Makassar

Makassar, formerly known as Ujung Pandang, is the capital of the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, and Bandung. The city is located on the southwest coast of the island of Sulawesi, facing the Makassar Strait.

Throughout its history, Makassar has been an important trading port. It was once the center of the Gowa Sultanate and later hosted a Portuguese naval base before the Dutch East India Company took control in the 17th century. During the time of the Dutch East Indies, Makassar remained a key port, helping connect Eastern Indonesian regions. Fishers from Makassar even traveled as far as the coast of Australia.

After Indonesia declared independence in 1946, Makassar briefly served as the capital of the State of East Indonesia, a region set up by the Dutch. However, in 1950, the Makassar Uprising led to the area joining the Republic of Indonesia.

Today, Makassar covers about 175.77 square kilometers and has a population of around 1.5 million people. Its larger surrounding area, called Mamminasata, includes many nearby districts and has a population of about 2.8 million. Makassar is considered one of the four main cities of Indonesia, along with Medan, Jakarta, and Surabaya. The city also has some of the most valuable commercial property in the country, second only to Greater Jakarta.

Names and etymology

See also: Names of Makassar in different languages

The city of Makassar has had many different names over time. In the past, it was often called Macassar in English and other European languages. During the time when the Dutch ruled the area, they used both Makasser and Makassar. After Indonesia gained independence, the name Makassar was kept.

In 1971, the city was renamed to Ujung Pandang, but this name was not very popular. In 1999, the name changed back to Makassar. In the local language, the city is called Mangkasara′, written in a special script used for the local languages.

History

See also: Timeline of Makassar

The trade in spices played a big role in the history of Sulawesi. For many years, different groups fought to control this trade. Many stories about South Sulawesi’s past come from old texts written in the 1300s and 1400s.

Makassar is named in the Nagarakretagama, a poem made in the 1300s. It says Makassar was a place controlled by the kingdom of Majapahit at the time, along with Butun, Salaya, and Banggawi.

Makassarese kingdom

Main article: Sultanate of Gowa

One important ruler, the 9th King of Gowa Tumaparisi Kallonna, made an alliance with the nearby Tallo in the 1500s. This helped Makassar grow as a trading place. Traders from many places, like Malay people, the Portuguese, and others, used the city’s port.

As time went on, the Dutch wanted to control the spice trade. But Makassar’s leaders allowed all traders to come, which made the city very important. Even after the Dutch took over places like Portuguese Melaka, Makassar stayed a busy port.

Dutch colonial period

Later, new leaders in Makassar caused problems. This led to fights, and in the late 1600s, the Dutch took control of Makassar with help from nearby groups. They built a fort called Fort Rotterdam and made it the new center of the city.

Even with Dutch rule, Makassar stayed a place where people from many cultures traded goods like copra, rattan, and sandalwood.

After independence

After Indonesia proclaimed its Independence in 1945, Makassar became an important city. For a time, it was called Ujungpandang, but in 1999, the name changed back to Makassar.

Geography

Makassar is the capital of the province of South Sulawesi. It is found in the southern part of Sulawesi Island and is bordered by Maros Regency and Pangkajene and Islands Regency to the north, Maros Regency to the east, Gowa Regency to the south, and the Makassar Strait to the west. The city covers an area of 175.77 square kilometers.

Makassar is a coastal city with stretches of land along the water. It is called the "Waterfront City" because several rivers, like the Tallo River, Jeneberang River, and Pampang River, flow through it. The city sits low, with heights between 0–25 meters above sea level.

Climate

Makassar has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen: Am). The average temperature is about 27.5 °C (81.5 °F) all year. Temperatures stay fairly steady, with highs around 32.5 °C (90.5 °F) and lows around 22.5 °C (72.5 °F).

Rainfall changes a lot through the year. Makassar usually gets about 3,086 mm (121.50 in) of rain over 163 days. In August, the driest month, it may only rain 15 mm (0.59 in) once. But in the wet season, between December and February, there can be over 500 mm (20 in) each month. In January, the wettest month, about 734 mm (28.90 in) of rain falls over twenty-seven days.

Government

The city is led by a mayor who is chosen by voters for a five-year term. The mayor works with a vice mayor, who is also elected. The city has a group of elected leaders called a legislative assembly, and they serve for five years as well.

Makassar City has 15 areas called administrative districts, and these are divided into 153 smaller parts known as urban villages. Below is a list of the districts with details about their size and population from different years.

Demographics

Makassar is a city where many different groups of people live together. Most of the people are Makassarese and Buginese. Others include Torajans, Mandarese, Butonese, Chinese (mainly from the Cantonese group), and Javanese.

As of mid-2023, about 1,474,393 people live in the city, and around 2,795,639 live in the surrounding area.

Economy

Makassar is an important port city in Indonesia, known for its connections through ships and trade. It is famous for special wooden ships called pinisi that travel long distances for trade.

The city's economy today mainly relies on services like restaurants, hotels, transportation, and trading. Industry also plays a big role, with many factories and businesses.

Makassar has a long history with fishing, especially for trepang, also known as sea cucumber. This fishing brought Makassan people into contact with Indigenous Australians long before Europeans arrived. They traveled to areas like Arnhem Land to trade for trepang, using traditional sailing boats called perahus.

Transportation

Makassar has a special public transportation system called pete-pete. These are like share taxis, and you can tell where they are going by the letter on the windshield. The city also has smaller vehicles called becak, which are a bit different from those found on the island of Java. In addition to these, Makassar has government buses, regular taxis, and ride-hailing services like Gojek.

There is also a bus rapid transit system named "Trans Mamminasata" that began in 2014. It helps people travel through Makassar and to nearby cities. The city also has an international airport called Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, located in the nearby area of Maros Regency. For sea travel, Makassar uses the Soekarno-Hatta Sea Port, which was planned to be expanded to make it easier for ships to dock.

Media

The oldest newspaper in the Makassar region is Fajar, which is part of the Jawa Pos Group. Other newspapers like Tribun Timur and Ujungpandang Ekspres are also available in the area.

Local TV stations in Makassar include the privately owned Fajar TV. The public station TVRI South Sulawesi also covers the city.

Traditional cuisine

Makassar is known for its tasty traditional foods. One of the most famous dishes is coto makassar, a special stew made with nuts, spices, and selected parts of beef. Another popular dish is konro, a tasty rib meal. Both of these dishes are often enjoyed with burasa or ketupat, a special rice cake.

Another well-known dish from Makassar is ayam goreng sulawesi, which is fried chicken that is marinated for a full day before being cooked. It is usually served with rice, chicken broth, and a special sambal made from chili.

Makassar is also famous for pisang epe, a pressed banana covered with palm sugar sauce, often eaten with durian. Another treat is pisang ijo, a banana covered in green-colored flour and coconut milk, sometimes served cold. Many people enjoy these treats, especially around Losari Beach.

Education

Makassar is home to several important universities, including the State University of Makassar, Hasanuddin University, and Alauddin Islamic State University. In 2007, the city made a rule that all schoolgirls must wear skirts that fall below the knee.

International relations

Makassar has many important connections with other countries and cities around the world.

The city hosts several consulates from countries like Australia, Germany, Japan, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and France.

Makassar is also a twin town or sister city with several places, including Kuala Terengganu in Malaysia, Lismore in Australia, Peshawar in Pakistan, and Qingdao in China.

Notable people

Main category: People from Makassar

Makassar has been home to many important individuals throughout history. These people have contributed to various fields, making the city proud of its rich cultural heritage.