# Batanta

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Island in Indonesia

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Batanta Batanta Location in Raja Ampat Islands Show map of Raja Ampat Islands Batanta Location in Papua Show map of Maluku Geography Location Pacific Ocean Coordinates 0°52′4″S 130°39′27″E / 0.86778°S 130.65750°E / -0.86778; 130.65750 Archipelago Raja Ampat Islands Area 479.52 km2 (185.14 sq mi) Highest point 1184 m Administration Indonesia Province Southwest Papua Demographics Population 3,999 (mid 2025 estimate) Pop. density 8.35/km2 (21.63/sq mi)

The [Raja Ampat Islands](/source/Raja_Ampat_Islands)

**Batanta** is the smallest of the four major islands in the [Raja Ampat Islands](/source/Raja_Ampat_Islands) in [Southwest Papua](/source/Southwest_Papua) province, [Indonesia](/source/Indonesia). Its area is 479.52 km2 (including smaller offshore islands) and its highest point is 1184 m. The [Pitt Strait](/source/Pitt_Strait_(Indonesia)) separates it from [Salawati](/source/Salawati) Island, while the [Dampier Strait](/source/Dampier_Strait_(Indonesia)) separates it from [Waigeo](/source/Waigeo) Island. The population was estimated at 3,999 as at mid 2025.[1] The island is divided administratively into the districts (*distrik*) - North Batanta (*Batanta Utara*) and South Batanta (*Batanta Selatan*).

Dampier Strait is named after the English explorer [William Dampier](/source/William_Dampier). In 1759 Captain William Wilson sailing in the [East Indiaman](/source/East_Indiaman) [*Pitt*](/source/Pondich%C3%A9ry_(1754_ship)) navigated these waters and named the channel between Batanta and Salawati as Pitt Strait, after his vessel.

## History

Islam first arrived in the Raja Ampat archipelago in the 15th century due to political and economic contacts with the [Bacan Sultanate](/source/Sultanate_of_Bacan).[2] During the 16th and 17th centuries, the [Sultanate of Tidore](/source/Sultanate_of_Tidore) had close economic ties with the island.[2] During this period, Islam became firmly established and local chiefs began adopting Islam.[2][3] Batanta was historically under the rule of [the Salawati Kingdom](/source/Salawati_Kingdom), one of the *Raja Ampat* (Four Kings).

## Fauna

The following reptile, mammal, and bird species are found on the island:

- [Blue-spotted tree monitor](/source/Blue-spotted_tree_monitor) (*Varanus macraei*)

- [Crocodile Monitor](/source/Crocodile_Monitor) (*Varanus salvadorii*)

- [Wild boar](/source/Wild_boar) (*Sus scrofa*) (prehistorically introduced)

- [Black rat](/source/Black_rat) (*Rattus rattus*) (uncertain; introduced)

- [Wilson's bird-of-paradise](/source/Wilson's_bird-of-paradise) (*Cicinnurus respublica*)

- *[Myoictis wallacei](/source/Myoictis_wallacei)* (uncertain)

- *[Echymipera kalubu](/source/Echymipera_kalubu)* (uncertain)

- *[Phalanger orientalis](/source/Phalanger_orientalis)*

- *[Spilocuscus maculatus](/source/Spilocuscus_maculatus)*

- *[Paramelomys platyops](/source/Paramelomys_platyops)*

- *[Dobsonia beauforti](/source/Dobsonia_beauforti)*

- *[Dobsonia magna](/source/Dobsonia_magna)*

- *[Macroglossus minimus](/source/Macroglossus_minimus)*

- *[Nyctimene albiventer](/source/Nyctimene_albiventer) (Common tube-nosed fruit bat)*

- *[Pteropus conspicillatus](/source/Pteropus_conspicillatus)*

- *[Rousettus amplexicaudatus](/source/Rousettus_amplexicaudatus)*

- *[Syconycteris australis](/source/Syconycteris_australis)*

- *[Emballonura nigrescens](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Emballonura_nigrescens&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Hipposideros cervinus](/source/Hipposideros_cervinus)*

- *[Hipposideros diadema](/source/Hipposideros_diadema)*

- *[Hipposideros maggietaylorae](/source/Hipposideros_maggietaylorae)*

- *[Rhinolophus euryotis](/source/Rhinolophus_euryotis)*

- *[Miniopterus australis](/source/Miniopterus_australis)*

- *[Myotis adversus](/source/Myotis_adversus)* (uncertain)

- *[Pipistrellus papuanus](/source/Pipistrellus_papuanus)*

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2026, Kabupaten Raja Ampat Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9108).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_2-2) Wanggai, Toni V. M. (2008). [Rekonstruki sejarah umat Islam di tanna Papua](https://repository.uinjkt.ac.id/dspace/bitstream/123456789/7292/1/Toni%20Victor%20M.%20Wanggai_Rekonstruksi%20Sejarah%20Umat%20Islam%20di%20Tanah%20Papua.pdf) [Reconstruction of the History of lslam in Papua]. Syariff Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2022-03-13.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:1_3-0)** Slama, Martin (2015), "[Papua as an Islamic Frontier: Preaching in 'the Jungle' and the Multiplicity of Spatio-Temporal Hierarchisations", *From 'Stone-Age' to 'Real-Time': Exploring Papuan Temporalities, Mobilities and Religiosities*](https://books.google.com/books?id=JEp1rgEACAAJ), ANU Press, pp. 243–270, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-925022-43-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-925022-43-8)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Batanta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batanta) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batanta?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.