South Kalimantan

outh Kalimantan is one of the 30 provinces in Indonesia, or one of the 4 provinces in Kalimantan (formerly called Borneo). It lies between 140 o Western longitude between 11o eastern longitude, and between 10 northern lattitude and 44 o southern lattitute.

The province id bordered with East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan at the north, with Maccasar Strait at the East with Java Sea at the South and with West Kalimantan and Central Kalimatan at the west. South Kalimantan Province covers the area of 37.000 km2, with 50 % or about 21.000 km2 forest and mountain range with 1.000 to 1.500 metres latitude above sea level.

The northern and central regions are mountain range which is Meratus range, at the west low land and swamp, while at the East, forest and grassland.

South Kalimantan is often called the province of thousand rivers. Barito river is the largest and the longest river in Indonesia which is more than 6.000 kms long. One of its tributary rivers is Martapura river and this river has two tributary rivers and they are Riam Kanan and Riam Kiwa rivers. Others are river of Kusan, Batulicin, Sampanahan and Cengal River.

All these rivers run right from Meratus range and go through Java Sea, Maccasar Straits and Selat Sea. It branches with Negara river which branches in lesser rivers. Other important river are Maluka river, Tabanio, Sawangan, Asam-asam, Jorong, Kintap, Satui, and Sebamban river.

South Kalimantan is devided into 11 regencies, they are; Banjar Regency or Martapura, Tapin Regency or Rantau, Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency or Kandangan, Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency or Barabai, Hulu Sungai Utara Regency or Amuntai, Tabalong Regency or Tanjung, Barito Kuala Regency or Marabahan, Tanah Laut Regency or Pleihari, and Kotabaru Regency, plus 2 new regencies; Tanah Bumbu and Balangan Regency which formerly build in 2003. Last but not least, Miniciply of Banjarbaru and the Capital of South Kalimantan, Banjarmasin.

Climate

South Kalimantan is close to the equator, it has two seasons, rainy or wet season and dry season. Rainy or wet season usually occurs between October to April while dry season occurs usually between June to September. Average temperature is 17 o C to 36 o C, with humidity rate of 61 % - 91 % and sunshine 40 % - 90 %.

Population and Culture

In 1990 total population of South Kalimantan is 2.463.792 with rate of growth about 1,8 % annually. That means, now total population is about 3.000.000 people. 54 % of the population earn their living from agricultural sectors and the rest from industry, transport, construction and so on.

The population comprises the native inhabitants and the outsiders. The native inhabitant are the Banjarese which contitutes the majority of the population. The Banjarese can be sub-devided into the Banjar Kuala (down stream Banjarese), the region are Batola, Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, untill Banjar regency. Banjar Pahuluan (upper stream Banjarese), the regions are Tapin, HSS, HST, and HSU Regency. And The Batang Banyu Banjarese is in Tabalong Regency, including Margasari and Kalua.

Other native inhabitants are Palangan Dayak, Labuhan Dayak, Warukin Dayak, Bukit or Hulu Banyu Dayak, Datar Laga Dayak, Bakumpai, Abol. Dusun and Lawangan Dayak. The outsiders are Javanese, Madurese, Bajau. Bugenese, Chinese and Arabian.

About 95% of the total population are Moslems, the rest are Christians, Hiduists, Budhises and others, even there are some followers of religious belief or belief of animism/dinamism; for example Kaharingan for Dayaks. The people of South Kalimanan are very devoted in their religion. Living in good understanding among these folowers are very common in this region.

Daily communication uses both Bahasa Indonesia and Banjarese; Banjarese which is very similar to Malay is used for informal communication. English and Arabic also used among the educated.

Culture and tradition in South Kalimantan are the assimilation through ages of these ot the Dayaks, Malay and Javanese. Then came the influence of Islam which was introduced by Arabic and Persian traders.