Province

South Sulawesi

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 10, 2025

House of Representatives Commission XII member Andi "ARW" Ridwan Wittiri stated during a work visit to Makassar City, South Sulawesi Province that he will encourage Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Shell plc, and PT Vivo Energy Indonesia (VIVO), a subsidiary of Vitol Holding II S.A. unit Vitol Netherlands Coöperatief U.A. (Vitol Group), to invest in the oil fuel industry of Sulawesi Island.

"We hope that PETRONAS, Shell, and similar companies will invest in Sulawesi Island, especially in South Sulawesi," he affirmed.

House Commission XII, which the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician works on, is a House Commission on Energy and Mineral Resources, Environment, and Investment.

The statement was made by ARW in response to question by Fandi, a resident of Pai Subdistrict, Biriningkaya District, Makassar City, South Sulawesi Province about the viral video of ARW encouraging Shell to invest in South Sulwesi, which was broadcast during a House hearing with the Pertamina Board of Directors (BoD) at the Indonesian Parliamentary Complex in the Jakarta Special Capital Region.

"I have communicated with several legislators to encourage increased investment in Sulawesi Island, especially in the oil fuel industry with a focus on companies such as PETRONAS, VIVO, and Shell," said ARW, who was elected from the South Sulawesi I electoral district.

This potential investments are expected to create jobs and improve the quality of fuel services and distribution in Sulawesi Island, especially in South Sulawesi.

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