▁on ▁Hal ma h era ▁itself . ▁The ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁remaining ▁part ▁of ▁Mal u ku ▁province ▁remains ▁at ▁Am bon . ▁▁ 1 9 9 9 – 2 0 0 3 ▁inter - comm unal ▁conflict ▁▁ ▁Relig ious ▁conflict ▁er upt ed ▁across ▁the ▁islands ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁The ▁subsequent ▁ 1 8 ▁months ▁were ▁character ized ▁by ▁fighting ▁between ▁largely ▁local ▁groups ▁of ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁Christians , ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁houses , ▁the ▁disp lacement ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people , ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁lives , ▁and ▁the ▁seg reg ation ▁of ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁Christians . ▁ ▁Ge ology ▁and ▁ge ography ▁ ▁The ▁Mal u ku ▁Islands ▁have ▁a ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁ 8 5 0 , 0 0 0   km 2 , ▁ 9 0 % ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁sea . ▁There ▁are ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 1 0 2 7 ▁islands . ▁The ▁largest ▁two ▁islands , ▁Hal ma h era ▁and ▁Ser am ▁are ▁sp ars ely ▁populated , ▁while ▁the ▁most ▁developed , ▁Am bon ▁and ▁T ern ate ▁are ▁small . ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁islands ▁are ▁for ested ▁and ▁mountain ous . ▁The ▁T anim bar ▁Islands ▁are ▁dry ▁and ▁h illy , ▁while ▁the ▁A ru ▁Islands ▁are ▁flat ▁and ▁sw amp y . ▁Mount ▁B ina i ya ▁( 3 0 2 7 ▁m ) ▁on ▁Ser am ▁is ▁the ▁highest ▁mountain