| North Halmahera Regency | |
| Native Name: | Kabupaten Halmahera Utara |
| Motto: | Hibualamo (Big House) |
| Settlement Type: | Regency |
| Pushpin Map: | Indonesia North Maluku#Indonesia_Halmahera#Indonesia |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Maluku, Halmahera and Indonesia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Indonesia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Tobelo |
| Leader Title: | Regent |
| Leader Name: | Frans Manery |
| Leader Title1: | Vice Regent |
| Leader Name1: | Muchlis Tapi Tapi |
| Area Total Km2: | 3404.27 |
| Population As Of: | mid 2023 estimate |
| Population Note: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 202755 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Demographics |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [2] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Religion |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Christianism 60,19% –Protestantism 59,33% –Catholicism 0,86% Islam 39,50% Hinduism 0,1% Buddhism 0,1% Other 0,28% |
| Timezone: | IEST |
| Utc Offset: | +9 |
| Coordinates: | 1.7319°N 128.0078°W |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | (+62) 924 |
North Halmahera Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Halmahera Utara) is a regency (on Halmahera Island) of North Maluku Province, Indonesia. It was declared a separate Regency on 25 February 2003, formed from part of the former North Maluku Regency. The capital town of the regency lies at the port of Tobelo.[3] The Regency, which was considerably reduced by the separation of Morotai Island to form a separate regency on 26 November 2008, now covers an area of 3404.27km2 and had a population of 161,847 people at the 2010 Census,[4] 179,783 at the 2015 Intermediate Census.[5] and 197,640 at the 2020 Census.[6] The official estimate as at mid 2023 was 203,213 (comprising 103,984 males and 99,229 females).[7] The principal settlements are Tobelo, Kao and Galela. The area is noted for its white beaches and coral reefs.
Apart from the importance of its 115 islands (19 have remained unnamed) for spices, North Hamahera was a World War II base camp. The Japanese and the American allies fought for its control. From the island of Morotai, Americans headed by the General of the Army Douglas MacArthur prepared for an attack on the Philippines.[8]
Halmahera and its small islands are located in the Coral Triangle, which has rich marine life. Marine biodiversity data on reef fishes was collected during a rapid survey conducted at 28 locations in 2005 in the south-western part of Halmahera. Explorer Gerry Allen, during his diving surveys in 2005, recorded 803 species of reef fishes.[9]
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the area was generally within the sphere of influence of the powerful sultanate on the island of Ternate. A larger region, called Moro, included the island of Morotai and parts of the North Halmahera coastline.
The Portuguese were a formidable presence in the area and they built a number of fortifications and controlled the island Ternate, off the southwest coast of the North Halmahera Regency. In the mid-16th century, a Portuguese Jesuit mission visited Halmahera and Morotai. This created conflict with Muslims who at the time controlled Ternate and Halmahera and in 1571, they drove the Christians from Morotai.[10]
In the early 17th century, the town of Dodinga, strategically located on Halmahera's west coast grew in influence. In 1627 and 1628, Sultan Hamzah of Ternate had much of the Christian population of the island moved to Malaya, on Ternate.[10] Later, it was administered under the Dutch East Indies.North Halmahera, particularly Morotai, played a role in World War II. Morotai Island was captured by the Japanese in early 1942. Morotai's southern plain was taken by American forces in September 1944 during the Battle of Morotai, and used as a staging point for the Allied invasion of the Philippines in early 1945, and of Borneo in May and June of that year. Japanese soldier Teruo Nakamura was discovered in the Morotai jungle in 1974, as one of the WWII Japanese soldiers who held out subsequent to the Japanese military's surrender. Morotai Island is, since late 2008, no longer part of North Halmahera Regency.
Since the 1980s, mining development and logging has dramatically increased in the area, often causing conflict with local inhabitants. The communities are dependent on fishing and forests and the financial benefits of these resources have gone to Jakarta and local elites outside Halmahera.[11] These developments have also increased religious tension in the region.[11] The Christians of North Halmahera were traditionally said to generally live a peaceful co-existence with Muslims, but violence broke out between the two religious groups in December 1999 and has since been the primary cause of conflict in the region.[12] [13] Many of the Christians on the island fled to Tobelo as a haven when the violence broke out. Shortly after the official area of the North Halmahera Regency was declared on 31 May 2003,[14] in July 2003, 38 villages in Halmahera staged a protest against the Australian mining company Newcrest who is mining gold in the region.[11]
When the decision was made to create the regency of North Halmahera, it was promised in the national parliament in Jakarta that a duty-free port similar to Batam would be established on Morotai Island. However, this never happened, as internal conflict led to a demand that Morotai should be separated from the regency.[13] Hein Nemotemo, a Christian politician, rejected this move, given that Morotai is overwhelmingly Muslim.[13] In August 2006, five members of the North Halmahera Regency legislature from Golkar, including Abdul Gafur lobbied in the national capital for the separation of Morotai as a new regency distinct from the North Halmahera Regency. This was approved by the Committee II in Jakarta and also by the provincial governor Thaib Armaiyn.[13] From February to April 2007, supporters of the Morotai separatist movement sealed off the government headquarters, demanding that Morotai should become separate immediately.[13] The split was delayed and in 2008, Nemotemo's group were all that stood in the way of the split. Fearing a repeat of the 1999-2000 violence, Nemotemo backed down.[13] During the 2009 elections in Indonesia a governor candidate for Morotai was elected and it became a new regency.
