Malay Archipelago, largest system of island groups in the world, situated southeast of Asia and
north and northwest of Australia, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. The archipelago extends
from about 20° North of the equator to about 10° South of the equator. It comprises New Guinea,
the second largest island in the world; Celebes (Sulawesi); Borneo; the Philippine Islands; the
Sunda Islands, which include Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Timor; the Moluccas; and numerous lesser
islands. The area of the archipelago is about 2.8 million sq km (about 1.1 million sq mi).
All of the islands of the archipelago are mountainous. The highest summit is Puncak Jaya
(5030 m/16,503 ft) on the island of New Guinea. Numerous active and extinct volcanoes are
scattered throughout the archipelago. With few exceptions, the islands are extremely fertile,
well watered, and covered by luxuriant tropical vegetation. Agriculture is the principal industry.
The inhabitants of the archipelago belong predominantly to the Malayan and Melanesian racial
groups. Besides the Republic of the Philippines, the system encompasses the Republic of Indonesia,
Papua New Guinea, Brunei, and the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah.
