West Kalimantan
Encyclopedia
West Kalimantan is a province
of Indonesia
. It is one of four Indonesian provinces in Kalimantan
, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo
. Its capital city Pontianak
is located right on the Equator
.
The province has an area of 147,307 km² with a recorded 2010 census population of 4,393,239. Major ethnic groups include the Dayak
, Malay
, Chinese, which make up about 90% of the total population. The rest are Javanese, Bugis
, Madurese, and other ethnicities.
The borders of West Kalimantan roughly trace the mountain ranges surrounding the watershed of the Kapuas River
, which drains most of the province.
after they defeated the local Malay sultans. The government of Lanfang Republic was ended in West Kalimantan after the Dutch occupation in 1884.
West Kalimantan was under Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945, when Indonesia declared its Independence.
During the Japanese occupation, more than 21,000 people in Pontianak (including sultans, nobleman, women and children) were kidnapped, tortured and massacred by Japanese troops. Japanese intelligence had become concerned that the ethnic Chinese were planning to start a rebellion, and were worried that people in the city had received guns and ammunition from the Chinese government.
The massacre occurred from April 23, 1943 to June 28, 1944 and most of the victims were buried in several giant wells in Mandor (88 km from Pontianak). Allied forces occupying the area after the war found several thousand bones, and more than 60 years after the massacre, several secret graves of the victims were found in Mandor and the surrounding areas.
After the end of war, the Japanese officers in Pontianak were arrested by allied troops and brought in front of an international military tribune. During the trial, it was revealed that the plan to start the rebellion did not exist and instead was only an imaginary plan created by Japanese officers who wanted to get promoted.
A monument called Makam Juang Mandor was created to commemorate this tragic event.
West Kalimantan was the site of substantial fighting during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
under the Sukarno
government in the mid-1960s. After Suharto deposed Sukarno
in 1965, the confrontation was quickly resolved. Domestic conflict continued, however, for another ten years between the new military Suharto government and fighters organized during the confrontation and backed by the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).(see Indonesian killings of 1965–66
)
During the 1930's the Dutch colonial powers initiated a "transmigration plan" to move people from heavily populated islands such as Java
, to the less populated islands of Irian Jaya and Kalimantan. In the 1960's the Indonesian government granted the Madurese rights to clear lands from forest for palm oil cultivation. This conflicted with the local Dayak
tribes’ traditional way of life. The tensions between the two ethnic groups resulted in major eruptions of violence in 1996, 1999 and 2001, resulting in about 500 deaths.
and Singkawang
; the regencies are Sambas, Bengkayang
, Pontianak
, Ketapang
, Landak, Sanggau
, Sekadau, Sintang, Melawi, Kapuas Hulu
, and the youngest regencies Kayong Utara and Kubu Raya. About 29 percent of the population lives in the Pontianak area. The capitals and populations of the regencies and cities are:
Notes:
, Gunung Palung
and Betung Kerihun
. Currently, illegal logging
for trees such as dipterocarp and plantations of palm oil
and pulpwood
threaten many rare species in the province due to the effects of habitat destruction
. Peat bog fires and droughts or flooding during ENSO
episodes also threaten the area and are worsened by ongoing deforestation
.
Dr. Hotlin Ompusunggu has received the 2011 Whitley Award for her conservation work in West Kalimantan. She has been fighting againsts illegal logging by trade off with low-cost quality dental and medical treatment to 60,000 villagers on condition they involve in reforestation and conservation work.
Provinces of Indonesia
The province is the highest tier of local government subnational entity in Indonesia. Each province has its own local government, headed by a governor, and has its own legislative body...
of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. It is one of four Indonesian provinces in Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. Its capital city Pontianak
Pontianak, Indonesia
Pontianak is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan. It is a medium-size industrial city on the island of Borneo. Pontianak occupies an area of 107.82 km² in the delta of the Kapuas River...
is located right on the Equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
.
The province has an area of 147,307 km² with a recorded 2010 census population of 4,393,239. Major ethnic groups include the Dayak
Dayak people
The Dayak or Dyak are the native people of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic subgroups, located principally in the interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily...
, Malay
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
, Chinese, which make up about 90% of the total population. The rest are Javanese, Bugis
Bugis
The Bugis are the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi, the southwestern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia's third largest island. Although many Bugis live in the large port cities of Makassar and Parepare, the majority are farmers who grow wet rice on the...
, Madurese, and other ethnicities.
The borders of West Kalimantan roughly trace the mountain ranges surrounding the watershed of the Kapuas River
Kapuas River
The Kapuas River is a river in the Indonesian part of Borneo island, at the geographic center of Maritime Southeast Asia. At in length, it is the longest river of Indonesia and one of the world's longest island rivers...
, which drains most of the province.
