Sulawesi

views updated Jun 11 2018

Sulawesi (formerly Celebes) Large island in e Indonesia, separated from Borneo by the Makasar Strait. Made up of four separate provinces: Utara, Tengah, Selatan, and Tenggara; Ujung Pandang is the largest city and main port. A largely mountainous and volcanic island, the highest peak is Mount Rantekombola, at 3455m (11,335ft). The first European discovery was by the Portuguese in 1512. The Dutch assumed control in the early 17th century, and successfully suppressed the native population in the Makasar War (1666–69). In 1950, it became a province of the Republic of Indonesia. The population is primarily Malayan. Industries: fishing, agriculture. Area: 189,216sq km (73,031sq mi). Pop. (2000) 14,446,483

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