Province

Gorontalo

Overview Economy

Gorontalo

Located on the Minahasa Peninsula, Gorontalo is a province that was formerly part of the North Sulawesi province until it was separated on December 5, 2000. Covering 12,025 square kilometers of land area, Gorontalo’s administrative region is divided into five regencies: Boalemo, Bolango, North Gorontalo, and Pohuato. The province is also home to one municipality, Gorontalo, which also serves as the province’s capital city.

Based on data from the Gorontalo Central Statistics Agency (BPS), as of 2022, Gorontalo has a population of 1.1 million people. Based on religious groups, the majority of residents in the province are Muslim, followed by Christians, Hindus, Catholics, Buddhists, and others. Regarding ethnic groups, the majority are Gorontaloan people who spread from North Sulawesi in the east towards Central Sulawesi in the west. Additionally, there are the Sama-Bajau people, sea nomads originating from the Southern Philippines, who reside in villages along the coast of Gorontalo. Other ethnic groups in Gorontalo are mostly people who migrated from other parts of Indonesia, such as the Javanese and Bugis people.

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Gorontalo’s economy

In 2023, the Gorontalo Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded the province’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) at Rp 31.6 billion. The largest contributing sector to the GRDP data is the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector, which contributed Rp 11.3 billion. The next two sectors which significantly contribute to Gorontalo’s GRDP are the wholesale and retail trade sector, including the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, with Rp 4.1 billion, and the construction sector with Rp 3.4 billion.

In terms of exports, Gorontalo’s export value in 2024 amounts to US$55.1 million. The Philippines is listed as the province’s main export destination with an export value of US$19.8 million or approximately 36.01 percent of the total export value. Based on commodities, Gorontalo mostly exports corn with a Free on Board (FOB) value of US$17.8 million. Additionally, the province exports wood and wooden goods with a FOB value of US$14.6 million and US$14.5 million worth of fruits and nuts.

Gorontalo also has a national strategic project (PSN) being developed in the area, namely the Bulango Ulu dam.

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Latest News

May 26, 2025

Realized investments to Gorontalo Province in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 recorded encouraging performance in terms of both realized capital, employment, and contribution of local investors. Investment and One-Stop Integrated Service Office (DPMPTSP) Gorontalo Head Sultan Kalupe stated that realized investments to Gorontalo soared 78.11 percent year-on-year (yoy) to Rp1.28 trillion in Q1 2025.

"This achievement has met 25.6 percent of the Rp5.03 trillion 2025," he revealed on May 10, 2025.

The investment created 2,368 jobs, which Sultan considered as proof of Gorontalo's economic resilience and the success of the local government in maintaining a welcoming investment climate.

Foreign direct investments (FDI) contributed Rp70.5 billion of total investments, while domestic investments still dominated by contributing Rp1.22 trillion. Pohuwato Regency was the region that contributed the most to the province's total investments with Rp934.7 billion.

The five leading sectors with the largest investment value in Gorontalo are mining, basic metal industry, other services, electricity, gas and water, as well as the trade and repair sector. Sultan added that Gorontalo DPMPTSP is targeting further progress in the second quarter (Q2) of 2025.

"We are committed to accelerating investment realization and continuing to improve services to all business actors," he concluded.

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