This is the 527th most frequent Indonesian word.
pulau
Island.
In this sentence, 'pulau' is used to denote 'island' as a general noun referring to landmasses surrounded by water.
Indonesia adalah negara dengan banyak pulau.
Indonesia is a country with many islands.
Here, 'pulau' serves to identify a specific location, a small island, emphasizing its function in a locative context.
Kami berlayar menuju pulau kecil di seberang teluk.
We sailed towards the small island across the bay.
In this case, 'pulau' is used with the definite marker 'itu' to specify a particular island that is well-known.