The North Halmahera Regency is located in northeastern Indonesia between the islands of New Guinea and Sulawesi.[9] It occupies roughly half of the northern mainland section of the island and includes smaller islands (Loloda Kepulauan) off the northwest coast of Halmahera. It formerly included the larger island of Morotai to the northeast of the headland but this was administratively separated to form its own regency on 29 October 2008. Natural ecosystems found in the two regions in North Halmahera Regency, among others, include coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, sandy beaches, rocky beaches, estuaries, lagoons and deltas. While artificial ecosystems, among others, include the areas of tourism, ports and fish landing centres, cultivated areas and residential areas of society. The coral reefs of North Halmahera are of particular note, and form part of the Coral Triangle which is world-renowned for its coastal and marine biodiversity, which includes 70 genera of corals and about 2,500 fish species, about 70 percent of all fish species known to the western Indo-Pacific.[15] The Wildlife Conservation Society is working with the Department of Marine Fisheries-DKP of the provincial government of North Maluku to monitor this environment.[15]
The regency was formerly divided into twenty-two districts (kecamantan) and contained 260 villages. More recently, the creation on 29 October 2008 of a separate regency for Morotai Island has removed the five districts on that island from North Halmahera, and thus it now contains seventeen districts, tabulated below from south to north with their areas, their 2010 Census[16] and 2020 Census[17] populations, together with the official estimates for mid 2023,[18] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages (rural desa and urban kelurahan) in each district and their post codes.[19]
| Kode Wilayah | Name of District (kecamatan) | English name | Area in km2 | Pop'n Census 2010 | Pop'n Census 2020 | Pop'n estimate mid 2023 | Admin centre | No. of Villages | Post Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82.03.22 | Kao Teluk | Kao Bay | 111.83 | 3,590 | 6,440 | 6,936 | Dum Dum | 11 | 97765 | |
| 82.03.08 | Malifut | (South Kao) | 359.44 | 11,006 | 13,160 | 14,054 | Ngofakiaha | 22 | 97766 | |
| 82.03.07 | Kao | (Central Kao) | 138.43 | 7,513 | 9,210 | 9,762 | Kao | 14 | 97764 | |
| 82.03.21 | Kao Barat | West Kao | 835.93 | 8,092 | 9,360 | 9,903 | Tolabit | 21 | 97764 | |
| 82.03.20 | Kao Utara (a) | North Kao | 221.85 | 10,509 | 13,260 | 14,282 | Daru | 12 | 97764 | |
| 82.03.13 | Tobelo Barat | West Tobelo | 249.81 | 4,358 | 6,190 | 6,080 | Kusuri | 5 | 97762 | |
| 82.03.12 | Tobelo Timur (b) | East Tobelo | 73.52 | 6,283 | 7,010 | 7,138 | Mawea | 6 | 97767 | |
| 82.03.06 | Tobelo Selatan | South Tobelo | 136.01 | 13,054 | 15,230 | 15,477 | Kupa Kupa | 13 | 97768 | |
| 82.03.11 | Tobelo Tengah (c) | Central Tobelo | 111.99 | 12,543 | 15,370 | 16,294 | Pitu | 9 | 97768 | |
| 82.03.05 | Tobelo (d) | (Tobelo town) | 126.07 | 29,377 | 34,150 | 34,062 | Gamsungi | 10 | 97762 | |
| 82.03.10 | Tobelo Utara (e) | North Tobelo | 151.56 | 9,714 | 11,900 | 12,193 | Gorua | 10 | 97767 | |
| 82.03.04 | Galela | (Central Galela) | 95.47 | 7,390 | 8,760 | 8,742 | Soa Sio | 7 | 97761 | |
| 82.03.16 | Galela Selatan | South Selatan | 113.86 | 7,491 | 8,990 | 9,401 | Soakonora | 7 | 97769 | |
| 82.03.14 | Galela Barat | West Galala | 110.59 | 9,283 | 10,880 | 11,337 | Dokulamo | 9 | 97761 | |
| 82.03.15 | Galela Utara | North Galela | 268.68 | 7,053 | 9,290 | 9,370 | Salimuli | 12 | 97769 | |
| 82.03.09 | Loloda Utara | North Loloda | 247.62 | 8,627 | 10,510 | 10,631 | Dorume | 18 | 97763 | |
| 82.03.19 | Loloda Kepulauan (f) | Loloda Islands | 51.61 | 5,964 | 7,950 | 7,702 | Dama | 10 | 97763 | |
| Totals | 3,404.27 | 161,847 | 197,640 | 203,213 | Tobelo | 196 |
Notes: (a) includes Pulau Bobale (Bobale Island) off the east coast of Halmahera. (b) includes 6 small offshore islands. (c) includes 6 small offshore islands.
