Maluku (province)

Maluku is a province located in the eastern part of Indonesia.

It covers the central and southern areas of the Maluku Islands. This province sits between the islands of Sulawesi and Western New Guinea. Many different waters surround the land, like the Banda Sea to the south. To the north, it is near North Maluku and West Papua. It also sits near Australia and the country of Timor-Leste.

The land area is quite large at 46,158.27 square kilometers.

Life in Maluku is growing every year. In 2010, there were about 1.5 million people living there. By 2020, that number rose to over 1.8 million people. By the middle of 2025, the official estimate was about 1,970,563 people. This means the population grows by about 25,000 people each year. Most people live in different religious groups. About 52.85% of the people follow Islam. Another 46.3% follow Christianity, which includes both Protestants and Catholics. Ambon is the largest city and the capital of the province.

The history of these islands is very old. Melanesian people first settled the area at least 40,000 years ago. They are known as the Alifuru tribes. Later, the area became famous for growing spices like cloves and nutmeg. Four powerful kingdoms once ruled the region together. They were called the "Moloku Kie Raha," or the "Four Mountains of Maluku." These four groups were the sultanates of Ternate, Tidore, Jailolo, and Bacan. They worked together to manage the spice trade with the rest of the world.

Many different countries arrived in Maluku to find these valuable spices. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in 1512. They built forts and tried to control the spice trade. Later, the Dutch arrived and gained control of most of the region. The Dutch East India Company, known as the VOC, ruled for almost 350 years. This was a very difficult time for the local people. During this era, many people suffered under the strict rules of the VOC.

The people of Maluku have a long history of standing up for themselves. In 1817, a leader named Thomas Matulessy led a big revolt. He was known by the title Kapitan Pattimura. He and other leaders fought against the Dutch to protect their land. Other brave people, like Martha Christina Tiahahu, also fought in these struggles. Today, Maluku is a place where history and nature meet. You can see the green, mountainous islands that were once called an oasis in the sea.