Ambelau

Ambelau or Ambalau is a volcanic island in the Indonesian archipelago of the Moluccas, south-east of Buru.

Geography and Geology

The island is a subdistrict ( Kecamatan Indonesian Ambalau ) of the governmental district Südburu ( Indonesian kabupaten Buru Selatan ) is within the province of Maluku ( Indonesian Provinsi Maluku ). Administrative center is Wailua, a settlement in the south of the island. About half of the population are indigenous Ambelau who speak the same language; the other half are immigrants from the Moluccas and from Java.

The island is located in the Banda Sea at the entrance to Manipa - road about 20 km south-east of the larger island of Buru. It is slightly oval shaped with a bulge in the southeastern part and a maximum diameter of about 10 km.

The island is of volcanic origin and is composed of känozoischem sedimentary rocks. It is mostly mountainous, with the highest points are 608 m and 559 m of the leatherback of Nona in the West. The island rises steeply out of the sea, flat parts, there are only on the south and the east coast. Many areas, especially in the mountains, are covered in tropical rainforest. The island is located in a seismically active region with frequent earthquakes; The last major earthquake took place in August 2006. Flora and fauna of the island are varied and similar to that of Buru. Off the coast Ambelaus there are a number of coral reefs.

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