Bontang, Another Rich City


Bontang

Bontang is a city in East Kalimantan province, Indonesia. The city is located about 120 kilometers from Samarinda, directly have border to the East Kutai regency in the north and west, Kutai Kartanegara regency in the south and Regency Makassar Strait in the east.

In this city stand three large companies in different fields, Badak NGL (natural gas), East Kalimantan Fertilizer (fertilizer and ammonia), and Indominco Mandiri (Coal) and has a petrochemical industrial area called the Kaltim Industrial Estate. Bontang city itself is oriented in the industrial, services and trade.

Date back to the early begin, Bontang city was just only a village which was located in watershed and then change to be a city. Formerly, Bontang was also had simple governance, which lead by the elder man named Petinggi or the official.

As the time goes by, Bontang continued to grow . In 1952 it set to be a village led by the Indigenous Elders called Tetua Adat. At that time the leadership was divided in two: the things related to the governmental was under the Kepala Kampung or a headman. While, the things related the custom was under the headman called Tetua Adat Jauh.

There is no particular meaning of Bontang in some traditional languages around Borneo. According to the folklore, Bontang name was arrive from the Dutch acronym “bond” or group/colony, and “tang” is come from the Indonesia word of Pendatang or immigrant. This refer to the condition in Bontang itself, that much more have some immigrant like in Balikpapan or in some area in Kalimantan.

Bontang cis known for its industries and services, those two sectors have provided the main income for this area. Moreover, inside the three giant companies, they complete their manufacture with modern facilities like, housing facilities for employees, sports facilities, recreational spot, playgrounds, hospitals to hotels, those would add to regional cash from the service sector. The service sector and manufacturing industry are the two field operations which absorb the most labor in Bontang people.

Those three giant companies are the economic main support in Bontang. The existence of the giant companies has increased the trade activity with the emergence of new demand for commodities of daily life purposes.

The best part in Bontang is the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) which become the main commodity that sustains the economy in Bontang. This city is awarded the natural resources, especially natural gas which is in very large amount. It’s a bless.

Looking from the tourism sector, Bontang also has potential in its tourism related in their coastal area with white sandy beach. There is also a fisherman village that can be a tourist attraction. The popular destination in Bontang is like, Beras Basah Island, Segajah Island, Bontang Kuala and Kutai National Park. They also have potential in marine aquaculture with competitive commodities such as shrimp, crab, grouper, shrimp, lobster, red snapper, sea cucumbers, seaweed, and oysters and those are in great demand by foreign markets.

www.Indonesia-Tourism.com

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