Balikpapan

Balikpapan is a city by the sea.

It sits on the island of Borneo. It is in a land called Indonesia.

The land here is very hilly. Most of the city is not flat.

There is a big bay near the city.

It is a very warm place. It rains a lot during the year. The weather stays mostly the same.

The city is known for oil.

Long ago, it was a small fishing village. Now, many people live there.

Many people visit the busy port. It is a grand place to see.

Balikpapan is a busy seaport city in Indonesia.

It sits on the east coast of Borneo. This island is part of East Kalimantan. The city is near a large area called Balikpapan Bay.

Most of the land here is hilly. Only a small part of the city is flat. This flat land is mostly near the coast. The weather is warm and wet all year. It is a tropical rainforest climate. This means there is no dry season. It rains often, and the heat stays about the same.

Balikpapan is known as the "Oil City."

Long ago, it was a small fishing village. People began drilling for oil there in 1897. This brought many new workers to the area. Today, it is a big center for money and oil. Many people live in the city now. The sun bear is the official mascot of the city.

Balikpapan is a busy seaport city in Indonesia.

It sits on the east coast of the island of Borneo. This area is part of the East Kalimantan province. The city is located right on the eastern side of Balikpapan Bay.

It is a very important place for money and business in the region. It is the second most crowded city in East Kalimantan, after Samarinda. The city is also home to the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport.

The land in Balikpapan has a very specific shape. Most of the area is made of hills, which covers about 85 percent of the land. Only a small amount, about 15 percent, is flat ground. This flat land is mostly found near the coast or around the hills. The ground is made of sand and soil that can wash away easily.

The weather stays warm and wet throughout the entire year. Because it has a tropical rainforest climate, there is no real dry season. The temperature stays nearly the same in every month. Even the sea stays warm, staying around 29 degrees Celsius.

Long ago, Balikpapan was just a quiet fishing village.

The village was first built by Buginese people in the 19th century. Everything changed on February 10, 1897, when the first oil drilling began. The city now celebrates this date as its anniversary. Later, a Dutch company called BPM moved its headquarters there in 1907. They brought in many workers and engineers from far away. This brought a lot of growth to the city.

The city has seen many difficult times during wars. During World War II, the Empire of Japan occupied the city in 1942. There were big battles in 1942 and again in 1945. These battles caused a lot of damage to the oil stations and the seaport.

In 1958, there was another attack by a pilot named William H. Beale. He was part of a secret mission by the CIA. His bombs damaged the airport and sank a ship. These events made the oil companies stop their work for a while. It took time for the city to rebuild its important industry.

Today, Balikpapan is a large and modern place. It is often called the "Oil City" because of its history. It is also known as the "City of Believers," which stands for clean, magnificent, and comfortable.

The city has many different parts, like the E-Walk shopping area.

People also use the city for learning at places like the Politeknik Negeri Balikpapan.

The sun bear is the official mascot of the city.

This animal is an endangered species from Borneo.

Balikpapan is a major seaport city located in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It sits on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo. The city is situated on the eastern side of Balikpapan Bay.

As a central financial hub, it plays a vital role in the Kalimantan region. It is the second most populous city in East Kalimantan, following the city of Samarinda. According to 2020 census data, the population was 688,318 people. By mid-2023, official estimates placed the population at 757,418.

The city's economy is driven largely by the petroleum industry. In 2016, the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated at Rp 73.18 trillion. This makes Balikpapan the largest city in Kalimantan by GDP. The Port of Semayang serves as a critical maritime gateway. It is the second busiest seaport in East Kalimantan, after the port in Samarinda. For air travel, the city is served by the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport.

The topography of the region is primarily defined by hilly terrain. Approximately 85 percent of the land consists of hills. Only about 15 percent of the area is flat land. This flat land is mostly located along the coast or surrounding the hilly areas. The soil is often composed of yellow-reddish podsolic soil, alluvial deposits, and quartz sand. This specific soil composition makes the area highly prone to erosion.

Balikpapan experiences a tropical rainforest climate, known scientifically as Köppen Af. This means there is no distinct dry season. The weather remains consistent throughout the year with little variation. Average temperatures stay nearly identical across all months. The sea temperature also remains warm, averaging around 28.4 to 29.6 degrees Celsius.

The history of Balikpapan began as a small Buginese fishing village in the 19th century. A major turning point occurred on February 10, 1897. This was the date of the first oil drilling in the area. This date is now celebrated as the city's anniversary. In 1907, the Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij (BPM) established its headquarters there. The company brought in skilled engineers and managers from overseas. This influx of professionals and multinational companies caused a significant economic boom.

World War II brought significant conflict and destruction to the city. In 1942, the Empire of Japan occupied Balikpapan. The city was targeted by Allied forces during the first Balikpapan Battle in 1942. A second battle occurred in 1945. These conflicts heavily damaged critical infrastructure. The oil refinery stations and the seaport were completely burned to the ground.

Later, in 1958, a CIA covert mission involved a pilot named William H. Beale. He dropped bombs that damaged the airport and sank an Indonesian Navy ship. These events disrupted the local economy and oil exports for a period.

In 1965, the Indonesian state-owned company Pertamina took control of BPM. This transition shifted ownership of oil exploration activities to the Indonesian state. Pertamina eventually opened its East Borneo headquarters in Balikpapan. This helped the city emerge as a revitalized center for petroleum production. Today, the city is known by nicknames like the "Oil City." It is also called "Kota Beriman," which is an acronym for clean, magnificent, and comfortable.

Environmental challenges currently affect the local ecosystem. The Wain River Protection Forest is a vital water catchment area. However, this forest is shrinking due to encroachment and illegal logging. Some areas have seen forest conditions drop to only 63 percent. Coal mining in nearby areas like Paser also disrupts the ecosystem. This damage leads to increased flooding and landslides during heavy rains.

Protecting endangered species, such as the sun bear, remains a priority. The sun bear serves as the official mascot of Balikpapan.