Bitung

Bitung – The nation's skipjack tuna capital

Like most coastal cities, Bitung has a history closely intertwined with its marine wildlife. Located in North Sulawesi province, the city is named after a species of trees that grow along its shoreline. What began in the early 19th century as a small resting area for locals after a hard day's fishing has, by 2023, grown into a city covering 313.51 square kilometers with 232,000 inhabitants. Bitung has ambitious plans to become a gateway to the Pacific region.

Various development projects aim to support this vision, including the Port of Bitung, a hub for the province's exports to destinations like Vietnam and the Philippines, the Makassar-Bitung rail track, and the Manado-Bitung Toll Road. The city's strategic location led the Indonesian government to designate it as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in 2019, promoting economic growth through increased investment, optimized exports, and equitable development.

Nicknamed "Kota Cakalang (Skipjack Tuna City)," Bitung is renowned as the nation's largest producer of skipjack tuna, symbolized in its famous smoked skipjack tuna skewers. The city's coastal location also offers exotic fauna and flora, such as the tarsier monkeys with big saucer eyes at the Tangoko National Reserve, and picturesque natural destinations, including diving spots around the Lembeh Strait. The Kahona Ecotourism Beach provides a place for relaxation, while the 35-meter-tall Jesus the Redeemer statue offers memorable photo opportunities.

Bitung has grown steadily in recent years, with a 5.66 percent growth rate in 2023, up from 5.61 percent in 2022 and 4.60 percent in 2021. Its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in 2023 stood at Rp 118.97 trillion, with the processing industry contributing 36.39 percent, followed by the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industry at 18.39 percent, and the transportation and warehousing industry at 15.18 percent. As a SEZ, its core industries include coconut products and derivatives, pharmaceuticals, fishing, and logistics.