Ceram
an island in the Moluccas, W. of New Guinea; area about 7,000 square miles; pop. about 75,000. It is about 200 miles long with an average width of 35 miles. Its interior is traversed by mountain ranges from 6,000 to 8,000 feet high, but is little known. The 8,00 vegetation is luxuriant, the sago-palm supplying the chief food of the inhabitants as well as an article of trade. The inhabitants of the coast are of Malay origin, the interior being peopled by Alfoories. It is under the Dutch.