Province

Bangka Belitung

Overview Economy

Bangka Belitung, heaven of tin mining and natural tourism

Located off the eastern coast of Sumatra, the archipelagic province of Bangka Belitung comprises several smaller islets along with its two main islands, Bangka and Belitung. Following its formal recognition as a separate province from South Sumatra in 2000, Bangka Belitung became the 31st province of Indonesia.

As of 2023, Bangka Belitung is home to a population of 1.52 million people, marking the province as the least populous in Sumatra island. The communities are comprised of seven big religions, Islam (48.92 percent), Buddhism (24.19 percent), Confucianism (14.59 percent), Christianity (6.08 percent), Catholicism (2.76 percent), Taoism (4.16 percent), and Hinduism (0.08 percent).

Bangka Belitung’s natural landscape is characterized by rainforests, mangrove forests, foliage, and oceans, which are home to a diverse array of marine life, including sea turtles, manta rays, and coral reefs filled with tropical species. One of the province’s most renowned natural features is the granite rock formations that dot the countryside. Additionally, Bangka Belitung boasts beaches such as Tanjung Tinggi Beach in Belitung, renowned for its golden sands and blue waters, and Parai Beach in Bangka, famous for its sunsets.

Beyond its natural splendor, Bangka Belitung is a melting pot of diverse cultures and traditions. The province is home to a blend of Malay, Chinese, and indigenous cultures, which have influenced the region's cuisine, architecture, and way of life. Traditional Malay houses adorned with intricate woodcarvings can be found in the province, along with bustling markets teeming with fresh seafood and spices.

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Economic development

Bangka Belitung’s economy has experienced a positive trend in recent years, with its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) increasing from Rp 57 trillion in 2022 to Rp 60 trillion in 2023. The processing industry sector contributed the most to the GRDP in 2023 with Rp 12.7 trillion or 21.15 percent, followed by the agriculture sector with Rp 7.4 trillion or 19.49 percent, and the trade sector with Rp 8.6 trillion or 15.69 percent.

Notably, the name "Bangka" in Bangka Belitung is derived from the Sanskrit word Wangka meaning tin, which has historically been the mainstay of the local economy. Tin mining in the province started in the first century during the Palembang Empire, and since then, the province has been a significant contributor to national tin mining output, accounting for around 90 percent. This substantial contribution has made Indonesia the world’s second-largest tin reserve holder, after China, with reserves totaling 800,000 tonnes.

However, the mining sector’s contribution to Bangka Belitung’s GRDP declined by a negative 1.20 percent in 2023, indicating a shift in the province’s economic independence from natural resources to other socioeconomic resources.

Nevertheless, despite this shift, the mining sector remains Bangka Belitung’s most lucrative business opportunity, with Rp 1.9 trillion in investment growth in 2023. This was followed by investments in the metals industry at Rp 1.8 trillion, the food industry at Rp 1.1 trillion, and agriculture at Rp 962 billion. Overall, the province received Rp 9 trillion in investment in 2023, including Rp 1.07 trillion from foreign investors and Rp 7,9 trillion from domestic investors.

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Latest News

January 15, 2025

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Bangka Belitung Islands Province recorded the value of Bangka Belitung Islands' tin and non-tin exports rising by 11.71 percent from US$180.19 million in September 2024 to US$201.28 million in October 2024.

"Tin and non-tin exports rose by 28.40 percent when compared to the same month in the previous year," said BPS Bangka Belitung Islands Head Toto Haryanto Silitonga in Pangkalpinang City on Dec. 2, 2024.

He added that tin exports grew by 13.35 percent from US$150.54 million in September 2024 to US$170.62 million in October 2024.

"Exports of non-tin commodities were recorded at US$30.67 million, or an increase of 3.43 percent compared to US$29.65 million in the previous month," Toto continued.

He divulged that tin from the Bangka Belitung Islands is mostly exported to countries in Asia, with China as the main destination country. As much as 27.22 percent of tin exports worth a combined US$278.1 million were sent to China in the January-October 2024 period. India and South Korea are next, accounting for 23.84 percent and 15.49 percent of tin exports, respectively. Singapore and Japan followed them.

"Those five main countries for tin exports contribute 83.77 percent to the total tin exports of the Bangka Belitung Islands Province," Toto explained.

However, he also revealed that Bangka Belitung Islands' total tin exports to said five countries from January-October 2024 contracted cumulatively compared to the same period the previous year (c-to-c) by 25.44 percent. The province's tin exports to China and Japan contracted by 43.30 percent and 24.53 percent, respectively.

"[Exports] to Singapore has the deepest contraction of 48.24 percent. Meanwhile, exports to India and South Korea increased by 26.20 percent and 40.87 percent, respectively," Toto concluded.

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