Bangka Belitung Islands

1.1.9 Bangka-Belitung Islands

Bangka-Belitung


Motto: Serumpun Sebalai (Malay)
(The same root, the same place)


Capital
Pangkal Pinang

Governor
Eko Maulana Ali

Area
18,724.74 km2 (7,230 sq mi)
Population
1,012,655
Density
54.1 /km2 (140 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Malays (72%), Chinese (12%), Javanese (6%), Buginese (3%), Madurese (1%)

Religion
Muslim (81.8%), Buddhist (8.7%), Confucianism (5.1%), Protestant (2.4%), Catholic (1.7%), Hindu (0.1%)
Languages
Indonesian, Hakka (Chinese)

Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.bangkabelitungprov.go.id, www.visitbabelarchi.com

Bangka-Belitung Islands is a province of Indonesia, which includes two main islands, Bangka and Belitung, and several smaller ones that lie from the east of Sumatra to the northeast of South Sumatra province. The Bangka Strait separates Sumatra and Bangka, and the Gaspar Strait separates Bangka and Belitung. The South China Sea is to the north, the Java Sea is to the south, and Borneo to the east is separated from Belitung by the Karimata Strait.
The province was formerly part of South Sumatra, but became a separate province along with Banten and Gorontalo in 2000. In 2004 its population was 1,012,655. The capital is Pangkal Pinang.
These islands have significant mining (the largest producers of tin in Indonesia). They also produce white pepper CPO etc.
Bangka Belitung also has many beaches and smaller islands which have attracted tourists from around the world. The famous beaches are Matras beach, Parai beach, Tanjung Pesona beach, Batu Bedaun beach, Remodong beach, Pasir Padi Beach, Tanjung Kelian Beach, Rebo beach, Telok Uber Beach and many others.
Bangka-Belitung is divided into six regencies (kabupaten) and 1 city (kota):
Bangka (regency seat: Sungailiat (town))
West Bangka (regency seat: Muntok)
South Bangka (regency seat: Toboali)
Central Bangka (regency seat: Koba)
Belitung (regency seat : Tanjung Pandan)
East Belitung (regency seat: Manggar)
Pangkal Pinang (city)