Central Maluku Regency () is a regency of Maluku Province of Indonesia. The Regency covers an area of 11,595.57 km2, and had a population of 361,698 at the 2010 Census,Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 423,094 at the 2020 Census.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. The official estimate as at mid 2025 was 435,735.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Maluku Tengah Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8103) The principal towns are Masohi (the administrative capital) and Amahai, both located on Seram Island. The regency (kebupaten) is composed of the central part of the island of Seram, the Banda Islands, and the Lease Islands (Saparua, Haruku, and Nusa Laut), together with those parts of Ambon Island which are outside the City of Ambon.
This regency is the largest in area among Malukan regencies.
Geography Central Maluku Regency is one of the regencies in Maluku Province. It is mainly located in the central part of Seram Island (between West Seram Regency in the west and East Seram Regency in the east, both of which were separated from Central Maluku Regency on 18 December 2003), but it also includes a number of islands to the south, chiefly Ambon Island (site of the provincial capital of the same name, but excluding the City of Ambon itself), the Lease Islands to the east of Ambon, and the Banda Islands much further to the south. The total area of Central Maluku Regency is approx 275,907 km2, which consists of a sea area of 264,311.43 km2 and a land area of 11,595.57 km2.
Climate The Central Maluku region experiences a tropical marine climate and a monsoon climate. This is because Central Maluku is surrounded by vast seas, so that the tropical marine climate in this area is in rhythm with the existing seasonal climate. The following climatological conditions can describe the climatic conditions in Central Maluku Regency in general: The average temperature recorded in 2009 in Amahai District was 26.30C, where the maximum average temperature was 30.40C and the minimum average was 23.30C. The average amount of rainfall in 2009 was 185.1 mm with an average number of rainy days of 18.1 days. The average sun irradiation in 2009 was 65.9% with an average air pressure of 1,011.2 millibars and an average relative humidity of 84.9%.
Administration The regency is divided into eighteen districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas (in km2) and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Maluku Tengah Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8103) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (a total of 186 rural desa and 6 urban kelurahan), and its post code.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Englishname Admin Centre Areain km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020Pop'nEstimatemid 2025No. ofvillagesPostcode 81.01.15 Leihitu (a) Hila 147.6346,97853,72855,3701197580 81.01.22 Leihitu Barat West Leihitu Larike 84.4716,67819,54319,760597581 81.01.14 Salahutu Tulehu 151.8246,70354,79854,3286 (b) 97582 (totals on Ambon Island) 383.92110,359128,069129,45822 81.01.13 Pulau Haruku Haruku Island Pelauw 150.0024,20727,39026,0511197583 81.01.12 Saparua Kota Saparua 79.9032,47518,40217,552797584 81.01.26 Saparua Timur East Saparua Tuhaha 96.60 (c) 17,62016,6071097585 81.01.16 Nusa Laut Nusa LautIsland Ameth 32.505,3225,7805,293797518 (totals onLease Islands) 359.0062,00469,19265,50335 81.01.01 Amahai Amahai 1,619.0738,93250,02851,512(d) 1597516 81.01.17 Kota Masohi Masohi Town Masohi 37.30 31,48036,43336,696(e) 597511-97515 81.01.06 Seram Utara North Seram Wahai 7,173.4639,24919,68121,861(f) 2097531 81.01.20 Seram UtaraBarat (g) NorthwestSeram Pasanea 705.489,26012,02413,2231397532 81.01.25 Seram UtaraTimur Kobi NortheastSeram Kobi Kobi 280.65 (h) 12,68214,2081297533 81.01.24 Seram UtaraTimur Seti NortheastSeram Seti Kobisonta 186.19 (h) 14,97517,0721297534 81.01.11 Tehoru Tehoru 405.7228,19122,48625,2381097519 81.01.21 Teluk Elpaputih Elpaputih Bay Sahulau 120.0010,8229,1669,749497517 81.01.23 Telutih Laimu 128.50 (i) 12,83813,9131097510 81.01.02 Teon Nila Serua Waipia 24.2812,85714,59414,7651697535 (totals on Seram Island) 10,680.65170,791204,907218,237117 81.01.09 Banda Banda Islands Nusantara 172.0018,54420,92422,5371897586
Notes: (a) including the small offshore islands of Ela, Hatala and Lain off the northwest corner of Ambon Island. (b) comprising the six villages (desa) of Tulehu (with 19,878 inhabitants as at mid 2024), Suli (11,244), Liang (8,520), Waai (8,320), Tial (3,211) and Tengah-Tengah (2,762).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Salahutu Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8103100) (c) the 2010 population figure for Saparua Timur is included in that for Saparua. (d) comprises the kelurahan of Hollo (with 1,710 inhabitants in mid 2024) and 14 desa including Haruru (9,801), Tamilouw (8,373), Sepa (7,975), Soahuku (4,730), Makariki (3,990) and Amahai (3,772).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Amahai Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8103050) (e) comprises the five kelurahan of Namaelo (with 15,437 inhabitants as at mid 2024), Ampera (6,414), Letwaru (6,245), Lesane (4,597) and Namasina (3,877).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Kota Masohi Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8103051) (f) the major desa are Wahai, the admin centre (with 5,886 inhabitants as at mid 2024), Sawai (3,169), Manusela (1,636), Pasahari (1,621) and Malaku (1,689).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Seram Utara Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8103140) (g) includes Pulau Besar (on which the admin centre Pasanea is located) and smaller islands (a total of 4.6 km2 with 1,040 inhabitants in mid 2022) off the north coast of Seram. (h) 2010 population figures for Seram Utara Timur Kobi and Seram Utara Timur Seti are included in that for Seram Utara. (i) 2010 population figure for Telutih is included in that for Tehoru.
National Park and Nature Reserve The northern part of Central Seram includes the Manusela National Park, which covers an area of 133,000 hectares. Four villages - Manusela, Ilena Maraina, Selumena and Kanike - form an enclave within the National Park. Further along Seram's northern coast to the west of the National Park is situated the Wae Mual Nature Reserve, covering another 35,800 hectares and now a part of the National Park.
Transport Central Maluku Regency has developed sea and air transportation infrastructure to support regional connectivity and accessibility. The regency has one national port, Banda Neira Port in Banda District, three regional ports at Wahai, Amahai, and Tulehu, and a number of local ports throughout the regency. Air transportation is served by three airports: Amahai Airport in Amahai District, Wahai Airport in North Seram District, and Bandanaira Airport in Banda District.
Villages
Yaputih
References
External links