South Sulawesi

South Sulawesi is a large province located on the southern peninsula of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

It covers a land area of 45,323.98 square kilometers. The province is surrounded by several different bodies of water. To the west lies the Makassar Strait. To the south is the Flores Sea. The Gulf of Bone sits to the east.

To the north, the province borders Central Sulawesi and West Sulawesi. The capital and largest city is Makassar. The province also includes the Selayar Islands archipelago to the south.

This region is a very crowded place. It is the most populous province on the island of Sulawesi. In 2010, the population was about 8,032,551 people. By 2020, this number rose to 9,073,509. Official estimates for mid-2025 placed the population at 9,563,130 people. This total includes 4,751,880 males and 4,811,250 females. The population grows by almost 100,000 people every single year. The province contains 369 offshore islands. These include many islands in the Pangkajene and Islands Regency and the Selayar Islands Regency.

Many different ethnic groups live in South Sulawesi. The Buginese are the largest group. They make up almost 4 million people and live in the middle of the peninsula. Many Buginese people have migrated to other islands or even to Malaysia. The Makassarese are the second largest group. They live in the southern part of the peninsula. There are over 2 million Makassarese people. The Torajan people are an indigenous group. They live in the mountainous northern region in Tana Toraja and North Toraja.

People speak many languages here. Buginese is one of the most widely spoken languages on the entire island of Sulawesi.

The economy relies on several different industries. Many people work in agriculture and fishing. Others work in mining for metals. These metals include gold, magnesium, and iron. The Buginese and Makassarese people still use traditional sailing ships. These ships are called pinisi. A pinisi is a two-masted vessel used for cargo and fishing. These ships help move goods across the Indonesian archipelago.

This traditional way of seafaring connects the many islands of the province.

Humans have inhabited this land for a very long time. Archaeological evidence shows people lived here 30,000 years ago. Scientists found stone tools near limestone hills in Maros. They also found bones from extinct species of giant pigs and elephants.

In the Pettakere cave, researchers found handprint paintings. These paintings are estimated to be between 35,000 and 40,000 years old. In the early 14th century, commerce increased because of the demand for rice. This led to more intensive wet rice cultivation. As people cleared forests, new settlements grew in the interior.

History shows a time of powerful kingdoms and trade. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, South Sulawesi was a gateway to the Maluku Islands. This was during the golden era of the spice trade. There were several kingdoms, such as the Bugis kingdom of Bone and the kingdom of Makassar.

In the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company, or VOC, arrived. The VOC wanted to control the spice trade. They allied with a Bugis prince named Arung Palakka. Together, they defeated the kingdom of Makassar. The king of Makassar, Sultan Hasanuddin, had to sign a treaty. This treaty greatly reduced the power of Bungaya Gowa.

Political boundaries in the province have changed over many years. In 1950, the government established the Sulawesi province. In 1960, a new law created the South and Southeast Sulawesi provinces. Later, in 1964, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi were separated. In 2004, West Sulawesi was formed from parts of South Sulawesi. Today, the province is divided into 21 regencies and three independent cities. It also has three electoral districts used to elect members to the People's Representative Council. These districts help organize how the people participate in the government of Indonesia.