Central Kalimantan

Central Kalimantan is a big land. It is in Indonesia.

It has many green trees. It also has many rivers. Many people use the rivers to travel.

The Dayak people live here. They are the first people from this land.

You might see an orangutan. They live in the forest.

It can be wet or dry. This place is very special.

Central Kalimantan is a large province in Indonesia. It sits on the island of Borneo. It is the biggest province in Indonesia by area. To the south, it meets the Java Sea.

The land is very green. Much of it is covered by thick forests. You can find many rivers here. The Barito River is the longest at 900 km. People use these rivers to travel and live.

Many animals live in the wild. The Sabangau National Park is a safe home for orangutans. These animals are endangered. You might also see hornbill birds or monkeys.

The Dayak people are the first people of this land. They have their own special customs. You can see their art in wood carvings.

The weather is wet and warm. There is a long rainy season. There is also a dry season. During the dry season, the peatlands can catch fire. This is a big problem for the forests.

Central Kalimantan is a very large province in Indonesia. It sits on the island of Borneo. This province is the largest in Indonesia by area. It is about 1.5 times the size of Java. It is also slightly larger than the state of Illinois.

To the south, it meets the Java Sea. The province is bordered by West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan. It is also near South Kalimantan.

The land is full of different places to see. The Schwaner Mountains stretch across the northeast and southwest. About 80% of these mountains are covered in thick forest. You can find mountains like Kengkabang and Samiajang here. The center of the province has tropical forests. These forests grow things like rattan and timber. The southern lowlands have many peatland swamps.

These areas meet many large rivers.

Many rivers flow through this land. The Barito River is the longest at 900 km. Other big rivers include the Kapuas and Kahayan. Each of these is 600 km long. Rivers are very important for people here. They are used for travel and for building homes. Because there is not much other infrastructure, the economy relies on them.

History shows how the province became what it is today. Long ago, the Muslim Sultanate of Banjar ruled this area. In 1957, the Indonesian Government made Central Kalimantan a province. This gave the Dayak people more autonomy. President Sukarno chose Tjilik Riwut as the first Governor. He also named Palangka Raya as the capital city.

The Dayak are the indigenous people of Borneo.

Many unique living things live in the wild. Sabangau National Park is a famous protected area. It is a safe home for endangered orangutans. You might also see proboscis monkeys or hornbill birds. The province has three national parks in total. These include Tanjung Puting and Bukit Baka Bukit Raya.

However, the forests face hard jobs. Large projects and climate change can damage the peatland swamps. This can lead to fires during the dry season.

Central Kalimantan is a major province located in Indonesia. It is situated on the island of Borneo. This province is the largest in Indonesia by land area. Since 2022, it has held this title after the partition of Papua. Its size is about 1.5 times the size of Java. It is also slightly larger than the U.S. state of Illinois.

The province is bordered by West Kalimantan to the west. East Kalimantan and South Kalimantan lie to the east. To the south, the province meets the Java Sea. It is separated narrowly from North Kalimantan and Malaysia by East Kalimantan's Mahakam Ulu Regency.

The geography of the province is highly diverse. The Schwaner Mountains stretch from the northeast to the southwest. About 80% of this mountain range is covered in dense forest. It contains peatland swamps, mangroves, and rivers. Non-volcanic mountains like Kengkabang and Samiajang are found in the northeast. The central region consists of tropical forests. These forests produce rattan, resin, and valuable timber like Ulin and Meranti. In the southern lowlands, peatland swamps dominate the landscape.

These swamps intersect with many large rivers.

Rivers are vital to the life of Central Kalimantan. They serve as primary locations for settlement. They are also a major mode of transportation. This is especially true because the province has relatively undeveloped infrastructure. The economy relies heavily on these waterways. The Barito River is the longest at 900 km. The Kapuas, Kahayan, and Katingan rivers each measure 600 km. Other significant rivers include the Mentaya, Seruyan, and Lamandau.

Smaller rivers like the Arut and Sabangau also flow through the region.

The ecology of the province contains many unique species. Research shows about 10 different ecological regions exist here. Two main regions dominate the area. The peat ecological region covers 26% of the province. The fluvial plain ecoregion covers 21%. Central Kalimantan is home to endemic flora and fauna. This includes orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and hornbill birds. It also includes plants like rattan and Bornean ironwood.

There are three national parks: Sabangau, Tanjung Puting, and Bukit Baka Bukit Raya. Sabangau is an internationally recognized sanctuary for endangered orangutans.

Environmental challenges affect the region's stability. The high concentration of peat makes the province prone to certain events. During the dry season, the area faces drought and peat fires. During the rainy season, it faces inundation. These issues are linked to the ENSO and IOD cycles. Deforestation and climate change make these situations worse. For example, the Mega Rice Project unsuccessfully tried to turn peat swamps into rice paddies. This project caused damage to the peat swamp forests.

The history of the province is tied to its people. Since the eighteenth century, the Muslim Sultanate of Banjar ruled this region. This included the Dayak inhabitants. Following World War II and Indonesian independence, Dayak tribes sought a separate province. They wanted more autonomy from the Muslim population in South Kalimantan. The Indonesian Government approved this in 1957. Presidential Law No. 10 Year 1957 made Central Kalimantan the seventeenth province. President Sukarno appointed Tjilik Riwut as the first Governor.

He also designated Palangka Raya as the capital.

Demographics show a growing and diverse population. In 2010, the population was over 2.2 million. The 2020 Census recorded almost 2.67 million people. By mid-2025, the official estimate was 2,844,992. The population density is low at 18.54 people per square kilometer. The Dayak people are the indigenous inhabitants. Major sub-ethnic groups include the Ngaju, Ot Danum, and Dusun Ma'anyan. Other groups like the Javanese, Malays, and Chinese also live there.

Islam is the largest religion at over 74%. Christianity is the second largest at over 19%.

Administrative organization is complex. The province is divided into thirteen regencies and one city. The city of Palangka Raya was split from Kapuas Regency in 1965. The regencies have been divided many times since 1958. For example, Barito Regency was split into North and South Barito. The province also recognizes a traditional governing system. This system is led by leaders known as Damang. There are 67 traditional law areas called Kedamangan.

This system helps preserve Dayak customs and heritage.