South Kalimantan

South Kalimantan is a province located in Indonesia on the island of Borneo.

While it is the smallest province in land area on the island, it is the second most populous. The province is bordered by the Makassar Strait to the east and the Java Sea to the south. To the north and west, it shares borders with Central Kalimantan. East Kalimantan lies to the northeast. The provincial territory also includes the island of Pulau Laut and several smaller offshore islands.

The population of the province has grown steadily over recent decades. In the 2010 Census, the population was recorded at just over 3.625 million people. By the 2020 Census, this number rose to 4.07 million. Official estimates for mid-2025 placed the population at 4,323,330 people. This population is larger than the total population of the country of Mongolia. The province is organized into 11 regencies and 2 cities. For a long time, Banjarmasin served as the provincial capital. However, on 15 February 2022, the capital was legally moved to Banjarbaru, located 35 km southeast.

South Kalimantan is the traditional homeland of the Banjar people. Banjarmasin has historically served as the cultural capital for Banjar culture. Many Banjar people have migrated to other parts of Indonesia or to neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia. Other ethnic groups also live in the province. Several Dayak groups inhabit the interior regions. Javanese people also live there, many of whom migrated during the Transmigration program that began in the Dutch colonial era.

The history of the region is deeply connected to ancient migrations and kingdoms. Maanyan mythology describes the Nan Sarunai Kingdom as the first kingdom in southern Kalimantan. This kingdom may have once connected with Madagascar near Africa. This connection is supported by linguistic similarities between the Banjar and Malagasy languages. Genetic evidence suggests that the Banjar people are the Asian group most likely to have traveled to Madagascar. This migration likely occurred around 830 AD, or about 1,200 years ago.

Archaeological evidence confirms the ancient presence of organized societies in the area. The Candi Agung complex in Amuntai is a significant remnant of this era. In 1996, scientists used C-14 testing on charcoal samples from the site. This testing dated the structure to between 242 and 226 BC. This makes the Nan Sarunai Kingdom approximately 600 years older than the Kutai Martapura Kingdom in East Kalimantan. Following the era of Nan Sarunai, the territory saw the rise of the Kingdom of Dipa. This kingdom was founded around 1380 or 1387 by a merchant named Ampu Jatmika.

The political landscape changed through various invasions and the rise of the Sultanate of Banjar. The Majapahit Empire invaded the Nan Sarunai Kingdom multiple times. The final invasion occurred in 1355 under the reign of Hayam Wuruk. After these conflicts, the Hindu kingdom of Negara Dipa was established. Later, Raden Samudra became the first king of the Sultanate of Banjar in 1521. He took the title Sultan Suriansyah and became the first king to convert to Islam.

The Sultanate experienced a golden age during the first decade of the 17th century. During this time, pepper was a major commodity for trade. The Sultanate was very powerful and collected tribute from many surrounding areas. At its height, its influence reached from the central palace in Martapura to the Sambas Regency in the northwest. The Sultanate also faced political pressure from the Mataram Sultanate on the island of Java. This led to peace conferences and significant migrations of Javanese people to Borneo.

Modern South Kalimantan maintains a blend of traditional lifestyles and industrial activities. The river systems remain vital to the region's identity and economy. You can see many boats on the Martapura River, which was used heavily during the Dutch colonial era.

Local traditions like Wayang Banjar and traditional dances continue to be practiced. The economy also includes diverse activities such as diamond mining in Martapura.

The province remains a central part of the Indonesian archipelago.