Skip to content
Archipelago

    Indian OceanPhilippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Singapore and Indonesia

    2°05′S 126°33′E

    Malay Archipelago

    The Malay Archipelago is the archipelago between Mainland Southeast Asia and Australia, and is also called Insulindia or the Indo-Australian Archipelago. The name was taken from the 19th-century European concept of a Malay race, later based on the distribution of Austronesian languages.

    Inside the crater of the Cagua Volcano with many slopes belching with sulfur dioxide and pools of boiling mud
    Inside the crater of the Cagua Volcano with many slopes belching with sulfur dioxide and pools of boiling mud

    Warrendering / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    23232 landforms

    Overview

    The Malay Archipelago is the archipelago between Mainland Southeast Asia and Australia, and is also called Insulindia or the Indo-Australian Archipelago. The name was taken from the 19th-century European concept of a Malay race, later based on the distribution of Austronesian languages. It has also been called the "Malay world", "Nusantara", and the "East Indies" over time. The name is controversial in Indonesia due to its ethnic connotations and colonial undertones, which can overshadow the country's diverse cultures. Situated between the Indian and Pacific oceans, the archipelago of over 25,000 islands and islets is the largest archipelago by area and fifth by number of islands in the world. It includes Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia (specifically East Malaysia), Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Singapore. The term is largely synonymous with Maritime Southeast Asia.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands6
    • Minor islands5,225
    • Islets12,026
    • Rocks & skerries5,975

    Major islands

    6
    • Borneo

      Borneo

      Area
      732,069 km²
      High point
      4,095 m

      Borneo is the third-largest island in the world, with an area of 748,168 km2 (288,869 sq mi), and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda Islands, located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and east of Sumatra.

    • Sumatra

      Sumatra

      Area
      429,717 km²
      High point
      3,805 m

      Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. 2), including adjacent islands and archipelagos. The island is divided into ten Indonesian provinces. The most populous city is Medan.

    • Sulawesi

      Sulawesi

      Area
      168,788 km²
      High point
      3,478 m

      Sulawesi ( SOO-lə-WAY-see, Indonesian: [ˌsulaˈwesi]; Lontara: ᨔᨘᨒᨓᨙᨔᨗ romanized: Sulawési), also known as Celebes, is an island in Indonesia.

    • Java

      Java

      Area
      126,804 km²
      High point
      3,676 m

      Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in the South East Asian country of Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of the Pacific Ocean) to the north. 2 million people; about 56% of the Indonesian population, while constituting only 7% of the country's land area.

    • Luzon

      Luzon

      Area
      104,935 km²
      High point
      2,928 m

      Luzon ( loo-ZON, Tagalog: [luˈson]) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation.

    • Mindanao

      Mindanao

      Area
      93,885 km²
      High point
      2,954 m

      Mindanao ( , MIN-də-NOW) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of the same name that also includes its adjacent islands, notably the Sulu Archipelago.

    Minor islands

    194

    Rocks & skerries

    5975

    On the chart above, at its closest zooms.

    Listing 200 of 23232; the rest are on the chart.

