Ternate is a city located in Indonesia on an island within the Maluku Islands. It serves as the most populous city in the province of North Maluku and functions as the region's primary economic, cultural, and educational center. While it was the de facto provincial capital prior to 2010, the capital status was later transferred to Sofifi on the coast of Halmahera.
The city covers a land area of 162.20 square kilometres and is composed of five islands: Ternate, Moti, Hiri, Tifure, and Mayau. Historically, it served as the capital of the Sultanate of Ternate during the 15th and 16th centuries. During this period, the city was a significant site of conflict with the Sultanate of Tidore over control of the spice trade in the Moluccas, eventually drawing interest from competing European powers.