Obi Islands
Obi Island | |
|---|---|
| Administration | |
| Province | North Maluku |
| Demographics | |
| Languages | Galela, Tobelo |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | ) |
The Obi Islands (also known as Ombirah,[1] Indonesian: Kepulauan Obi) are a group of 42 islands in the Indonesian province of North Maluku, north of Buru and Ceram, and south of Halmahera. With a total area of 3,048.08 km2, they had a population of 41,455 at the 2010 Census[2] and 50,760 at the 2020 Census.[3] The official estimate as at mid 2022 was 52,588.[4]
Geography
History
The Obi Islands were an independent kingdom during the 14th century, who were near-equal in importance with the other Malukuan kingdoms (Jailolo, Bacan, Ternate, Tidore), and often intermarried with the family of Ternate.[5] However, at some point Obi became subject to Bacan.[5][6] A decline in Bacan's population possibly caused the transfer of Obi's population to Bacan, which left the islands uninhabited by the mid-17th century.[5]
On May 9, 1682,[7] Obi, Obilatu, Gomumu, Tapat, and Bisa were sold by the Sultan of Bacan to the VOC for 620 rijksdaalder.[8] The islands became a center for the Tobelo chiefs, and many Tobelo and Galela moved to the islands.[9] In 1876, the islands were declared government property.[10]
Administration
The Obi Islands are part of
Demographics
The population of the Obi Islands Group was 52,588 people in mid 2022,[11] with a population density of 17.25 people per square kilometre.[12] All inhabitants on the Obi Island are migrants, as these islands had no indigenous population. The first groups to settle on Obi Island were the Buton, followed by immigrants from Tobelo-Galela, Ternate, Tidore, Makian-Kayoa, Bugis, Makassar and Java.[citation needed] Almost all of the residents are scattered along the coast with the highlands mostly uninhabited jungle. However, there are some worker settlements in hilly areas which have mines and temporary settlements for clove farmers used during clove harvesting season. Infrastructure, especially in terms of modern medical facilities, is lacking.[citation needed]
The languages spoken on the islands are
Villages
The five districts are sub-divided into villages (rural desa and urban kelurahan), listed below with their areas and their populations at the 2020 Census.[13] The administrative centres of the five districts are denoted by asterisks.
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Economy
The dominant plantation products in the Obi Islands are cloves, nutmeg, coconut, and pepper. The main economic potential of the islands s in the mining sector. The island has resources of gold, coal, nickel, cement, and petroleum. In 2016, provincial governor Abdul Ghani Kasuba successfully negotiated for the China-based Jinchun Group to build a 620 million dollar nickel smelter on the main island.[15]
Some mining companies in this islands are:
- Halmahera Persada Lygend
- Halmahera Jaya Feronikel
- Megah Surya Pratiwi
- Trimegah Bangun Persada
- Wanatiara Persada
Notes
- ^ Goodall, George (Editor)(1943) Philips' International Atlas London, George Philip and Son map 'East Indies' pp.91-92
- ^ Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
- ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
- ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8248-1490-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-983-99866-2-4.
- ^ De Clercq, F. T. A. "Ternate: The Residency and its Sultanate (Bijdragen tot de kennis der Residentie Ternate)". www.sil.si.edu. p. 116. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
- ISBN 978-983-99866-2-4.
- ISBN 978-981-4279-07-9.
- ^ De Clercq, F. T. A. "Ternate: The Residency and its Sultanate (Bijdragen tot de kennis der Residentie Ternate)". www.sil.si.edu. p. 134. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
- ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023.
- ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023.
- ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
- ^ a b Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
- ^ China`s Jinchun to in vest Rp9 trillion in North Maluku. Antara, 16 July 2016. Accessed 18 September 2017.
1°30′S 127°45′E / 1.500°S 127.750°E