While administratively part of the city of Ternate, it is situated between the islands of Tidore and Mare to its north and Makian to its south.

The 5 km wide island is surrounded by coral reefs.

Its summit is truncated and the volcano contains a crater at the south-west side.

[1] Moti has an area of 24.78 km2 and had a population of 4,811 at the 2020 Census;[2] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 4,680.

It is governed as the district (kecamatan) of Moti within the City (kota) of Ternate.