Central Kalimantan


Central Kalimantan, is a province of Indonesia. It is one of five provinces in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. Its provincial capital is Palangkaraya and in 2010 its population was over 2.2 million, while the 2015 showed a rise to 2.49 million and the latest official estimate is 2,649,803.
The population growth rate was almost 3.0% per annum between 1990 and 2000, one of the highest provincial growth rates in Indonesia during that time; in the subsequent decade to 2010 the average annual growth rate slowed markedly to around 1.8%, but it rose again in the decade beginning 2010. More than is the case in other province in the region, Central Kalimantan is populated by the Dayaks, the indigenous inhabitants of Borneo.

History

Since the eighteenth century the central region of Kalimantan and its Dayak inhabitants were ruled by the Muslim Sultanate of Banjar. Following Indonesian independence after World War II, Dayak tribes demanded a province separate from South Kalimantan province.
In 1957 South Kalimantan was divided to provide the Dayak population with greater autonomy from the Muslim population in the province. The change was approved by the Indonesian Government on 23 May 1957 under Presidential Law No. 10 Year 1957, which declared Central Kalimantan the seventeenth province of Indonesia. President Sukarno appointed the Dayak-born national hero Tjilik Riwut as the first Governor and Palangkaraya the provincial capital.

Geography

Central Kalimantan is the third largest Indonesian province by area with a size of 153,564.5 km2, about 1.5 times the size of the island of Java. It is bordered by West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan provinces to the north, by the Java Sea to the south, by South Kalimantan and East Kalimantan provinces to the east, and by West Kalimantan province to west.
The Schwaner Mountains stretch from the north-east of the province to the south-west, 80% of which is covered in dense forest, peatland swamps, mangroves, rivers, and traditional agriculture land. Highland areas in the north-east are remote and not easily accessible. Non-volcanic mounts are scattered in this area including Kengkabang, Samiajang, Liang Pahang and Ulu Gedang.
The centre of the province is covered with tropical forest, which produces rattan, resin and valuable timber such as Ulin and Meranti. The southern lowlands are dominated by peatland swamps that intersect with many rivers. Sabangau National Park is a protected peatland area internationally acknowledged as sanctuary for the endangered Orangutan. Recently the peat swamp forests have been damaged by the Mega Rice Project, which unsuccessfully sought to turn large areas into rice paddies.
The province's climate is wet weather equatorial zone with an eight-month rainy season, and 4 months of dry season. Rainfall or precipitation is 2,776 – 3,393 mm per year with an average of 145 rainy days annually.

Rivers

Central Kalimantan has numerous rivers from the catchment areas to the north in the Schwaner Mountains, flowing to the Java Sea. The major rivers include:
Rivers are an important mode of transportation and a primary location for settlement. With relatively undeveloped infrastructure, the province's economy relies heavily on the rivers.

Administrative divisions

Central Kalimantan is administratively divided into thirteen regencies – each headed by a regent – and one city, the latter being Palangka Raya. These are as follows:
NameArea in
Sq. km		Population
2000 Census		Population
2010 Census		Population
2015 Census		Population
Estimate
2019		CapitalHDI
2018 estimate
Palangkaraya CityPalangkaraya0.803
East Barito Regency
Tamiang Layang0.708
East Kotawaringin Regency
Sampit0.705
Gunung Mas RegencyKuala Kurun0.702
Kapuas RegencyKuala Kapuas0.686
Katingan RegencyKasongan0.679
Lamandau RegencyNanga Bulik0.697
Murung Raya RegencyPurukcahu0.675
North Barito Regency
Muara Teweh0.697
Pulang Pisau RegencyPulang Pisau0.675
Seruyan RegencyKuala Pembuang0.670
South Barito Regency
Buntok0.697
Sukamara RegencySukamara0.675
West Kotawaringin Regency
Pangkalan Bun0.726
TotalsPalangka Raya0.704

In addition to the civil service, Central Kalimantan also recognises a traditional governing system led by traditional leaders known as Demang. The province is divided into 67 traditional law areas known as Kademangan, headed by Demang. The system is intended to culturally recognise and preserve the customs and heritage of the Dayak tribes.

Railroads

contracted to build railroads from Central Kalimantan to East Kalimantan for coal transportation with estimated cost of US$2.4 billion, starting in 2013 and completing in 2017.

Demographics

Religion

The population of Central Kalimantan is 74.31% Muslim, 18.6% Christian, 0.50% Hindu, 0.11% Buddhist, and 6.26% other.

Ethnic groups

The three major Dayak tribes in Central Kalimantan are the Ngaju, Ot Danum and Dusun Ma'anyan Ot Siang. The three major tribes extended into several branches of prominent Dayak tribes in Central Kalimantan such as Lawangan, Taboyan, Dusun Siang, Boyan, Bantian, Dohoi and Kadori.
In addition to the indigenous Dayak tribes, there are also ethnic groups from other areas of Indonesia, including Malays, Javanese, Madurese, Batak, Toraja, Ambonese, Bugis, Palembang, Minang, Banjarese, Makassar, Papuan, Balinese, Acehnese and also Chinese.