[4] The largest Ambelau community outside Ambalau island is the village of Wae Tawa (700 people) south-east of Buru.

[2] The vast majority are Sunni Muslims with a small fraction of Christians, and remnants of traditional local beliefs.

The mountainous terrain of Ambalau island hinders cultivation of rice, which is the major crop of the region, and therefore maize, sago, sweet potato, cocoa, coco, allspice and nutmeg are grown instead in the coastal areas.

[2] Hunting the wild pig Buru babirusa is common, but tuna fishing is mostly localized to the villages of Massawa and Ulima.

The specificity of Ambelau clothing is the preference of red color in holiday attire, which also includes hats of peculiar shape – a peaked cap with a plume for men and dressing with panache for women.