Bitung, officially the City of Bitung (Indonesian: Kota Bitung), is a coastal city at the north-eastern edge of the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Bitung is located in the province of North Sulawesi (Sulawesi Utara), and faces Lembeh Island (which forms two districts of the city), and the Lembeh Strait, which is known for its colourful marine life, in particular sea slugs. Bitung has a population of 187,932 at the 2010 Census, making it the second most populated city in the province after the capital Manado,[2] rising to 225,134 at the 2020 Census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 232,440 (comprising 119,120 males and 113,330 females).[1]
Bitung | |
|---|---|
| City of Bitung Kota Bitung | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location within North Sulawesi | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
| Coordinates: 1°26′50″N 125°11′52″E / 1.44722°N 125.19778°E | |
| Country |  Indonesia |
| Region | Sulawesi |
| Province |  North Sulawesi |
| Established | 10 April 1975 as 'Administrative City of Bitung' 15 August 1990 as 'Bitung City' (Kota Bitung) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Maurits Mantiri |
| • Vice Mayor | Hengky Honandar |
| Area | |
| • Total | 313.51 km2 (121.05 sq mi) |
| Population (mid-2023 estimate)[1] | |
| • Total | 232,440 |
| • Density | 740/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (Indonesia Central Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | no DST |
| Postcodes | 955xx |
| Area code | (+62) 438 |
| Vehicle registration | DB |
| Website | bitungkota.go.id |
A number of development projects have been completed, or are currently undergoing centring around the city; these include the Bitung Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Manado–Bitung Toll Road, Bitung International Ocean Going Ship Port, and the Makassar-Bitung rail track; which will automatically make the city a gateway to the Pacific region.[4]
Administrative divisions
editThe city is divided into eight districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census[2] and the 2020 Census,[3] together with the official estimates of population as at mid 2022.[5] The table also includes the number of administrative villages (urban kelurahan) in each district, and their post codes (kode pos).
| Kode Wilayah |
Name of District (kecamatan) |
Area in km2 |
Pop'n census 2010 |
Pop'n census 2020 |
Pop'n estimate mid 2022 |
No. of villages |
Post codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71.72.02 | Madidir (a) | 20.83 | 33,482 | 36,323 | 36,292 | 8 | 95513 - 95516, 95541 |
| 71.72.05 | Matuari (b) | 33.96 | 27,180 | 40,496 | 43,024 | 8 | 95539, 95545 - 95547 |
| 71.82.06 | Girian | 5.17 | 27,862 | 38,074 | 39,780 | 7 | 95511, 95542 - 95544 |
| 71.72.01 | Lembeh Selatan (c) (South Lembeh) |
25.53 | 9,120 | 10,665 | 10,812 | 7 | 95551 - 95558 |
| 71.72.08 | Lembeh Utara (North Lembeh) |
27.66 | 8,509 | 9,525 | 9,575 | 10 | 95551 - 95559 |
| 71.72.04 | Aertembaga (d) | 33.09 | 28,262 | 29,994 | 29,842 | 10 | 95521 - 95529 |
| 71.72.07 | Maesa | 9.70 | 36,007 | 39,681 | 39,768 | 8 | 95511 & 95512, 95521 - 95523 |
| 71.72.03 | Ranowulu (e) | 157.57 | 17,230 | 20,376 | 20,702 | 11 | 95531 - 95538 |
| Totals | 313.51 | 187,932 | 225,134 | 229,795 | 69 | — |
Notes: (a) formerly Bitung Tengah (Central Bitung). (b) formerly Bitung Barat (West Bitung). (c) formerly Bitung Selatan (South Bitung); the district includes 15 offshore islands. (d) formerly Bitung Timur (East Bitung). (e) formerly Bitung Utara (North Bitung); the district includes offshore island of Pulau Powteng.
