Ternate

Ternate is an Indonesian island in the North Maluku province, part of the Maluku Islands in eastern Indonesia. It lies off the western coast of Halmahera and is separated from Tidore by the Tidore Strait. The island is dominated by Mount Gamalama, an active stratovolcano in the center, and the surrounding coastal plains host the main urban area.

Historically, Ternate was the seat of the Sultanate of Ternate, a powerful maritime polity that controlled spice trade routes in the Maluku Islands. From the 15th century, the sultanate vied with Tidore and with foreign powers, notably the Portuguese and later the Dutch. Forts and trading posts were established on the island, and it became part of the Dutch East Indies in the 17th century. The spice trade, especially cloves, fueled its wealth and regional influence for centuries.

Today, Ternate is part of North Maluku Province. The economy relies on fishing, agriculture (notably cloves, nutmeg, coconuts, and other crops), and growing tourism related to its volcanic landscape and historical sites. The population is concentrated in the city of Ternate on the coast, with Ternate Malay, Indonesian, and local languages spoken alongside Islam as the dominant religion.