History
The history of West Kalimantan can be dated back to 17th century. Dayaks were the main inhabitants of the province before 17th century. The Malay migrated to West Kalimantan and built their own sultanates. The high Chinese population in this province was due to a republic founded by Chinese miners called Lanfang RepublicLanfang Republic
The Lanfang Republic was a Chinese state in West Kalimantan in Indonesia that was established by a Hakka Chinese named Low Lan Pak in 1777, until it was ended by Dutch occupation in 1884 .The sultans of...
after they defeated the local Malay sultans. The government of Lanfang Republic was ended in West Kalimantan after the Dutch occupation in 1884.
West Kalimantan was under Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945, when Indonesia declared its Independence.
During the Japanese occupation, more than 21,000 people in Pontianak (including sultans, nobleman, women and children) were kidnapped, tortured and massacred by Japanese troops. Japanese intelligence had become concerned that the ethnic Chinese were planning to start a rebellion, and were worried that people in the city had received guns and ammunition from the Chinese government.
The massacre occurred from April 23, 1943 to June 28, 1944 and most of the victims were buried in several giant wells in Mandor (88 km from Pontianak). Allied forces occupying the area after the war found several thousand bones, and more than 60 years after the massacre, several secret graves of the victims were found in Mandor and the surrounding areas.
After the end of war, the Japanese officers in Pontianak were arrested by allied troops and brought in front of an international military tribune. During the trial, it was revealed that the plan to start the rebellion did not exist and instead was only an imaginary plan created by Japanese officers who wanted to get promoted.
A monument called Makam Juang Mandor was created to commemorate this tragic event.
West Kalimantan was the site of substantial fighting during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation during 1962–1966 was Indonesia’s political and armed opposition to the creation of Malaysia. It is also known by its Indonesian/Malay name Konfrontasi...
under the Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
government in the mid-1960s. After Suharto deposed Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
in 1965, the confrontation was quickly resolved. Domestic conflict continued, however, for another ten years between the new military Suharto government and fighters organized during the confrontation and backed by the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).(see Indonesian killings of 1965–66
Indonesian killings of 1965–66
The Indonesian killings of 1965–1966 were an anti-communist purge following a failed coup in Indonesia. The most widely accepted estimates are that over half a million people were killed...
)
During the 1930's the Dutch colonial powers initiated a "transmigration plan" to move people from heavily populated islands such as Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, to the less populated islands of Irian Jaya and Kalimantan. In the 1960's the Indonesian government granted the Madurese rights to clear lands from forest for palm oil cultivation. This conflicted with the local Dayak
Dayak people
The Dayak or Dyak are the native people of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic subgroups, located principally in the interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily...
tribes’ traditional way of life. The tensions between the two ethnic groups resulted in major eruptions of violence in 1996, 1999 and 2001, resulting in about 500 deaths.
Administration
West Kalimantan is subdivided into two cities (kota) and twelve regencies (kabupaten). The cities are PontianakPontianak, Indonesia
Pontianak is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan. It is a medium-size industrial city on the island of Borneo. Pontianak occupies an area of 107.82 km² in the delta of the Kapuas River...
and Singkawang
Singkawang
Singkawang is located at the province of West Kalimantan or Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia. It is located at about 145 km north of Pontianak, the provincial capital, and is surrounded by the Pasi, Poteng, and Sakok mountain...
; the regencies are Sambas, Bengkayang
Bengkayang
Bengkayang is a regency in West Kalimantan province, Indonesia . Before the expansion it was a part of Sambas County. After the expansion Sambas County was divided into three separate autonomous counties, that is, Sambas County, Bengkayang County, and Singkawang City...
, Pontianak
Pontianak, Indonesia
Pontianak is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan. It is a medium-size industrial city on the island of Borneo. Pontianak occupies an area of 107.82 km² in the delta of the Kapuas River...
, Ketapang
Ketapang
Ketapang is the capital city of Ketapang regency . Ketapang city is located, on the island of Borneo. It is a small city on the delta of the Pawan River. Ketapang regency is one of the regencies of West Kalimantan province in Indonesia. It occupies an area of 35,809 km²...
, Landak, Sanggau
Sanggau
Sanggau is a regency in Province of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is located in the middle and in the northern part of the province, with an area of 12,857.70 km² and density of 29 inhabitants per km².-Demographics:...
, Sekadau, Sintang, Melawi, Kapuas Hulu
Kapuas Hulu
Kapuas Hulu is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The region is the home to a diversity of indigenous groups, including the Iban and the Silat. Towns along the Kapuas River include Sintang, Nanga Lebang, Nanga Ketungau, Nanga Silat, Semitau, Nanga Bunut, and Putussibau. The population of...
