Amboyna, Or Amboina, (Malay. Ambon, dews). An island in the Malay archipelago, the most important though not the largest of the Moluccas or Spice Islands, between lat. 3° 26' and 3° 48' S., and lon. 127° 57' and 128° 27' E.: length 35 m., average breadth 10 m.; area, about 300 sq. m.; pop. 32,000. A deep, narrow bay, called the bay of Binnen, 14 m. long, almost bisects it. The two halves are composed of high hills rising abruptly from the sea, and covered with tall, coarse grass, groves of the cocoa palm near the shore, and thick forests in the valleys and near some of the summits. The island is of primitive formation. It is subject to earthquakes every year, after which fevers commonly prevail, but in other respects the climate is very healthy. There are few animals except the wild hog, deer, and horse. Birds are abundant and of many species, and the coasts have long been famous for multitudes of beautiful shells. The commonest fruits are the cocoanut, mango, banana, nutmeg, and pineapple, the last having been introduced from the West Indies. Excellent indigo is raised, and the cajeput tree furnishes a medicinal oil. Indian corn has been introduced, and now forms with sago the staple food of the Malay natives.

Cacao is extensively cultivated, and is rapidly supplanting the clove, of which, however, there are still valuable gardens on the hillsides. The production of cloves was once a valuable monopoly of the Dutch government. At the time of the Spanish occupation (1581-1607) it was immeasurably greater than it is now. The spice is cultivated on this island and the three little islands of Haraku, Saparua, and Nusalaut, lying immediately east of it, and the total yield of the four is about 785,000 lbs., of which Amboyna supplies about one third. The population of Amboyna consists principally of Malays, most of whom profess Mohammedanism. Savage aborigines called Horaforas still exist in the forest, and there are Chinese, Europeans, and half-breeds at the capital. The native villages are governed by rajahs appointed by the Dutch resident. The island was discovered by the Portuguese in 1515, was acquired by Spain in 1581, when Philip II. conquered Portugal, captured by the Dutch in 1607, and by the English in 1615, and retaken by the Dutch in 1622, when a horrible massacre of the English settlers took place, for which Cromwell afterward compelled the Netherlands to make compensation.

In 1796 the island was once more taken by the British. They restored it at the peace of Amiens in 1802, seized it a third time in 1810, and it reverted finally to Holland in 1814. - Amboyna, the capital of the island and of the Dutch government of the same name, which includes Amboyna, Ceram, Amblauw, and Buro. is situated on the S. E. shore of the bay of Binnen, in lat, 3° 40' S., lon. 128° 15' E., 8 or 9 m. from the sea; pop. 14,000, of whom 9,000 are natives, 400 Arabs, 800 Chinese, and 700 nominally Europeans, though nine tenths of them are half-caste Dutch. The city has a pleasant aspect from the sea, occupying a level area, with broad, straight, and well shaded streets. It has a hospital, a public garden, and two Christian churches. The government is administered by a Dutch assistant resident, subordinate to whom are a rajah for the Malay population and a "captain China " for the Chinese. There is a fort called Nieuw Victoria. Good anchorage is found in the harbor, and the port is annually visited by about 200 vessels and praus of all kinds. There is a monthly mail steamer to Batavia. The imports, valued at $200,000 to $300,000 annually, consist chiefly of cotton goods and rice, and the exports of cloves, cocoa, cajeput oil, nutmegs, mace, and various kinds of wood.

The port has been free since 1854, but the trade is much less prosperous than it was during the last English occupation.