Map Batam

The Batam island in Riau Islands Province of Indonesia, known for its free trade zone area as part of the Sijori Growth Triangle, is located 20 km (12.5 miles) off Singapore's south coast. The 415 km² (160 miles²) island has a population of 713,960 in December 2006, most of whom are Malays (85%) and Chinese (14%). A few indigenous Orang Laut tribes also live on the island. In the 1970s, the island underwent a major transformation from a largely forested area into a major harbor and industrial zone. The population drastically grew from a few thousand in the 1960s into hundreds of thousands.Located close to Singapore and endowed with a much cheaper labour force, several Singaporean companies have established factories in Batam. The official language on the island is Indonesian, but due to the sizeable Chinese population, Chinese dialects like Teochew and Mandarin are somewhat widely spoken. Apart from industrial zones, the islands have several resorts and tourist destinations.

SEZ - Special Economic Zones

Since 2006, the Indonesian Islands of Batam, Bintan and Karimun as well as Singapore benefit from the new SEZ scheme introduced by Indonesia and Singapore. Under this rule there will be no tax paid for shipments between these islands. This was introduced to help the economy in this region.

FTZ - Free Trade Zone

Since 29 June 2007, Indonesian government gives full free trade zone status for Batam and enclave status for Bintan and Karimun. This is to address the issue of legal certainty for investors.

According to the plan, Batam will be transformed into shipyard, electronic, and mecatronic industrial development centers; Bintan into textile, footwear, and tourism industrial development centers; and Karimun into shipyard, metal, component, agricultural, and marine produce industrial development centers.

Geography

Located only 20km from Singapore and 25km from Johor in Malaysia, Batam is Indonesia's equivalent to China's SEZ's (Special Economic Zones) - a place where the nation's economic planners test new economic policies and ideas. The island is an industrial hub with electronics factories, a large and growing ship repair industry and an even larger oil service sector. Quite a few expats head there for work, and pubs and golf courses have sprung up to serve them.

Most tourists, on the other hand, come from nearby Singapore and are mostly interested in illegal casinos. Unless you have a particular interest in these, you're better off going elsewhere, such as Batam's more resort-y neighbor Bintan or the peacful capital city of the province Tanjung Pinang.

HISTORY OF BATAM

Batam form one of islands which locating between the Malaka and Singapore straits. It is never known where the name of Batam was derived from, which could become a reference from where the name of Batam to be taken. It is clearly that Batam is a big island among the 329 islands locating in the Batam City territory. The one and only source, which mentioned clearly the name of Batam and could be find out to this time is London Tractate(1824). It is estimated that the indigenous inhabitants of Batam are Melayu people, which are well known as straits or sea people. This population has occupied this territory since the period of the Temasek Kingdom (now Singapore) at the end of year 1300 or at the early of 14 century, even from the other sources it has been possible Batam island has been inhabited by sea people since 231 AD, within the Singapore period it was called Ujung Island.

At the golden period of Malaka Kingdom, Batam was under control of Admiral Hang Tuah, After the downfall of Malaka, the authority on Batam island held by Admiral Hang Nadim, who resided at Bentan (now Bintan Island). When Hang Nadim died, the island was occupied by Sultan Johor up to the middle of 18 century. The presence of Riau Lingga Kingdom so far and the formation of Yang Dipertuan Muda Riau position, Batam Island therefore along with the other islands occupied under the autority of Yang Dipertuan Muda Riau up to the ending of Melayu Riau Kingdom in in 1911. After the Melayu Riau Kingdom which had been the centre at Lingga separated from Johor, then Yang Dipertuan Besar, with the tittle of Sultan later on divided his authorized territory in Melayu Kingdom lingga Riau into 3 (three) parts, namely the authority of Sultan in Daek Lingga, Yang Dipertuan Muda in Penyengat Island nad Temenggung in Bulang.

In 19 century, the competition between British and Dutch was very aggravated in the effort of occuying the trade in Malaka Sraits. Singapore Port, which increasing swiftly, urged the Dutch endeavoring through various ways to occupy Melayu and the other trading activities passing through the port Batam is one of the 329 islands situated between Malacca and Singaporean Straits; however such name is traceable in London tract 1824. The tract describes areas under the power of England and Dutch. It says that the inhabited island are situated face to face with Singaporean pirates hang out around the Island, Making the water unsafe of shis to sail by. During the Kerajan Malaka ( Malacca Kingdom's ) golden area. Batam lied under the feet of Admiral Hang Tuah. Upon the fall of Malacca, The power was transferred to the Sultan Of Johor until mid 18th century when the Riau Lingga Kingdom emerged and Batam was re- transferred to the King of Riau to the fall of the Malayan Riau Kingdom in 1991.

In 18th century Lord Mito and Raffles of the United Kingdom made of trade of with the Dutch Indian Government resulting in the transfer of Batam island as the Singapore's twin island Dutch Government in the 1983, The Central Government made Batam Municipality and established it as an industrial area with offshore oil exploitation as well as drilling industry of operational base. Since Batam is Geographically strategic, it succeeded in becoming an industrial and tourism development area. Batam City is tropical it average temperature is between 22°C - 32°C whereas its humidity is 85%, with low season namely is summer and rainy seasons. The lowest rainfall occurs in August. During November to February the sea waves are higher than usual, which is called the East Monsoon.