Malay Archipelago

Malay Archipelago, largest system of island groups in the world, situated southeast of the Asian mainland and north and northwest of Australia, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. The archipelago encloses eight seas, including the Sulu and the Celebes, and extends from about 20° north of the equator to about 10° south of the equator. It comprises New Guinea, the second largest island in the world; the Philippine Islands; the Sunda Islands, which include Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Borneo, Bali, and Timor; the Moluccas (Maluku); and numerous lesser islands. New Guinea, Borneo, and Sumatra are three of the world’s six largest islands, and Java is the most densely populated large island on earth. The area of the archipelago is about 2.8 million sq km (about 1.1 million sq mi).

All of the islands of the archipelago are mountainous; the highest summit is Puncak Jaya, which rises 5,030 m (16,503 ft) on the island of New Guinea. Numerous active and extinct volcanoes are scattered throughout the archipelago. The climate is generally hot, and the area is frequented by monsoons. With few exceptions, the islands are extremely fertile, well watered, and covered by luxuriant tropical vegetation. The rich, varied plant and animal life reflects the transition from Asia to Australia. Agriculture is the principal industry, and rice, maize, yams, cassava, nutmeg, pepper, palm oil, and tea are produced in the region.

In addition to the Republic of the Philippines, the system encompasses the Republic of Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Brunei, and the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah. The largest cities are Manila, in the Philippines, and Jakarta, in Indonesia, although much of the population is rural and agricultural. The inhabitants of the Malay Archipelago belong predominantly to the Malayan and Melanesian ethnic groups.