Jambi

Jambi is a province located in Indonesia. It sits on the east coast of central Sumatra. The land stretches from the coast to the Barisan Mountains in the west. It is bordered by Riau to the north. West Sumatra lies to the west. Bengkulu is to the southwest. South Sumatra is to the south. To the east, it shares a maritime border with the Riau Islands and the Pacific Ocean. The province covers a land area of 49,026.58 km2. Its sea area is 3,274.95 km2. This total size is comparable to the European country of Slovakia.

The history of Jambi is very old. It was once the site of the Melayu kingdom. This kingdom engaged in trade throughout the Strait of Malacca. In 644 CE, it sent a mission to China. By 685 CE, the area was annexed by Srivijaya. However, the region tried to declare independence in the 9th century. Later, Jambi became a major player in trade. It succeeded Palembang as a leader in the Malacca straits. Even after the Chola raids in 1025, Jambi continued to send missions to China.

During the colonial period, the Jambi Sultanate profited from pepper trade. They traded with the Dutch, the British, Chinese, Arabs, and Malays. This relationship with the Dutch declined around 1770. For sixty years, the sultanate had little contact with the Dutch. In 1833, minor conflicts occurred with the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch wanted more control over Jambi. They coerced Sultan Facharudin to allow a greater Dutch presence. The sultanate remained nominally independent for a time.

In 1858, the Dutch invaded Jambi to stop foreign competition. They sent a force from their capital, Batavia. Sultan Taha fled upriver to the inland regions to avoid them. The Dutch installed a puppet ruler named Nazarudin in the lower region. This area included the capital city. For forty years, Taha maintained an upriver kingdom. He used political agreements and marriage connections to regain influence. In 1904, the Dutch captured and killed Taha. By 1906, the entire area was under direct colonial control. Jambi then became a Residency in the Netherlands Indies.

Jambi's modern borders changed many times. In 1945, Sumatra was one single province. In 1948, it was divided into three provinces. Jambi was part of the Central Sumatra province. This province was divided again in 1957. At that time, Jambi became an independent province. It started with three regencies: Kerinci, Batanghari, and Bungo Tebo. It also included the independent city of Jambi. Over the years, more regencies were formed. For example, Sarolangun Bangko and Tanjung Jabung were created in 1965. More splits happened in 1999. Finally, Sungai Penuh became an independent city in 2008.

Today, the province is divided into nine regencies and two cities. These are further split into 141 districts. There are also 153 urban villages and 1,399 rural villages. The population has grown significantly. The 2010 census recorded 3,092,265 people. The 2020 census showed 3,548,228 people. An official estimate for 2026 is 3,811,660 people. This estimate includes 1,893,490 males and 1,830,790 females. The population is ethnically diverse. About 38% are Jambi Malay and 20% are Javanese. The Chinese population is 10.2%. The Kerinci people make up 10% of the population. Other groups make up 31.8%.

Nature and culture are very important in Jambi. The Kerinci Seblat National Park is a major site. It is the second-largest national park in Southeast Asia. It is a stronghold for the Sumatran tiger. Inside the park is Mount Kerinci. This is the highest active volcano in Southeast Asia.

The Muaro Jambi Temples are also famous. This site was a Buddhist education centre in the 7th and 8th centuries. The temples are made from bricks similar to those in India. The government wants this to be a World Heritage Site.

Most people in Jambi follow Islam. About 96.09% of the population is Muslim. Other religions include Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Hinduism.