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level2,000 m4,000 m6,000 m4,095 mBorneo3,805 mSumatra3,726 mLombok3,676 mJava3,478 mSulawesi3,031 mBali3,027 mSeram2,963 mTimor2,963 mPalawan2,954 mMindanao2,928 mLuzon2,700 mBuru2,690 mSumbawa2,616 mMindoro
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    1001,00010,000100,0001,000,000Borneo: 732,069 km²BorneoSumatra: 429,717 km²SumatraSulawesi: 168,788 km²SulawesiJava: 126,804 km²JavaLuzon: 104,935 km²LuzonMindanao: 93,885 km²MindanaoTimor: 28,560 km²TimorHalmahera: 17,956 km²HalmaheraSeram: 17,368 km²SeramSumbawa: 14,406 km²SumbawaFlores: 13,993 km²FloresNegros: 12,778 km²NegrosSamar: 12,435 km²SamarPulau Dolok: 11,646 km²Pulau DolokBangka: 11,548 km²BangkaPanay: 11,512 km²PanayPalawan: 11,346 km²PalawanSumba: 10,902 km²SumbaMindoro: 9,824 km²MindoroBuru: 8,514 km²BuruLeyte: 6,997 km²LeyteBali: 5,370 km²BaliBelitung: 4,611 km²BelitungLombok: 4,535 km²LombokMadura: 4,472 km²MaduraCebu: 4,406 km²CebuButon: 4,389 km²ButonNias: 4,113 km²NiasSiberut: 3,808 km²SiberutBohol: 3,767 km²BoholYamdena: 3,255 km²YamdenaMasbate: 3,209 km²MasbateWaigeo: 2,996 km²WaigeoMuna: 2,926 km²MunaTaliabu: 2,916 km²TaliabuWetar: 2,611 km²WetarObimayor: 2,461 km²ObimayorTerangan: 2,398 km²TeranganPeling: 2,319 km²PelingMorotai: 2,269 km²Morotai
    km², log scale
    Borneo732,069 km²
    Sumatra429,717 km²
    Sulawesi168,788 km²
    Java126,804 km²
    Luzon104,935 km²
    Mindanao93,885 km²
    Timor28,560 km²
    Halmahera17,956 km²
    Seram Island17,368 km²
    Sumbawa14,406 km²
    Flores13,993 km²
    Negros12,778 km²
    Samar12,435 km²
    Pulau Dolok11,646 km²
    Bangka Island11,548 km²
    Panay11,512 km²
    Palawan11,346 km²
    Sumba10,902 km²
    Mindoro9,824 km²
    Buru8,514 km²
    Leyte6,997 km²
    Bali5,370 km²
    Belitung4,611 km²
    Lombok4,535 km²
    Madura4,472 km²
    Cebu4,406 km²
    Buton4,389 km²
    Nias4,113 km²
    Siberut3,808 km²
    Bohol3,767 km²
    Yamdena3,255 km²
    Masbate Island3,209 km²
    Waigeo2,996 km²
    Muna Island2,926 km²
    Taliabu Island2,916 km²
    Wetar2,611 km²
    Obimayor Island2,461 km²
    Terangan Island2,398 km²
    Peling Island2,319 km²
    Morotai2,269 km²
    Yapen2,260 km²
    Alor Island2,114 km²
    Laut Island2,088 km²
    Misool2,067 km²
    Biak1,895 km²
    Kobroor1,806 km²
    Bacan1,787 km²
    Simeulue1,733 km²
    Salawati1,655 km²
    Bunguran Island1,627 km²
    Wokam Island1,607 km²
    Rupat1,498 km²
    Catanduanes1,444 km²
    Tebing Tinggi Island1,362 km²
    Lembata1,248 km²
    Basilan Island1,218 km²
    Rote Island1,206 km²
    Mangoli Island1,204 km²
    Bintan Island1,169 km²
    Padang Island1,106 km²
    Maya Island1,004 km²
    Busuanga Island932 km²
    Bengkalis Island907 km²
    Marinduque Island900 km²
    Rangsang883 km²
    Lingga Island858 km²
    Pagai Selatan Island857 km²
    Kabaena854 km²
    Jolo807 km²
    Karakelang800 km²
    Singkep779 km²
    Ambon Island772 km²
    Dinagat Island758 km²
    Pantar730 km²
    Wawonii Island690 km²
    Pulau Komoran679 km²
    Tablas Island671 km²
    Polillo Island657 km²
    Singapore655 km²
    Selayar Island648 km²
    Babar Island623 km²
    Supiori Island612 km²
    Pagai Utara Island600 km²
    Sipora594 km²
    Guimaras578 km²
    Tawi-Tawi Island565 km²
    Sangihe Island550 km²
    Nuhu Yuthu Island544 km²
    Sulabesi Island531 km²
    Adonara506 km²
    Biliran498 km²
    Sibuyan Island452 km²
    Batanta447 km²
    Tanabala Island446 km²
    Kasiruta438 km²
    Sebatik Island436 km²
    Bruit Island436 km²
    Batam Island425 km²
    Sawu421 km²
    Burias416 km²
    Kei Kecil Island410 km²
    Kangean Island402 km²
    Pulau Koba400 km²
    Maikoor398 km²
    Enggano Island395 km²
    Siargao365 km²
    Culion Island361 km²
    Moa360 km²
    Selaru347 km²
    Numfor341 km²
    Tanahmasa Island332 km²
    Moyo Island330 km²
    Ticao Island325 km²
    Unnamed island324 km²
    Pini Island320 km²
    Siquijor319 km²
    Komodo318 km²
    Kundur Island313 km²
    Mendol Island308 km²
    Komfane307 km²
    Dumaran Island306 km²
    Penang Island301 km²
    Balabac Island301 km²
    Pulau Kola287 km²
    Banggai Island267 km²
    Samal251 km²
    Tarakan Island251 km²
    Pulau Batudaka245 km²
    Camiguin243 km²
    Pulau Nunukan236 km²
    Unnamed island225 km²
    Semau Island220 km²
    Solor217 km²
    Pulau Sebuku215 km²
    Merbau Island215 km²
    Larat214 km²
    Pulau Lepar213 km²
    Mandioli Island207 km²
    Jemaja Island207 km²
    Unnamed island205 km²
    Rinca205 km²
    Panaon Island203 km²
    Tuangku201 km²
    Bawean198 km²
    Nusapenida Island196 km²
    Lubang Island195 km²
    Calayan Island192 km²
    Damar Island192 km²
    Unnamed island190 km²
    Alabat Island189 km²
    Gam Island181 km²
    Karimata Island180 km²
    Pulau Laag176 km²
    Romang174 km²
    Haruku Island174 km²
    Bisa Island171 km²
    Olutanga Island169 km²
    Camiguin Island168 km²
    Pulau Workai163 km²
    Alang Gantang River160 km²
    Saparua159 km²
    Pulau Tanahjampea158 km²
    Pulau Wuliaru157 km²
    Pulau Wangiwangi156 km²
    Rempang Island156 km²
    Togean Island155 km²
    Pulau Adi155 km²
    Sanghyang Island154 km²
    Pulau Kofiau146 km²
    Unnamed island142 km²
    Kelang141 km²
    Atauro140 km²
    Pulau Gebe139 km²
    Penambulai137 km²
    Sebangka Island136 km²
    Unnamed island129 km²
    Pulau Subi Besar128 km²
    Buano Island126 km²
    Sapudi Island126 km²
    Karimun Island125 km²
    Panaitan Island122 km²
    Bucas Grande122 km²
    Bugsuk122 km²
    Nusakambangan Island121 km²
    Weh Island121 km²
    Mendanau Island118 km²
    Tidore Island118 km²
    Siau Island114 km²
    Bunyu113 km²
    Bantayan Island113 km²
    Manipa112 km²
    Lakor Island111 km²
    Pulau Kalao110 km²
    Bangkurung island109 km²
    Pulau Mioswaar109 km²
    Sermata Island108 km²
    Pulau Baun108 km²
    Bulan Island107 km²
    Siantan Island104 km²
    Sibutu Island104 km²

    Groups within

    3

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Wikidata
    • Talus
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs