Kai Islands - Geography

Geography

Inhabitants called the islands Nuhu Evav (Evav Islands) or Tanat Evav (Evav Land), but known as Kei for people from neighbourhood islands. "Kai" is actually a Dutch colonial era spelling, still persisting in books based on old resources. The islands are on the edge of the Banda Sea, south of the Bird's Head Peninsula of New Guinea, west of the Aru Islands, and northeast of the Tanimbar Islands. The small group called Tayandu Islands (also Tahayad) is just west.

The Kei islands are made up of numerous islands, including

• Kai Besar or Nuhu Yuut or Nusteen (Great Kei)
• Kai Kecil or Nuhu Roa or Nusyanat (Little Kei)
• Tanimbar Kei or Tnebar Evav
• Kei Dulah or Du
• Dulah Laut or Du Roa
• Kuur
• Taam
• Tayandu Islands (Tahayad) groups.

The Kei Islands' total land area is 1438 km² (555 sq mi).

Kei Besar is mountainous and densely forested. Kei Kecil has the biggest population, and is flat. Actually it is a lifted coral reef. The capital is the town of Tual, mostly inhabited by Muslims. Nearby Langgur is the center for Christians. Kei is famous for the beauty of its beaches, e.g. Pasir Panjang.

The Kei islands are part of Wallacea, the group of Indonesian islands that are separated by deep water from both the Asian and Australian continental shelves, and were never linked to either continent. As a result the Kei Islands have few native mammals and are part of the Banda Sea Islands moist deciduous forests ecoregion.