, and the youngest regencies Kayong Utara and Kubu Raya. About 29 percent of the population lives in the Pontianak area. The capitals and populations of the regencies and cities are:
| Name | Capital | Population 2000 Census | Population 2005 estimate | Population 2010 Census |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sambas Regency Sambas Regency Sambas Regency located at West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Sambas is one of the oldest regency in West Kalimantan Province .- Boundary Region :- Population :... |
Sambas | |||
| Bengkayang Regency | Benkayang | |||
| Landak Regency Landak Regency Landak Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Ngabang.... |
Ngabang | |||
| Pontianak Regency Pontianak Regency Pontianak Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Mempawah.... |
Mempawah | |||
| Sanggau Regency | Batang Tarang | |||
| Ketapang Regency Ketapang Regency Ketapang Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Ketapang.... |
Ketapang Ketapang Ketapang is the capital city of Ketapang regency . Ketapang city is located, on the island of Borneo. It is a small city on the delta of the Pawan River. Ketapang regency is one of the regencies of West Kalimantan province in Indonesia. It occupies an area of 35,809 km²... |
|||
| Sintang Regency Sintang Regency Sintang Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Sintang.... |
Sintang | |||
| Kapuas Hulu Regency | Putussibau | |||
| Sekadau Regency Sekadau Regency Sekadau Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Sekadau.... |
Sekadau | (included) | ||
| Melawi Regency Melawi Regency Melawi Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Nanga Pinoh.... |
Nanga Pinoh | (included) | ||
| North Kayong Regency North Kayong Regency North Kayong Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Sukadana.... (Kayong Utara) |
Sukadana Sukadana Sukadana is the capital city of North Kayong regency , on the island of Borneo. North Kayong regency is one of the regencies of West Kalimantan province in Indonesia... |
(included) | (included) | |
| Kubu Raya Regency Kubu Raya Regency Kubu Raya Regency is a regency of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The principal town lies at Sungai Raya.... |
Sungai Raya | (included) | (included) | |
| Pontianak Pontianak The pontianak is a vampiric ghost in Malay and Indonesian mythology. It is also known as a matianak or kuntilanak, sometimes shortened to kunti. As with tiyanak of the Philippines, pontianak are said to be the spirits of children who died while being born... City |
Pontianak Pontianak The pontianak is a vampiric ghost in Malay and Indonesian mythology. It is also known as a matianak or kuntilanak, sometimes shortened to kunti. As with tiyanak of the Philippines, pontianak are said to be the spirits of children who died while being born... |
|||
| Singkawang Singkawang Singkawang is located at the province of West Kalimantan or Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia. It is located at about 145 km north of Pontianak, the provincial capital, and is surrounded by the Pasi, Poteng, and Sakok mountain... City |
Singkawang Singkawang Singkawang is located at the province of West Kalimantan or Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia. It is located at about 145 km north of Pontianak, the provincial capital, and is surrounded by the Pasi, Poteng, and Sakok mountain... |
(included) | ||
| Totals |
Notes:
- the use of "included" signifies that the regency was formed after 2000, and its population in 2000 (or in 2000 and 2005) has been included with that of the older regency from which it was taken.
- above excludes a Special Enclave (Daerah Kantong), with 5,469 population in 2010.
Ecology
There are three National Parks in the province: Danau SentarumDanau Sentarum National Park
The Danau Sentarum National Park is a national park protecting one of the world's most biodiverse lake systems, located in Borneo Island, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. It lies in the upper Kapuas River basin some 700 kilometres upstream from the delta. The basin is a vast floodplain,...
, Gunung Palung
Gunung Palung National Park
Gunung Palung National Park lies on the island of Borneo, in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, north of Ketapang and east of Sukadana.- Geography:...
and Betung Kerihun
Betung Kerihun National Park
Betung Kerihun National Park is a national park in the province of West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. It is located inland, along the Malaysian border...
. Currently, illegal logging
Illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
for trees such as dipterocarp and plantations of palm oil
Palm oil
Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...
and pulpwood
Pulpwood
Pulpwood refers to timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production.-Applications:* Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 16% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more generation forests account for the balance...
threaten many rare species in the province due to the effects of habitat destruction
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
. Peat bog fires and droughts or flooding during ENSO
Enso
Ensō is a Japanese word meaning "circle" and a concept strongly associated with Zen. Ensō is one of the most common subjects of Japanese calligraphy even though it is a symbol and not a character. It symbolizes the Absolute enlightenment, strength, elegance, the Universe, and the void; it can...
episodes also threaten the area and are worsened by ongoing deforestation
Deforestation in Indonesia
Deforestation in Indonesia has been a massive environmental impact on the country, home to some of the most biologically diverse forests in the world, ranking third behind Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As late as 1900, Indonesia was still a densely forested country with the total...
.
Dr. Hotlin Ompusunggu has received the 2011 Whitley Award for her conservation work in West Kalimantan. She has been fighting againsts illegal logging by trade off with low-cost quality dental and medical treatment to 60,000 villagers on condition they involve in reforestation and conservation work.
External links
- WWF Heart of Borneo conservation initiative - Information about the Heart of BorneoHeart of BorneoThe Heart of Borneo is a conservation agreement initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature to protect a 220,000 km² forested region on Borneo island. The agreement has been signed by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in Bali on 12 February 2007 to support the initiative...
- 220,000 km² of upland montane tropical rainforest, where endangered species such as the orang-utan, rhinoceros and pygmy elephant cling for survival. - A Study of the Kongsis of West Borneo.