Morotai
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Southeast Asia |
Coordinates | 2°19′N 128°27′E / 02.32°N 128.45°E |
Archipelago | Maluku Islands |
Area | 2,336.6 km2 (902.2 sq mi) |
Length | 80 km (50 mi) |
Width | 42 km (26.1 mi) |
Administration | |
Indonesia | |
Province | North Maluku |
Regency | Morotai Island |
Largest settlement | Daruba |
Demographics | |
Population | 78,270 (mid 2022 estimate) |
Pop. density | 33.5/km2 (86.8/sq mi) |
Additional information | |
Time zone |
Morotai Island (Indonesian: Pulau Morotai) is an island in the Halmahera group of eastern Indonesia's Maluku Islands (Moluccas). It is one of Indonesia's northernmost islands.
Morotai is a rugged, forested island lying to the north of Halmahera. It has an area of some 2,336.6 km2 (902.2 sq mi), including Rao Island which lies to the west of Morotai and forms an administrative district within the regency. It stretches 80 km (50 mi) north-south and no more than 42 km (26 mi) wide. The island's largest town is Daruba, on the island's south coast. Leo Wattimena Airport is located on the island. Almost all of Morotai's numerous villages are coastal settlements; a paved road linking those on the east coast starts from Daruba and will eventually reach Berebere, the principal town on Morotai's east coast, 68 km (42 mi) from Daruba.[citation needed] Between Halmahera and the islets and reefs of the west coast of Morotai is the Morotai Strait, which is about 10 km (6.2 mi) wide.[1] In mid 2022 it had an estimated population of 78,270.[2]
History
Morotai was part of the
Second World War
The
The formal surrender of the Second Japanese Army took place at Morotai on 9 September 1945.
The last confirmed Japanese holdout from the war, Private Teruo Nakamura (Amis: Attun Palalin), was discovered by the Indonesian Air Force on Morotai, and surrendered to a search patrol on December 18, 1974.[4]
Permesta rebellion
The
In May 1958 Indonesian National Armed Forces started to gather amphibious forces to retake both Morotai and the rebel-held town of Jailolo on the neighboring island of Halmahera.[8] By May 16 the assault fleet started to gather in Ambon harbour and on May 20 its troops landed on Morotai while élite Pasukan Gerak Tjepat (PGT or "Quick Reaction Force") troops parachuted onto the island.[9] The Permesta force's surrender was as quick as its capture of the island less than a month before.[9] It alarmed the Permesta rebels who had captured Jailolo, many of whom promptly fled back to North Sulawesi.[9] Thereafter the rebellion was largely confined to the Minahasa Peninsula of Sulawesi, where Permesta remnants waged a guerilla campaign until the last unit surrendered in January 1962.[10]
Spaceport plan
After assessing three potential spaceport sites in 2012, the national space agency LAPAN announced Morotai Island as a future spaceport site.[11] Planning started in December 2012. The launch site's completion is expected in 2025. In 2013, LAPAN planned to launch an RX-550 experimental satellite launcher from a location in Morotai to be decided.[12] This island was selected according to the following criteria:
- Morotai Island's location near the equator, which makes the launch more economical.
- The island has seven runways, one of them 2,400 meters, easily extended to 3,000 meters.
- The ease of building on Morotai, which is not densely populated, and little potential for social conflict with native inhabitants.
- Morotai Island's east side faces the Pacific Ocean directly, reducing downrange risks to other island populations.
Climate
Daruba, the main settlement and the seat of the regency has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with moderate rainfall from August to October and heavy rainfall in the remaining months.
Climate data for Daruba | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.0 (86.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
29.9 (85.8) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.3 (86.5) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.8 (87.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.4 (88.5) |
30.5 (86.9) |
30.6 (87.0) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.3 (79.3) |
26.3 (79.3) |
26.2 (79.2) |
27.2 (81.0) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.1 (79.0) |
26.9 (80.4) |
27.1 (80.8) |
27.4 (81.3) |
27.5 (81.5) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.8 (80.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.7 (72.9) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.5 (72.5) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.5 (72.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.0 (73.4) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 207 (8.1) |
182 (7.2) |
208 (8.2) |
205 (8.1) |
217 (8.5) |
202 (8.0) |
138 (5.4) |
122 (4.8) |
113 (4.4) |
104 (4.1) |
168 (6.6) |
177 (7.0) |
2,043 (80.4) |
Source: Climate-Data.org[13] |
Notable people
- Melky Goeslaw, singer and father of Melly Goeslaw
See also
- Battle of Morotai
- Islands of Indonesia
References
- ^ "Journals - BYU ScholarsArchive". ojs.lib.byu.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
- ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023.
- ^ a b c Conboy & Morrison 1999, p. 102.
- ^ "The Last Last Soldier?", Time, January 13, 1975, archived from the original on February 1, 2009.
- ^ a b Conboy & Morrison 1999, p. 103.
- ^ Conboy & Morrison 1999, p. 106.
- ^ a b c Conboy & Morrison 1999, p. 107.
- ^ Conboy & Morrison 1999, p. 134.
- ^ a b c Conboy & Morrison 1999, p. 147.
- ^ Conboy & Morrison 1999, p. 161.
- ^ "Bandar Antariksa Akan Dibangun di Morotai" [Spaceport will be built in Morotai] (in Indonesian). November 27, 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ^ "LAPAN prepares rocket launch in Morotai (Indonesian)". September 17, 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ^ "Climate: Daruba". Climate-Data.org. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
Sources
- Conboy, Kenneth; Morrison, James (1999). Feet to the Fire CIA Covert Operations in Indonesia, 1957–1958. Annapolis: ISBN 1-55750-193-9.
- Kahin, Audrey R; ISBN 0-295-97618-7.