Halmahera

Geography
Location	South East Asia
Coordinates	0°36′N 127°52′E / 0.6°N 127.867°E / 0.6; 127.867Coordinates: 0°36′N 127°52′E / 0.6°N 127.867°E / 0.6; 127.867
Archipelago	Maluku Islands
Area	17,780 km2 (6,865 sq mi)
Area rank	51st
Highest elevation	1,635 m (5,364 ft)
Highest point	Mount Gamkonora
Country
Indonesia
Demographics
Population	162728 (as of 1995)
Density	9.15 /km2 (23.7 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Tobelo, 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 (also known as Jailolo or Gilolo) 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.

Halmahera has a land area of 17,780 km² (6,865 sq mi) and a population in 1995 of 162,728. Approximately half of the island's inhabitants are Muslim and half are Christian.

History[link]

A native 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 (see: 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]} Tobelo has the advantage of expansion potential, being surrounded by flat land. Ternate is limited by its size, being a small island which can be driven around in 45 minutes. Also, the provincial government has plans to move the provincial capital to Sofifi, a small village on the Halmahera coast opposite Tidore island.^{[citation needed]}

North Maluku province consists of 8 districts, 6 of which include a part of Halmahera island. They are: North Halmahera, West Halmahera, East Halmahera, Central Halmahera, South Hamahera, Ternate Municipality, Tidore City and Islands and Sula Islands. Only Ternate Municipality and Sula Islands do not include any part of Halmahera.

Geology[link]

Dukono is an active volcano at the north end of the island. Mount Ibu is an active volcano at the northwest coast of the island.

Mining on Halmahera[link]

A rig crew looking for minerals.

Halmahera is the site of several mining projects.

PT Weda Bay Nickel operates a Weda Bay Nickel|Nickel and Cobalt mining project in North and Central Halmahera Regencies. Backed by the Eramet corporation, the project is currently in the planning and exploration stages.^[1]

A Weda Bay nickel camp site at Tanjung Ulie cape on Halmahera island.

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Halmahera at Wikimedia Commons

• Halmahera history

v t e North Maluku Capital: Sofifi Regencies Halmahera Barat Halmahera Selatan Halmahera Tengah Halmahera Timur Halmahera Utara Kepulauan Sula Regency Pulau Morotai Cities Ternate Tidore Towns Busu Galela Jailolo Kao Labuha Maba Soasiu Tobelo Sofifi Weda