Halmahera

Island in Maluku province, Indonesia; area 18,000 sq km/6,950 sq mi; population (1995 est) 120,000. The island is the largest of the province, and lies on the Equator to the southwest of the Philippines. It is mountainous, mostly forested, with several active volcanoes, and an equatorial monsoon climate. The local economy is based on shifting cultivation, hunting, and fishing. The staple crop is sago, and other products include coconuts, fruit, and spices. The main towns are Tobelo, Jailolo, Galela, and Patani.

The island was ruled by the Dutch from 1683 until Indonesia became an independent state in 1949. Halmahera gained some importance at the height of the Dutch spice trade, and during the 18th century the northeastern town of Tobelo was a major Buginese pirate base. The inhabitants of Halmahera are of Melanesian and Papuan stock, and the religion is Muslim intermixed with Christianity and animism.