Maluku Island is surrounded by coral reefs. Dormant for over 80 years, Mount Api, an active volcano in the Banda Islands, erupted in 1988, evacuating several islands. Earthquakes are frequent in the Maluku Islands, but active volcanoes are infrequent. Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active volcanoes. The vegetation of the small and narrow islands, with their wet climate, is very luxuriant. It includes rain forests, sago, rice, and the famous spices, including nutmeg, cloves, and mace.

Maluku Island is surrounded by coral reefs. Dormant for over 80 years, Mount Api, an active volcano in the Banda Islands, erupted in 1988, evacuating several islands. Earthquakes are common in the Maluku Islands, but active volcanoes are rare. Part of the Pacific RING OF FIRE, Java was formed from a series of volcanoes running west to east. There are more than 100 volcanoes, 13 active in recent history. 

There are an estimated 16,000 plant species on the island, of which 124 genera are endemic. Papua's vast waterways and wetlands are also home to saltwater and freshwater crocodiles, monitor lizards, flying foxes, ospreys, bats and other wildlife. On the other hand, the equatorial glacier region is still largely unexplored. In February 2005, a team of scientists surveying the Foya Mountains discovered many new species of birds, butterflies, amphibians and plants, including a rhododendron species with the largest flowers in the genus. Vast wetlands stretch for hundreds of kilometers.