The cloves of the northern Moluccas and the nutmeg of the central islands were traded in Asia long before Europeans heard of the Spice Islands. With the arrival of the Portuguese in 1511, many decades of conflict began. The struggles for control of the region caused great loss of life during this period. The victorious Dutch earned large profits, but by the end of the eighteenth century, the spice trade had greatly diminished. As a result, the Moluccas were no longer so desirable.
Indonesian culture is an inter-mixture of many diverse civilizations.
The Hinduism and Buddhism of India exerted a profound influence on Indonesian life and left a strong imprint on the architecture and sculpture of the country. Arabic influence in Indonesia has been promoted since the thirteenth century, mainly through the teachings of Islam. The islands have also been affected by Southeast Asian and Polynesian cultures, as well as by the influx of Chinese and Dutch peoples. The weather is more moderate between monsoons. Earthquakes are frequent in the Moluccas, and most of the islands are mountainous.