Selaru

Selaru is an island located in the eastern part of the Maluku province of Indonesia, forming part of the Tanimbar archipelago. Geographically it lies to the west of the larger Tanimbar Islands and is separated from the mainland by a shallow coastal lagoon. The island covers an area of approximately 360 square kilometres and is characterized by its low-lying coastal plains, interspersed with scattered hills and mangrove wetlands.

Historically, Selaru has been inhabited by indigenous peoples who trace their ancestry to Austronesian settlers dating back several thousand years. The Selaru language, an Austronesian language of the eastern Malayo‑Polynesian subgroup, is still spoken by the local population and serves as a key element of cultural identity. Traditional ways of life on Selaru include subsistence fishing, swidden agriculture and craft production, most notably shell and bamboo weaving.

In the colonial era, Selaru fell under Dutch control as part of the Dutch East Indies, and later became integrated into the Republic of Indonesia following its 1945 proclamation of independence. Modern Selaru remains relatively remote, with limited road infrastructure and a small, dispersed population that relies heavily on marine and agricultural resources for subsistence. The island is also noted for its biodiversity; coral reef ecosystems along its coasts provide habitat for a range of marine species, and several endemic plant varieties are found only within a few kilometres of the shoreline.