Nature reserve
editTangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve is two hours' drive away from Manado, and one hour from Bitung. Tarsius spectrum can be found easily in the nature reserve.[6]
Economy
editBitung Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
editBitung was named as one of the country's Special Economic Zones in 2014. Priority sectors in the area are logistics, herbal pharmacy, fish processing and coconut processing. Based on Government Regulation No.32/2014 on Bitung SEZ, it will occupy an area of 534 hectares (1,320 acres). The SEZ is divided into three zones, namely industrial zone, logistics zone, and Export Processing Zone.[7]
Transport
editManado-Bitung Toll Road
editOn 16 January 2014, local authorities passed responsibility to acquire land for the Manado–Bitung Toll Road to the Public Works Ministry, although the initiation of works after the formality would take some time.[8] The construction of the 39.9 kilometres (24.8 miles) toll road was expected to cost Rp 6.7 trillion (US$ 503 million). It was completed in early 2022, and formally opened on 25 February 2022.[9]
Davao-Bitung Roll-On Roll-Off Ferry Service
editOn 28 April 2017, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesia President Joko Widodo inaugurated the Davao-Bitung Roll-on Roll-Off Ferry Service that will allow journey time of just three days between two cities. The original shipping route from Davao City in Mindanao, Philippines, took up to five weeks, because ships first have to sail northwards to Manila, passing through South China Sea and Malaysia waters before it reaches various ports in Indonesia. Under the programme, there are 5 to 10 companies who will use the initial voyage of the Cebu-based Asia Marine Transport Corp.'s M/V Super Shuttle RORO 12 with a 500 TEU capacity. Among the goods to be traded include animal feeds, aqua products, charcoal, coffee beans, construction materials, copra, feed ingredients, fertilisers, food and beverages, fresh fruits, ice cream products, meats, peanuts, poultry (halal), soya, sugar, and synthetics.[10][11][12][13] By 2019, however, the route had ceased operations due to a lack of demand caused by similarities in commodities produced by the two cities.[14]
Climate
editBitung has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.
| Climate data for Bitung | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.4 (84.9) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.7 (87.3) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.9 (87.6) |
30.9 (87.6) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.6 (88.9) |
30.8 (87.4) |
29.9 (85.8) |
30.6 (87.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.8 (78.4) |
25.9 (78.6) |
26.1 (79.0) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.5 (79.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.5 (72.5) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.5 (72.5) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.2 (72.0) |
21.9 (71.4) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.5 (72.5) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.4 (72.2) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 387 (15.2) |
319 (12.6) |
277 (10.9) |
249 (9.8) |
233 (9.2) |
203 (8.0) |
155 (6.1) |
124 (4.9) |
137 (5.4) |
165 (6.5) |
263 (10.4) |
331 (13.0) |
2,843 (112) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org[15] | |||||||||||||
Notable people
edit- Dani Namangge, footballer
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2024, Kota Bitung Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7172)
- ^ a b Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
- ^ a b Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
- ^ Priyambodo RH, ed. (14 February 2017). "Training of manpower necessary for development of Bitung SEZ". En.AntaraNews.com. Manado, Indonesia: Antara News. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023, Kota Bitung Dalam Angka 2023 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7172)
- ^ "Taman Nasional Tangkoko" [Tangkoko National Park]. Koran-Jakarta.com (in Indonesian). Koran Jakarta, PT Berita Nusantara. 24 June 2013. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Chinese company promises better development in Bitung". En.Tempo.co. Tempo. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ Ryo Noor (16 January 2014). Andrew Pattymahu (ed.). "Jalan Tol Manado Bitung di Launching" [Manado Bitung Toll Road is launching] (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ Sugianto, Danang (2 May 2017). "Proyek Jalan Tol Manado-Bitung Habiskan Dana Hingga Rp 6,7 T" [Manado-Bitung Toll Road project spends up to IDR 6.7 T]. finance.detik.com (in Indonesian). Detik. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ "Jokowi, Duterte open new shipping line between Davao City and Bitung". JakartaGlobe.id. Jakarta, Indonesia: Jakarta Globe. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ "Sah, Kapal Ro-Ro Davao-Bitung Mulai Beroperasi 30 April" [Legitimately, the Davao-Bitung Ro-Ro vessel started operations 30 April]. bisniskeuangan.kompas.com (in Indonesian). PT. Kompas Cyber Media (Kompas Gramedia Digital Group). 28 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ "Soon: shorter shipping route between PH, Indonesia". Rappler.com. Rappler. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ Antonio L. Colina IV (28 April 2017). "Davao-GenSan-Bitung RORO route to decongest ports in Manila". MindaNews.com. Davao City, Philippines: Mindanao Institute of Journalism. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ Sri Mas Sari (18 July 2019). Hendra Wibawa (ed.). "Pengoperasian Ulang Rute Bitung - Davao Masih Tunggu Insentif" [Re-operation of Bitung - Davao route still waiting for incentives]. Bisnis.com (in Indonesian). Jakarta, Indonesia: Bisnis Indonesia. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ "Climate: Bitung". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
Media
editMedia related to Bitung at Wikimedia Commons
- https://web.archive.org/web/20130808160445/http://BitungTimes.com/