Ternate

Ternate (Indonesian pronunciation: [t̪ərˈnat̪e]) is the city with the largest population in the province of North Maluku and an island in the Maluku Islands, Indonesia. It was the de facto provincial capital of North Maluku before Sofifi on the nearby coast of Halmahera became the capital in 2010. It is off the west coast of Halmahera, and is composed of five islands: Ternate, the biggest and main island of the city, and Moti, Hiri, Tifure and Mayau (the latter two constitute the Batang Dua Islands, together with the small ofshore islets of Makka, Mano and Gurida). In total, the city has a land area of 162.20 square kilometres and had a total population of 185,705 according to the 2010 census, and 205,001 according to the 2020 census, with a density of 1,264 people per square kilometre; the official estimate as of mid-2024 was 210,836 (comprising 104,128 males and 100,792 females in 2023). It is the biggest and most densely populated city in the province, as well as the economic, cultural, and education center of North Maluku, and acts as a hub to neighbouring regions. It was the capital of the Sultanate of Ternate in the 15th and 16th centuries, and fought against the Sultanate of Tidore over control of the spice trade in the Moluccas before becoming a main interest to competing European powers.