Cilegon

Cilegon – City of steel

All nations have their own great cities of industrial production. The United States has places like Detroit and Houston. The UK has Manchester. India has Mumbai. Indonesia has Cilegon among its great industrial cities. Located at the northern tip of Java island's Banten province, this 162.51-square-kilometer city with 450,510 inhabitants is known nationwide as "Steel City" for being the archipelago's largest steel producer and one of the largest in Southeast Asia.

The state-owned enterprise most responsible for this regional reputation, PT Krakatau Steel, calls Cilegon home. The company helps the city produce some 6 million tons of steel annually. In addition to PT Krakatau Steel, Cilegon is also notable for the Suralaya Power Station, the country's largest coal-fired power station, and the operations base for PT Asahimas Chemical, which produces basic chemicals for numerous downstream industries. The city's Merak Port is a key transport link between Java and Sumatra. Industry is deeply ingrained in Cilegon's identity.

However, don't let all this industry mislead you into thinking it's all the city has to offer. Cilegon also boasts historical landmarks and natural wonders that make it well worth a visit. The Grand Mosque of Cilegon, with its four towers, is a city icon dating back to 1596. If you're in town on business and need to unwind, the Royale Krakatau Golf course offers 18 holes and a driving range. Beaches like Merak Besar provide pristine white sands and scenic vistas, while hikers can enjoy a climb up Mt. Batur.

Cilegon's status as a key industrial city ensures tremendous growth and investment. It grew 4.82 percent in 2023, with the city's investment for that year reaching

Rp 28.15 trillion, far exceeding its target of Rp 13 trillion. Meanwhile, its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) at current prices in 2023 stood at Rp 129,532 billion. The three biggest contributors were the processing industry (Rp 71,617 billion or 55.29 percent), the wholesale and retail trade, car and motorcycle repair industry (Rp 15,485 billion or 11.95 percent), and the construction industry (Rp 10,091 billion or 7.79 percent).