Bangka Belitung

Bangka Belitung, propinsi (or provinsi; province) of Indonesia, comprising the islands of Bangka and Belitung, which are separated by the Gelasa Strait, as well as a number of smaller surrounding islands. It is bounded to the north by the South China Sea, to the east by the Karimata Strait, to the south by the Java Sea, and to the west by the narrow Bangka Strait, across which lies the Indonesian province of South Sumatra (Sumatera Selatan). The provincial capital is Pangkalpinang, in east-central Bangka. Area 6,341 square miles (16,424 square km). Pop. (2010 prelim.) 1,223,296.

Geography

The topography of the Bangka Belitung archipelago consists primarily of lowland plains and shallow valleys, punctuated by hilly tracts and, on the two largest islands, several isolated mountain peaks. The average elevation of the lowlands is about 160 feet (50 metres) above sea level, while the hilly regions reach roughly 1,450 feet (440 metres) at their highest points. The principal mountains on Bangka are Mount Maras, in the north, with an elevation of about 2,300 feet (700 metres), and Bebuluh Hill, which rises to about 2,150 feet (655 metres), in the southeast. In central Belitung, Mount Tajem stretches above 1,640 feet (500 metres). The province is drained by many small rivers, most notably the Kampa, Baturusa, Kepo, Kurau, Layang, and Kambu, all on Bangka, and the Buding and Linggang, on Belitung.

Roughly two-fifths of Bangka Belitung is forested. Aside from valuable hardwoods, such as sal (or meranti; Shorea species) and ironwood, common trees include kapok, myrtles, and mangroves. Rattan is also abundant. Although Bangka Belitung lies geographically quite close to Sumatra, its fauna bears a greater similarity to that of the more-distant Riau Islands and Peninsular Malaysia, to the northwest. Monkeys, boars (wild pigs), pangolins (scaly anteaters), and civets, as well as several types of deer, including chevrotains (commonly called mouse deer), are among Bangka Belitung’s most notable forest fauna. Eagles and wildfowl are also found in the province, as well as assorted snakes and monitor lizards.

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Malay people—speaking local Malay dialects—constitute the overwhelming majority of Bangka Belitung’s population. People of Chinese descent form the largest minority, followed by Javanese, Buginese, Madurese, and other Indonesian peoples. More than four-fifths of the population follows Islam. Most of the Chinese, however, are Buddhist or Christian. A tiny segment of the population is Hindu. The greatest population density is found in and around the capital, Pangkalpinang. Other urban centres include Sungailiat and Belinyu, on Bangka, and Tanjungpandan and Manggar, on Belitung.

Bangka Belitung’s economy is based primarily on agriculture, manufacturing, and mining. More than two-thirds of the province’s land is used for agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture. Rice, cassava, yams, corn (maize), peanuts (groundnuts), and assorted vegetables are among the principal food crops. Other major crops, grown primarily on large estates, include oil palm, rubber, coffee, cocoa, pepper, and coconut. Pigs, goats, and cows are common livestock, and chickens and ducks are raised for both meat and eggs. Timber, rattan, and natural honey are important products of the forestry sector. Among Bangka Belitung’s main manufactures are chemicals, construction materials, processed foods, and handicrafts, including traditional metalwork, jewelry, and woven products. Tin mining has been a pillar of the islands’ economy for centuries, although production has slowed somewhat since the late 20th century. Historically, the industry is responsible for much of the province’s ethnic diversity, having attracted many labourers—especially Chinese—from abroad to work the mines.

Bangka Belitung has a well-developed road network that serves both the coastal and inland areas of the main islands. The province has a number of large seaports, most of which are located on the coasts of Bangka. Domestic air service is available at Pangkalpinang and Tanjungpandan.

For administrative purposes, the province is divided into the kota (city) of Pangkalpinang and several kabupaten (regencies). Each regency is subdivided on two more levels, with clusters of villages called desa or kelurahan serving as the smallest administrative unit. The chief executive of Bangka Belitung is the governor.

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History

From roughly the 7th through the 13th century, Bangka Belitung formed part of the Buddhist Srivijaya empire, centred in Palembang, southern Sumatra. In the 14th century the area came under the influence of the Hindu Majapahit empire, based in eastern Java. By the 16th century Majapahit had fallen, and Palembang had become the seat of a Muslim sultanate. About the start of the 17th century, Palembang and the surrounding areas succumbed to the forces of the Mataram kingdom of central Java.

Official European administration began with the Dutch, who annexed Bangka and Belitung in 1806. The region was occupied by the British in 1812 (during the Napoleonic Wars), but Bangka was returned to the Dutch in 1814, followed by Belitung in 1816, and the islands were absorbed into the Dutch East Indies.

In 1950 Bangka, Belitung, and the surrounding islands became part of the Republic of Indonesia, as a keresidenan (residency) within the province of South Sumatra. In 1956 the residency system was dismantled, and the islands were fully incorporated into South Sumatra as a kabupaten (regency).

Toward the close of the 20th century, the Bangka Belitung archipelago acted upon its desire to forge a direct economic and political connection to Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital. Politicians, lobbyists, and many of the islands’ residents issued a strong call for separation from South Sumatra. As a result, the province of Bangka Belitung was created by law in 2000, and the government was installed in 2001.