Manado

Manado is the capital city of the North Sulawesi province in Indonesia.

It sits along the shores of the Bay of Manado. High mountains surround the city on most sides.

Manado is the second largest city on the island of Sulawesi. Only the city of Makassar is larger. The city covers a land area of 157.26 square kilometers. As of mid-2023, the population was about 458,582 people. This includes 229,982 males and 228,600 females. The larger Manado metropolitan area holds over 1.3 million people.

The name Manado has a deep history in the Sangir language. It comes from the word *manaro*. This means "on the far coast" or "in the distance." Originally, the name described one of two islands visible from the mainland. When people moved from the island to the mainland, they brought the name with them. The original island is now known as Manado Tua, or "Old Manado." In the Gorontalo language, the name for the city is Moladu.

European history in the region began with various powers. Before Europeans arrived, the Sultan of Ternate ruled the area. The Sultan introduced Islam and collected tribute from the inhabitants. Later, the Portuguese established a factory in Wenang. The Spanish also arrived and used the rich soil to plant coffee. They used Manado as a center for Chinese traders to buy coffee. By the 1550s, the Spanish controlled the Minahasa region.

They even built a fort in Manado. This led to the development of a Mestizo community. A Mestizo is a person of mixed European and indigenous descent. In 1630, the first King of Manado, Muntu Untu, was the son of a Spanish Mestizo.

Control of the region changed many times over the centuries. Spain eventually left Minahasa after a treaty with the Portuguese. The Dutch East India Company later arrived. They built Fort Amsterdam in Manado in 1658. During this time, missionaries like Johann Friedrich Riedel arrived. They brought Christianity to the region. The first Christian church was the Oude Kerk, now called Gereja Sentrum. In 1810, the HMS Dover captured the city. Later, the Dutch exiled the Javanese prince Diponegoro to Manado in 1830. In 1942, the Japanese captured the city during World War II. The city suffered heavy damage from Allied bombing during the war. In 1962, Manado became the official capital of North Sulawesi.

The climate in Manado is a tropical rainforest climate.

This means there is no real dry season. The weather is influenced by the monsoon. Because it is near the equator, temperatures stay constant. August is the hottest month with an average temperature of 27.5°C. January and February are the coolest months at 24.1°C. January is also the wettest month. September is the driest month. The city is often cooler than other Indonesian cities.

Manado is a very diverse and peaceful place. Most residents belong to the Minahasa ethnic group. The indigenous Tombulu people live in many urban villages. Many people speak Manado Malay, which is a Malay-based creole. The city is known for being very tolerant.

Most people are Protestant Christians, making up about 62.89 percent of the population. Islam is the second largest religion at 30.93 percent. Catholicism follows at 5.32 percent. Other groups include Buddhists, Hindus, and a small Jewish community. The people use the slogan "Torang samua basudara." This means "We are all family."

Tourism is a major part of the city's economy. Manado is one of Indonesia's top five tourism priorities. Bunaken National Park is a world-famous attraction.

Visitors love to go snorkeling in the sea there. Other natural sites include Tunan Waterfall and Mount Tumpa. The city is also home to the oldest temple, Ban Hin Kiong. Travelers reach the city via Sam Ratulangi International Airport. This airport connects Manado to Southeast Asia and East Asia. Local travel includes mikrolets, which are shared taxis.