Maluku Utara

Maluku Utara
Basic data
Area :	31,652 km²
Residents :	1,035,478
Population density :	33 inhabitants / km²
Capital :	Sofifi
governor	Sinyo Harry Sarundajang
Location in Indonesia
Website :	www.malutprov.go.id

Maluku Utara ( German  Northern Moluccas ) is an Indonesian province that comprises the northern part of the Moluccas archipelago .

geography

Map of the Moluccas with the Northern Moluccas

Since August 4th 2010 Sofifi on the western coast of Halmahera has been the capital of the province. The previous capital was Ternate , the largest city in the Northern Moluccas.

The main islands and archipelagos of the province are the Bacan Islands , Halmahera , Morotai , the Obi Islands , the Sula Islands , Ternate , Tidore .

Residents

The population consists of several Malay and Papuan peoples, who were formerly known collectively as the Alfurs . The majority of the population professes Islam (around 67%), there is a significant Christian minority (around 33%). The interreligious conflicts that broke out on Ambon in particular have repeatedly spread to the Northern Moluccas.

history

The islands of Ternate and Tidore were important sultanates in the 16th century , which gained influence through the spice trade. Nutmeg and cloves were produced on Ternate, Tidore, Motir , Makian and Bacan . Later the Spaniards, Portuguese and Dutch fought for supremacy before the Dutch were able to prevail and integrated the islands into the Dutch East Indies .

The majority Muslim inhabitants of the northern Moluccas joined the new island state when Indonesia gained independence, while the largely Christian inhabitants of the southern Moluccas tried to form an independent state with the republic of the southern Moluccas after 1950 . But this failed.

The entire Moluccas formed a common province of Maluku until 1999 . Then Maluku Utara was separated as a new province.

economy

Agriculture dominates economically, with gold , nickel and cobalt being mined on Halmahera . During the political unrest from 1999 to 2002, tourism came to an almost complete standstill. The situation has largely calmed down since 2006.

Coordinates: 0 ° 45 '  N , 127 ° 36'  E