Province

South Sulawesi

Overview Economy

Sulawesi - South Sulawesi

Located on the southern peninsula of Sulawesi Island, South Sulawesi is a province surrounded by several bodies of water and other provinces. To the north, it shares a border with Central Sulawesi and West Sulawesi. On the east, it is bordered by the Gulf of Bone and Southeast Sulawesi, while to the south, the Flores Sea laps the province’s shores.

Covering an area of 46,717 square kilometers, South Sulawesi is home to 9.3 million people, making it the most populous province on the island. Makassar, previously called Ujung Pandang, serves as the province’s capital city and is known as a major port city and center for trade and commerce. It is also recognized as one of the four most important cities in Indonesia for economic growth, alongside Medan, Jakarta, and Surabaya.

Given its large population, South Sulawesi features a diverse mix of ethnicities, religions, and languages. The main ethnic groups in the province include the Bugis, Makassar, Toraja, and Mandar people. In terms of religious beliefs, approximately 89 percent of the population adhere to Islam, followed by 7 percent following Christianity, less than 2 percent practicing Hinduism, and less than 1 percent following other beliefs.

Indonesian serves as the official language of the province. However, South Sulawesi also features a rich tapestry of local languages, with fourteen different local languages existing throughout the region. These languages, including Toraja, Bugis, Makassar, Mandar, Massenrempulu, and Lemolang, as well as Rampi, Seko, Bugis De, Wotu, and Bajo, contribute to the region's rich cultural legacy, each with its own distinctive qualities.

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Economic

As of 2023, South Sulawesi’s economy has been thriving, having acquired Rp 377 trillion in Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP). The province’s economic landscape is primarily driven by the construction sector, contributing Rp 46 trillion to the province’s GRDP. Additionally, agriculture ranks second, contributing Rp 42 trillion, followed by the fisheries sector with Rp 29 trillion.

South Sulawesi is poised for a significant economic boost, particularly due to the region’s booming construction sector. The province’s strategic investments in infrastructure development include modernized transportation networks, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. Additionally, South Sulawesi has several national strategic projects (PSN) underway, with two completed PSNs focused on the province’s infrastructure, namely the Makassar New Port, which serves as the backbone of maritime transportation in eastern Indonesia, and the Makassar-Parepare Railway, facilitating travel between Makassar and Parepare.

Agriculture-wise, South Sulawesi stands out as an eastern Indonesian powerhouse for food crop production. Crops are the highest contributor to the province’s agricultural GRDP, with food crops contributing nearly 50 percent of the Rp 42 trillion generated by the agricultural sector. Key food crops produced by South Sulawesi include paddy, corn, soya beans, cassava, sweet potato, and mung beans.

Furthermore, the fishing industry saw significant production in 2023, with 492,159 tonnes harvested, surpassing the 436,735 tonnes produced the year before. Most of the catch comes from saltwater fisheries rather than freshwater fisheries.

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Latest News

April 28, 2026

South Sulawesi Province Regional Secretary Jufri Rahman stated after receiving an official visit from the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, led by Chinese Counselor to Indonesia Zhen Wangda, that the South Sulawesi Provincial Government plans to strengthen economic synergy with the Chinese government to spur investment realization and expand export market access in Eastern Indonesia.

Jufri stated that the meeting strongly signaled the increasing penetration of Chinese capital in South Sulawesi. Trade relations between the two parties have shown a significant trend. China's investment in South Sulawesi has been projected to reach Rp 748 billion in 2025 according to South Sulawesi Provincial Government data. Its export contribution is the second largest, accounting for 33.69 percent or US$693.88 million of the province's total export value.

Therefore, Jufri emphasized that strengthening South Sulawesi's cooperation with China has strategic value for driving local economic growth. He proposed several priority sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, mining, and manufacturing sectors.

"The South Sulawesi Provincial Government is encouraging increased investment oriented towards downstreaming natural resources and creating regional jobs," said Jufri in Makassar City, South Sulawesi on Apr. 22, 2026.

Counselor Zhen acknowledged South Sulawesi's position as a strategic economic and cultural hub in Indonesia, particularly in Eastern Indonesia. He highlighted the potential of the food and mining industries, which have attracted the interest of many investors from his country.

"We hope this meeting can enhance mutual understanding, strengthen regional cooperation between China and Indonesia, including the integration of leading industries, and strengthen people-to-people ties," explained Zhen.

The Chinese Embassy is also eyeing the tourism sector as a new development area, given South Sulawesi's wealth of cultural and natural resources. This step is seen as a strategic effort by both parties to expand international networks to increase regional economic competitiveness at the global level through the integration of upstream and downstream industries.

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