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Morotai Island Regency
Morotai Island Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Pulau Morotai) is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai island (Indonesian: Pulau Morotai). It covers an area of 2,336.6 km2 including the smaller Rao Island to the west of Morotai. The population was 52,860 at the 2010 census and 74,436 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 80,566 (comprising 41,461 males and 39,105 females). The population of the southern third of the island, as well as Rao Island, are Galela speakers, while that of the northern two-thirds are Tobalo speakers.
The 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. The island is the location of the last known Japanese holdout, Teruo Nakamura, who surrendered in 1974, almost 30 years after the end of hostilities in 1945.
During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Morotai was generally within the sphere of influence of the powerful sultanate on the island of Ternate. It was the core of a larger region, called Moro, that included the island and the coastline of Halmahera closest to Morotai to the south.
In the mid-sixteenth century, the island was also the site of a Portuguese Jesuit mission. The Muslim states on Ternate and Halmahera resented the outpost for its evangelising activities, and managed to drive the mission from the island in 1571, as a part of a larger Portuguese retreat in the region. In the seventeenth century, Ternate further exerted its power over Morotai by repeatedly forcing major parts of the population to move off the island. Early in the century most of the population was moved to Dodinga, a small town in a strategic spot on Halmahera's west coast. Later, in 1627 and 1628, Sultan Hamzah of Ternate had much of the Christian population of the island moved to Malayu, on Ternate, where they could be more easily controlled. The Ternate Sultanate was a vassal of the Dutch East India Company by the end of the 17th century.
The island was captured by the Japanese in early 1942 as part of its Dutch East Indies Campaign.
Morotai's southern plain was taken by Allied forces in September 1944 during the Battle of Morotai. In the latter part of 1944, 61,000 US Army personnel landed on Morotai. Two-thirds of them were engineers, who rapidly established facilities including harbours and two airstrips, plus extensive fuel stores. Mopping-up operations against small groups of Imperial Japanese forces on Morotai continued until the very end of the war.
The island was an important Allied base. The US Thirteenth Air Force and Australian First Tactical Air Force were based at Morotai and attacked Japanese in other parts of the Dutch East Indies and southern Philippines. The island was a forward base for US landings in the Philippines. In early 1945, Australian Army engineers expanded the base facilities at Morotai to support forthcoming Australian landings in Borneo. On 9 September 1945, Morotai was the site of a formal surrender by the Japanese 2nd Army. US and Australian use of the base was discontinued following the end of the war.
In 1974, the presence of the last confirmed Japanese holdout from the war, Private Teruo Nakamura (a member of the Amis people of Taiwan, known in his native language as Attun Palalin). Nakamura surrendered to an Indonesian Air Force search party on December 18 that year.
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Morotai Island Regency
Morotai Island Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Pulau Morotai) is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai island (Indonesian: Pulau Morotai). It covers an area of 2,336.6 km2 including the smaller Rao Island to the west of Morotai. The population was 52,860 at the 2010 census and 74,436 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 80,566 (comprising 41,461 males and 39,105 females). The population of the southern third of the island, as well as Rao Island, are Galela speakers, while that of the northern two-thirds are Tobalo speakers.
The 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. The island is the location of the last known Japanese holdout, Teruo Nakamura, who surrendered in 1974, almost 30 years after the end of hostilities in 1945.
During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Morotai was generally within the sphere of influence of the powerful sultanate on the island of Ternate. It was the core of a larger region, called Moro, that included the island and the coastline of Halmahera closest to Morotai to the south.
In the mid-sixteenth century, the island was also the site of a Portuguese Jesuit mission. The Muslim states on Ternate and Halmahera resented the outpost for its evangelising activities, and managed to drive the mission from the island in 1571, as a part of a larger Portuguese retreat in the region. In the seventeenth century, Ternate further exerted its power over Morotai by repeatedly forcing major parts of the population to move off the island. Early in the century most of the population was moved to Dodinga, a small town in a strategic spot on Halmahera's west coast. Later, in 1627 and 1628, Sultan Hamzah of Ternate had much of the Christian population of the island moved to Malayu, on Ternate, where they could be more easily controlled. The Ternate Sultanate was a vassal of the Dutch East India Company by the end of the 17th century.
The island was captured by the Japanese in early 1942 as part of its Dutch East Indies Campaign.
Morotai's southern plain was taken by Allied forces in September 1944 during the Battle of Morotai. In the latter part of 1944, 61,000 US Army personnel landed on Morotai. Two-thirds of them were engineers, who rapidly established facilities including harbours and two airstrips, plus extensive fuel stores. Mopping-up operations against small groups of Imperial Japanese forces on Morotai continued until the very end of the war.
The island was an important Allied base. The US Thirteenth Air Force and Australian First Tactical Air Force were based at Morotai and attacked Japanese in other parts of the Dutch East Indies and southern Philippines. The island was a forward base for US landings in the Philippines. In early 1945, Australian Army engineers expanded the base facilities at Morotai to support forthcoming Australian landings in Borneo. On 9 September 1945, Morotai was the site of a formal surrender by the Japanese 2nd Army. US and Australian use of the base was discontinued following the end of the war.
In 1974, the presence of the last confirmed Japanese holdout from the war, Private Teruo Nakamura (a member of the Amis people of Taiwan, known in his native language as Attun Palalin). Nakamura surrendered to an Indonesian Air Force search party on December 18 that year.