Bengkulu

Bengkulu is a place in Indonesia.

It sits by the big Indian Ocean. The land is very green.

It has many hills and trees. You can see a giant flower there. It is the biggest flower in the world!

There is also a big fort. It is called Fort Marlborough.

Many people live in this land. It is a beautiful place to see.

Bengkulu is a province in Indonesia.

It sits on the southwest coast of Sumatra. The Indian Ocean is to its west and south. Bengkulu has a long coastline. It stretches for 525 kilometres.

The land has many hills and green forests. It is a tropical place. This means it stays warm and gets much rain. The average temperature is 26.8 degrees Celsius. You can find the world's biggest flower here. It is called the Rafflesia arnoldii.

Many people live in Bengkulu. Over two million people live there. Most people follow the religion of Islam. Many people belong to the Rejang group. They are the largest ethnic group in the area.

Bengkulu has a long history. Long ago, the British lived here. They built Fort Marlborough in 1714.

The fort still stands today. The land also has useful things like gold and coal. It has power from heat deep in the earth. This is called geothermal energy.

Bengkulu is a province in Indonesia located on the southwest coast of Sumatra.

It sits right by the Indian Ocean, which touches its western, southern, and southwestern sides. To the north, you will find West Sumatra. The provinces of Jambi and South Sumatra sit to the east, while Lampung is to the southeast. The land area is about 20,181 square kilometers. This is a size similar to the country of Slovenia or the state of Massachusetts. The province also includes Enggano Island and Mega Island out in the ocean.

The land here has a tropical climate with lots of rain.

It stays warm throughout the year with an average temperature of 26.8 degrees Celsius. The western part of the province has a long coastline of 525 kilometers. Much of this area is hilly with fertile plateaus. The eastern side is also hilly and has a plateau that can erode. You can find many natural resources here, such as coal and gold. The area also has large geothermal resources, which is energy from heat deep underground.

Bengkulu has a very long and interesting history.

Long ago, the Buddhist Srivijaya empire had influence in the region. Later, the British East India Company arrived to trade pepper. They built Fort Marlborough in 1714, and it still stands today.

The British stayed for about 140 years before the area went to the Dutch. In the 1930s, Sukarno lived here while he was in prison. He later became the first president of Indonesia.

Many different groups of people call Bengkulu home.

The Rejang people are the largest ethnic group, making up about 60.4% of the people. The Javanese are the second largest group at around 24%. Most people in the province follow the religion of Islam. There are also Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist communities. The population has grown steadily over the years. In 2020, there were about 2,010,670 people living there. By mid-2024, the official estimate was over 2,115,000 people.

Bengkulu is divided into nine regencies and one independent city. Bengkulu City serves as the capital of the province.

The province sits near the Sunda Fault. This means the area can have earthquakes or tsunamis. For example, an earthquake in 2000 on Enggano Island killed at least 100 people.

Even with these natural risks, the province remains a unique part of Sumatra. It is a place where history, nature, and many cultures meet.

Bengkulu is a province located on the southwest coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.

It covers a total land area of 20,181.53 square kilometers. This size is comparable to the European country of Slovenia or the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The province is bordered by West Sumatra to the north and Jambi to the northeast. To the southeast, it meets Lampung, while South Sumatra lies to the east. The Indian Ocean forms its borders to the northwest, south, southwest, and west.

The province also includes offshore areas like Mega Island and Enggano Island.

The geography of Bengkulu is defined by diverse landscapes and a tropical climate. The western coastline stretches for 525 kilometers along the Indian Ocean. This western region consists of lowlands and hilly areas that are narrow and elongated. In contrast, the eastern part of the province is hilly with a plateau prone to erosion. The province sits on the western side of the Bukit Barisan mountains. The climate is classified as Af under the Köppen-Geiger system, meaning it is tropical. It receives high rainfall throughout the year, even during the driest months. The average annual temperature is 26.8 °C, and the average annual rainfall is 3,360 mm.

Bengkulu possesses several valuable natural resources. The land contains significant deposits of coal and gold. There are also large and potential geothermal resources, which is heat from inside the Earth. However, the province is considered less developed than other provinces on Sumatra. The region is also geologically active because it lies near the Sunda Fault. This location makes the province prone to earthquakes and tsunamis. For instance, a June 2000 earthquake near Enggano Island killed at least 100 people. A series of earthquakes in September 2007 also killed 13 people. Reports suggest the coast may face risks from undersea earthquakes in the coming decades.

The history of the region spans many centuries and different empires. In the 8th century, the Buddhist Srivijaya empire held influence over the area. Later, the Majapahit Empire and the Singosari Kingdom also had presence in the region. Before European arrival, the area consisted of small "kedatuan," or ethnic-based kingdoms. These included groups in Sungai Serut, Selebar, and Marau Riang. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to visit, followed by the Dutch in 1596. In 1685, the British East India Company established a pepper-trading center here. They built Fort Marlborough in 1714, which still stands today.

British influence lasted for approximately 140 years. During this time, the area was known as Bencoolen. Sir Stamford Raffles served as the Lieutenant-Governor from 1818 to 1824. He enacted reforms such as the abolition of slavery. The British eventually ceded Bengkulu to the Dutch through the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. This was done in exchange for Malacca. The region remained part of the Dutch East Indies until the Japanese occupation during World War II. In the 1930s, Sukarno, the future first president of Indonesia, was imprisoned by the Dutch in Bengkulu.

Administratively, Bengkulu is divided into nine regencies and one independent city. Bengkulu City serves as the provincial capital. The province was officially formed on 18 November 1968. It was created by separating the historic Bencoolen Residency from South Sumatra. The population has grown significantly over recent decades. The 2010 Census recorded 1,715,518 inhabitants. By the 2020 Census, the population reached 2,010,670. The official estimate for mid-2024 is 2,115,631 people. The province ranks as the 28th largest by area and 26th largest by population in Indonesia.

The culture of Bengkulu is shaped by many different ethnic groups and religions. The Rejang people are the largest group, making up 60.4% of the population. The Javanese are the second largest group at approximately 24%. Other groups include the Lembak, Serawai, Pekal, Enggano, and Minangkabau. Religion is also diverse, though 97.69% of the population follows Islam. About 2% are Christian, while others include Hindus and Buddhists.

Many local languages belong to the Malayan group. Rejang is unique because it is a Bornean language spoken in Sumatra. This makes the linguistic landscape of Bengkulu very distinct within Indonesia.