Sibolga | |
|---|---|
| City of Sibolga Kota Sibolga | |
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Batak | ᯘᯪᯅᯬᯞ᯲ᯎ |
 Sibolga view from Simarbarimbing hill, 2016 | |
 Seal | |
 Location withinNorth Sumatra | |
| Coordinates:1°44′24″N98°46′48″E / 1.74000°N 98.78000°E /1.74000; 98.78000 | |
| Country |  Indonesia |
| Region | Sumatra |
| Province |  North Sumatra |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Syarfi Hutauruk |
| • Vice Mayor | Edi Polo Sitanggang |
| • Chairman of City's Council of Representatives | Akhmad Syukri Nazry Penarik (Nasdem) |
| • Vice Chairman of City's Council of Representatives | Jamil Zeb Tumori (Golkar) |
| Area | |
• Total | 10.77 km2 (4.16 sq mi) |
| Population (mid 2023 estimate) | |
• Total | 91,265 |
| • Density | 8,500/km2 (22,000/sq mi) |
| [1] | |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (Indonesia Western Time) |
| Area code | (+62) 631 |
| Website | www |
Sibolga (formerly sometimesSiboga) is a city and a port located in the natural harbour ofSibolga Bay on the west coast ofNorth Sumatra province, inIndonesia.
The city is located on the western side of North Sumatra facing the Indian Ocean, is a transit harbour to Nias Island, and was hard hit during the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Sibolga is also asemi-enclave withinCentral Tapanuli Regency, as Sibolga borders Central Tapanuli Regency in the north, east, and south, while it borders theMentawai Strait in the west.
The city has an area of only 10.77 km2 and is the smallest city by land area in Indonesia.[2] It had a population of 84,444 at the 2010 census[3] and 89,584 at the 2020 census;[4] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 91,265 - comprising 45,839 males and 45,426 females.[1]
The city is divided into fourdistricts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census[3] and the 2020 census,[4] together with the official estimates as of mid-2023.[1] The table also includes the number ofadministrative villages (all classed as urbankelurahan) in each district and its postcodes.
| Kode Wilayah | Name of District (kecamatan) | Area in km2 | Pop'n census 2010 | Pop'n census 2020 | Pop'n estimate mid 2023 | No. of villages | Post codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.73.01 | Sibolga Utara (North Sibolga) | 3.33 | 19,970 | 21,383 | 21,831 | 5 | 22511 -22514 |
| 12.73.02 | Sibolga Kota (Sibolga Town) | 2.73 | 14,304 | 15,172 | 15,448 | 4 | 22521 -22524 |
| 12.73.03 | Sibolga Selatan (South Sibolga) | 3.14 | 30,082 | 33,346 | 34,177 | 4 | 22533 -22538 |
| 12.73.04 | Sibolga Sambas | 1.57 | 20,125 | 19,683 | 19,809 | 4 | 22531 -22535 |
| Totals | 10.77 | 84,441 | 89,584 | 91,265 | 17 |
Poncan Ketek Island (Small Poncan Island) inSibolga Bay was once the location of a fort, with British, Dutch, French, and American traders passing through. It is thoughtStamford Raffles passed through before he moved toBengkulu in southern Sumatra. From Bengkulu Raffles, after relinquishing the port to the Dutch, established the trade port that becameSingapore.
At some point between 1890 and 1920, there was a major fire in the city, which was presumably mostly built from wood from the surrounding mountains (shown partly denuded in the 1928 panorama below).
After the Japanese invasion of Sumatra in 1942, a makeshift prison described as a "civilian camp" was set up atTaroetoengweg, in the city center, from 16 March to 4 May 1942. It first housed 10 "European" men from in and around Sibolga, who were then joined on April 24 by another 10 men from the island ofNias. On May 4 they were taken to the Native Secondary School for Boys inPearadja (Taroetoeng), located in the mountains behind Sibolga.[5]
Buses are available fromMedan,Parapat, andPadang. Ferries from here service the outlying islands to the west,Simeulue andNias, as well as the rest ofIndonesia. Sibolga is a step-off point for trade and passenger boats to Nias Island. The local airport isFerdinand Lumban Tobing Airport.
This area has atropical rainforest climate with no realdry season. Regions with this climate typically featuretropical rainforests, and are designated by theKöppen climate classification as "Af".[6]
| Climate data for Sibolga | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31 (87) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (87) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (87) | 30 (86) | 29 (85) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (74) | 23 (74) | 23 (74) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (74) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (74) | 23 (73) | 23 (74) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 300 (11.8) | 280 (11.0) | 390 (15.4) | 420 (16.5) | 310 (12.2) | 230 (9.1) | 280 (11.0) | 350 (13.8) | 370 (14.6) | 490 (19.3) | 450 (17.7) | 420 (16.5) | 4,290 (168.9) |
| Source: Weatherbase[7] | |||||||||||||
Media related toSibolga at Wikimedia Commons
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