an island in the eastern part of the Malay Archipelago, in the Molucca island group. Part of Indonesia. Area, 17,100 sq km; with adjacent islands, about 18,700 sq km. Population, about 100,000(1971).
Ceram has predominantly mountainous relief, with elevations to 3,019 m (Mount Binaija). Lowlands occupy a narrow strip along the coast. In places there are coral reefs along the shores. The island has a humid equatorial climate. The temperature throughout the year is 25°–27°C, and annual precipitation is about 2,000 mm on the plains and up to 4,000 mm in the mountains. There are dense tropical rain forests, with tracts of summer-green monsoon forests in the south. Slash-and-burn agriculture is widespread. Sago and coconut palms, pepper, sugarcane, clove and nutmeg trees, coffee, cacao, and mangoes are grown on plantation. Fishing is also important. The port of Wahai is located on the island’s northern coast.
an interisland sea in the Malay Archipelago, bounded by the islands of Ceram, Buru, and Misool, and the Obi and Sula island groups, and New Guinea. The Ceram Sea has an area of 161,000 sq km and a volume of 173,000 cu km. The average depth is 1,074 m, and the maximum depth, 5,319 m. The bottom is covered with sandy silt. There are numerous coral reefs along the shores. The average surface water temperature is 27°–28°C; the salinity is approximately 34 parts per thousand. Tides are irregular and semidiurnal and range from 1.7 to 2.3 m.