Banda Islands

Banda Islands
	Banda Besar island seen from Fort Belgica
Geography
Location	Southeast Asia
Coordinates	4°35′S 129°55′E / 4.583°S 129.917°E
Archipelago	Maluku Islands
Total islands	11 (7 inhabited)
Major islands	Banda Besar, Neira, Banda Api, Pulau Hatta, Pulau Ay, Pulau Rhun
Area	172 km2 (66 sq mi)
Highest elevation	641 m (2103 ft)
Highest point	Gunung Api
Administration
	Indonesia
Province	Maluku
Demographics
Population	21,902 (mid 2023)
Pop. density	127.3/km2 (329.7/sq mi)

The Banda Islands (Indonesian: Kepulauan Banda) are a volcanic group of ten small volcanic islands in the Banda Sea, about 140 km (87 mi) south of Seram Island and about 2,000 km (1,243 mi) east of Java, and constitute an administrative district (kecamatan) within the Central Maluku Regency in the Indonesian province of Maluku. The islands rise out of 4-to-6-kilometre (2.5 to 3.7 mi) deep ocean and have a total land area of approximately 172 square kilometres (66 sq mi). They had a population of 18,544 at the 2010 Census^[2] and 20,924 at the 2020 Census;^[3] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 21,902.^[4] Until the mid-19th century the Banda Islands were the world's only source of the spices nutmeg and mace, produced from the nutmeg tree. The islands are also popular destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling. The main town and administrative centre is Banda Neira, located on the island of the same name.

^ "G. Banda Api". Badan Geologi. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
^ Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2024.

[1] "G. Banda Api". Badan Geologi. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.

[2] Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.

[3] Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.

[4] Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2024.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]