(d) includes 7 small offshore islands. (e) includes 3 small offshore islands. (f) comprising a group of 58 islands off the northwest coast of Halmahera, of which the largest are Pulau Doi, Pulau Dagasuli and Pulau Salangadeke.
As of 2010, North Halmahera had a population of 161,847,[20] which rose by 2020 to 197,640,[21] and by mid 2023 was about 203,213.[22] The main native ethnic groups are Tobelorese, Galelarese, Lolodarese, Kaonese, Pagu and Modole. The remaining 10% are immigrants, mainly from Java, Sulawesi and other parts of North Maluku, especially Makian Island. Apart from the Indonesian language, the indigenous inhabitants have their own languages; one such language is Tobelo spoken by about 30,000 people in the island of Halhamera;[23] another is Galela, spoken by about 80,000 people on Halmahera.
About 75% of the population of North Halmahera are dependent on agriculture,[14] especially plantation coconut and clove. In 2004, coconut production amounted to 55435ha and 66.199 thousand tonnes and cloves 3,175.5 hectares and 320.71 tonnes. Palm plantation area in 2002 amounted to 47900ha with a production of 68.5 thousand tonnes. Tobelo, South Tobelo and Galela are the highest oil producing areas and contain several oil terminals. Aside from those mentioned above, the main crops grown are banana, rice, corn, peanuts, soybeans, cassava, maize, coffee, cocoa, nutmeg and some types of fruits such as oranges, mango and durian. Some types of livestock have been developed, including goat, cattle, chickens, hens, and pigs. The North Halmahera Regency has some 536000ha of forest, 145500ha of which is protected and 26250ha of which is under production. Mining reserves have been identified in the area, namely gold, natural gas and nickel ore. There are gold mines in Kao District and Loloda District (Dotia village). Geothermal energy resources are also available in the District of Galela (Mamuya village). On Doi Island, some reserves of iron and copper have been found.Based on research results of the Marine Fisheries Research Institute (1983), the potential of fish resources (standing stock) found in North Halmahera waters is estimated at 644,382.48 tonnes. Fishing is important to the economic activity of the region. Most people in North Halmahera Regency inhabit coastal areas and depend upon these marine ecosystems as a source of social economic life. Until the year 2002, the contribution of capture fisheries production amounted to 98,782.21 tonnes or roughly 65% of the total overall production. In addition to the fish resources, several types of other resources have high economic value and have been exploited by the fishing communities in the coastal areas and small islands, such as crustacea, Egg Sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea), mollusc, and seaweed. The fishing equipment used by most fishermen in the region of North Halmahera is traditional, such as nets. The extent of coastal and marine areas with a high water quality allows for the development of marine aquaculture, especially Grouper, lobster, seaweed and pearls. Until now, optimisation and productivity of aquaculture in North Halamahera has been low. Until the year 2002 the total area of cultivation of marine, brackish and pond reached 128,110 ha, producing just 46.550 tonnes, or 0.03% of the total volume of production.
There is an availability of facilities and infrastructure to support the economy such as ports, banks, markets and primary business activity which is predominantly concentrated in the capital of Tobelo. GDP in 2005 amounted to 373,693.21 million rupee. In the year 2003, the economy of North Halmahera increased 2.93%, 3.33% in 2004, and 3.54% in 2005.
One festival of note is the annual North Halmahera Cultural Festival, when the people wear full traditional ceremonial dress.[24] Traditional weddings in the capital of Tobelo are also said to be among the most colourful in Maluku and the Christians follow traditions during their wedding ceremonies, with traditional music and dance.[24] A wedding is typically accompanied by traditional Tobelorese music, played with gongs and drums and a Cakele dance is usually performed in front of the bride as she approaches the groom.[24] Around the time of New Year, Tobelo attracts a number of Yangere groups (such as the Orang Hutan band etc.) from all over North Halmahera who perform music and dances.[24]
The Tobelo language is spoken across North Halmahera by approximately 30,000 people,[25] while Galela is spoken by about 80,000.[26]
The main religions in North Halmahera are primarily Christianity and Islam. Muslims and Christians had lived here from the 16th century. The two communities lived peacefully following the cultural tradition of the Hibua Lamo (a pact between Muslims and Christians to live together without aggressive designs against each other and cooperating on all matters of mutual interest).[27] Tobelo, the capital of North Halmahera, in particular is a strong Christian community and was visited by missionaries in the late 19th century and early 20th century also. They left a long-standing legacy and a Protestant church was built in the capital. In Tobelo, a predominantly Christian community celebrates Christmas colourfully with street arches and buntings made with bamboo poles arching over the side of the roads hung with lights and multi-coloured flags. At Easter, local church congregations hold a competition to see who can create the best Easter garden.
North Halmahera Regency has a large number of beaches, islands, parks, lakes, historic monuments, volcano and springs and so forth. Some of the important ones are the following:
See main article: Lake Galela.
Duma-galela lake is the largest freshwater lake of the Halmahera island. The lake is used for swimming, fishing and canoeing. Bamboo rafts are also used on the lake. Two smaller crater lakes namely Makete and Ngidiho are also in its vicinity.[32]
