View source for Halmahera Sea

{{Short description|Sea in the Australasian Mediterranean}}

{{Infobox sea
| name                   = Halmahera Sea
| native_name            ={{native name|id|Laut Halmahera}}
| image                  = Locatie Zee van Halmahera.PNG
| caption                = Location of the Halmahera Sea within Southeast Asia
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| location               = 
| pushpin_map            = Indonesia
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| coords                 = {{Coord|1|S|129|E|type:waterbody_scale:2500000|display=inline,title}}
| type                   = [[Sea]]
| inflow                 = 
| outflow                = 
| catchment              = 
| basin_countries        = [[Indonesia]]
| length                 = 
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| area                   = {{cvt|95000|km2}}
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}}

The '''Halmahera Sea''' ({{langx|id|Laut Halmahera}}; {{IPA|id|ˌlaʊt̪̚ halmaˈhera}}) is a regional [[sea]] located in the central eastern part of the [[Australasian Mediterranean Sea]]. It is centered at about [[1st parallel south|1°S]] and [[129th meridian east|129°E]] and is bordered by the [[Pacific Ocean]] to the north, [[Halmahera]] to the west, [[Waigeo]] and [[Southwest Papua]] to the east, and the [[Seram Sea]] to the south. It covers about 95,000 km<sup>2</sup> (about 37,000 miles<sup>2</sup>) and its [[topography]] comprises a number of separate [[oceanic basin|basins]] and [[ridge (geology)|ridges]], the chief of which is the [[Halmahera Basin]] reaching a depth of 2,039 m. 

On its western side, the Halmahera Sea includes three large gulfs or bays which cut deep into the coast of [[Halmahera island]], turning the east coast of that island into four huge peninsulas. These three inlets comprise '''Wedi Bay''' (''Teluk Wesi'') in the south (between the southern and southeastern peninsulas), '''Buli Bay''' (''Teluk Buli'') in the centre (between the southeastern and northeastern peninsulas) and '''Kao Bay''' (''Teluk Kao'') in the north (between the northeastern and northern peninsulas). A notable fourth inlet is '''Galela Bay''' (''Teluk Galela'') further to the north, which projects into the coast of [[North Halmahera Regency]].

[[File:Maluku Islands en.png|thumb|300px|Halmahera Sea in the north of [[Maluku Islands]]]]

== Extent ==
The [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) defines the Halmahera Sea as being one of the waters of the [[East Indian Archipelago]]. The IHO defines its limits as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-23/S-23_Ed3_1953_EN.pdf|title=Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition|year=1953|publisher=International Hydrographic Organization|access-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008191433/http://www.iho.int/iho_pubs/standard/S-23/S-23_Ed3_1953_EN.pdf|archive-date=8 October 2011}}</ref>

<blockquote>
''On the North'' A line from Wajaboela ([[Morotai]]) to Tg. Djodjefa, the Northern point of [[Halmahera]].

''On the East.'' A line from Tg. Gorango, the Northeastern point of Morotai Island, through Sajang and Kawé Islands to the Western extremes of [[Waigeo]] and [[Batanta]] Islands across to the Northwest point of Samawati Island, down the coast to Tg. Menonket its Southwest point, and thence to Tg. Sele, [[New Guinea]] ({{coord|1|26|S|130|56|E|display=inline}}).

''On the South.'' The Northern limit of [[Ceram Sea]] between [[Obira|Obi Major]] and New Guinea [A line from ... Obi Major ... Tanjong Seranmaloleo its Eastern extreme, thence through Tobalai, Kekek, Pisang and [[Kofiau]] Islands to Tanjong Sele ({{coord|1|26|S|130|55|E|display=inline}}), the Western point of New Guinea].

''On the West.'' The Southern limit of [[Molucca Sea|Molukka Sea]] {{sic}} between Halmahera and Obi Major [A line from the Southern extreme of Halmahera to the North point of Bisa (Setile) Island, thence to the Northern extreme of Obi Major].
</blockquote>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010802033008/http://stommel.tamu.edu/~baum/paleo/ocean/node15.html#HalmaheraSea "Halmahera Sea" entry on the ''Glossary of Physical Oceanography'']

{{List of Indonesian seas}}
{{List of seas}}

[[Category:Seas of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Landforms of Halmahera]]
[[Category:Landforms of North Maluku]]
[[Category:Landforms of Papua (province)]]
[[Category:Maluku Islands]]


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