<Table> Kepulauan Maluku Moluccas <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Geography </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> Oceania </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Coordinates </Th> <Td> 3 ° 9 ′ S 129 ° 23 ′ E ﻿ / ﻿ 3.150 ° S 129.383 ° E ﻿ / - 3.150; 129.383 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Total islands </Th> <Td> ~ 1000 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Major islands </Th> <Td> Halmahera, Seram, Buru, Ambon, Ternate, Tidore, Aru Islands, Kai Islands, Lucipara Islands </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Area </Th> <Td> 74,505 km (28,767 sq mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Highest elevation </Th> <Td> 3,027 m (9,931 ft) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Highest point </Th> <Td> Binaiya </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Administration </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Indonesia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Provinces </Th> <Td> Maluku, North Maluku </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Largest settlement </Th> <Td> Ambon </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Demographics </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Population </Th> <Td> 1,895,000 (2000) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Ethnic groups </Th> <Td> Alfur, Nuaulu, European, Middle Eastern (Mainly Arabian and Jewish), Melanesian, Bugis </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Geography </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> Oceania </Td> </Tr>

Holland established its claim to the spice islands of this area