The Lease Islands (pronounced LAY-a-SAY, /leɪ.a.seɪ/), formerly called the Uliasers or Uliassers, are a group of three inhabited islands (and smaller uninhabited islets), lying immediately to the south of Seram and east of Ambon Island in the province of Maluku, in Indonesia. The three inhabited islands, from west to east, are Haruku, Saparua and Nusa Laut, while tiny uninhabited Molana is administratively part of Saparua District; these islands constitute four administrative districts (kecamatan) within Central Maluku Regency.
District (kecamatan) Name English name Admin Centre Area in km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. Pop'nCensus2020 Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. Pop'nBadan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, Kabupaten Maluku Tengah Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8101)Estimatemid 2024 Pulau Haruku Haruku Island Pelauw 150.0024,20727,39026,301 Saparua (West) Saparua Kota Saparua 79.9032,47518,40217,499 Saparua Timur East Saparua Tuhaha 96.60 (a) 17,62016,660 Nusa Laut Nusa Laut Island Ameth 32.505,3225,7805,340 (totals on Lease Islands) 359.0062,00469,19265,800
Note: (a) Figures for Saparua Timur's population in 2010 are included in those for Saparua.
Sources Muller, Dr. Kal (1990). Spice Islands: The Moluccas. Periplus Editions. .
References