at the 2010 Census and 56,802 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 59,096. The capital lies at Weda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobelo people</span>

The Tobelo people are one of the northern Halmahera peoples living in eastern Indonesia, in the northern part of the Maluku Islands and in the eastern side of North Halmahera Regency.

The Weda Bay Industrial Park is a nickel mining and industrial park complex in Central Halmahera Regency, North Maluku, Indonesia. The Weda Bay Mine is now among the largest nickel mines in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasukan Jihad</span>

Pasukan Putih, later Pasukan Jihad, were a Muslim militia formed in North Maluku province, Indonesia. It was founded by Abu Bakar Wahid in December 1999, it gained regional prominence in early 2000 due to the Battle of Galela.

References

  1. ↑ "Halmahera | Largest of the Spice Islands | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  2. ↑ "Indonesia: Administrative Division (Provinces, Regencies and Cities) – Population Statistics, Charts and Map". www.citypopulation.de. Archived from the original on 3 October 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Penduduk Halsel". Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-07-01.
  4. ↑ "NEWS: Indonesia: Uncontacted tribe being destroyed for electric car batteries". Survival International . 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  5. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Habroptila wallacii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22692781A93369321. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692781A93369321.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Heatubun, Charlie D.; Zona, Scott; Baker, William J. (2014). "Three new genera of arecoid palm (Arecaceae) from eastern Malesia". Kew Bulletin. 69 (3). doi:10.1007/s12225-014-9525-x. S2CID   24848021.
  7. ↑ "Halmahera and Wallace's Greatest Prize: The Standardwing Bird of Paradise". Wallace Fund. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
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