TIDORE or TIDOR, a mountainous island of the Moluccas, D.E. Indies, lying south of Ternate, nearly circular in shape, with an area of about 3o square miles. The southern part is occupied almost entirely by an inactive volcanic peak (5,9oo ft.). Below the i,000 ft. level coffee, fruit and tobacco are cultivated, the soil being very fertile. The northern half consists mostly of hills, though there are a few level strips along the coast. Pop., 31,832. Tidore is part of the residency of Ternate, and, with neighbouring islands, comes under the resident of Ternate. The inhabitants are akin to the Ternatans. They dislike work, but sell fish and culti vate garden produce. Some Tidorese do smiths' work, in which they are proficient.
The other islands of the Ternate-Tidore group are Hiri, Mayu, Taifore, Maitara, Pilonga, Mare, Pasuraja, Moti, Makian, Waidoba, Taneti and the Kayua and Goraityi groups. AB stretch along by the coast of Halmaheira towards Bachian, with the exception of Taifore and Mayu, which lie out in the Molucca passage. Kayua (of coralline and crystalline rock forma tion), is nearly zo m. long and has a mountain range traversing most of its length. The people are Mohammedans, and grow rice
and maize, and fish. Makian has a mountain over 4,00o ft., is well wooded, volcanic, and has suffered from eruptions. It has a popu lation of over 8,000 Mohammedans, resembling the people of Ternate and Tidore, who weave, fish and grow tobacco, fruit, rice and sugar-cane. Sago, the staple food, is imported from Halmaheira. Moti is surrounded with coral reefs. Maitara has mountains which attain an elevation of nearly 3,00o ft., and is well forested and fertile.
Like Ternate, Tidore is the seat of an ancient and once power ful sultanate. The Portuguese established themselves there in 1521 and fought the sultan, whose capital they destroyed. Later, the Spaniards, when Portugal had become incorporated with Spain, obtained a hold which they retained until well into the 17th century, aiding the Tidorese in maintaining their independent? in Ceram, Halmaheira and other islands, against the sultan of Ternate and the Dutch. The latter, in 1654, conquered the island, but the nominal power of the sultan was (and still is) recognized by the Dutch Government. (E. E. L.)