Mataram (city) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mataram
City
City of Mataram Kota Mataram
Clockwise, from top; Hubbul Wathan Islamic center, Mataram seen from above, Mataram City Hall, and Tembolaq Gate
Flag Coat of arms
Location within West Nusa Tenggara
Mataram Location in Lombok Show map of Lombok Mataram Location in Lesser Sunda Islands Show map of Lesser Sunda Islands Mataram Location in Indonesia Show map of Indonesia
Country	Indonesia
Region	Lesser Sunda Islands
Province	West Nusa Tenggara
Area
• Total	61.30 km2 (23.67 sq mi)
Elevation	26 m (85 ft)
Population  (mid 2023 estimate)
• Total	441,147
• Density	7,196.5/km2 (18,638.9/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+8 (Indonesia Central Time)
Area code	(+62) 370

Mataram is a city in Indonesia and the capital of the West Nusa Tenggara province. It is located on the western side of Lombok island. The city is surrounded by West Lombok Regency but is a separate area.

Mataram is the largest city in its province. In mid-2023, about 441,147 people lived there. This included 219,625 males and 221,522 females.

The city is a major hub for business, culture, and education in the province. It has all the public universities and the main airport. Many government offices are also located here. The larger area around Mataram, sometimes called Gumi Rinjani Metropolitan Area, has about 3 million people. This makes it one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the Lesser Sunda Islands.

History of Mataram

Lombok island has a rich history. In the 16th and 17th centuries, a small city called Selaparang in East Lombok was a center of power for the Sasak people.

West Lombok, where Mataram is today, was controlled by Balinese rulers. These rulers were based in their states of Mataram and Cakranegara. The Dutch took over the island in 1894.

Geography and Layout

Modern Mataram is a large city that has grown from three smaller towns. These towns used to be separate but now share one government.

• Ampenan is the old port town in the west.
• Mataram is the main administrative center.
• Cakranegara is the commercial town.

Further east is the district of Sweta. This area has Lombok's biggest market and the main bus station. The towns are connected by a long, wide road. This road changes names as it goes through each area.

City Government

Administrative Divisions of Mataram

The city of Mataram is divided into six main areas called kecamatan (districts). Each district has several smaller areas called kelurahan or "kampungs". These are like urban villages.

The table below shows the districts, their size, and how many people lived there in different years. It also shows how many villages are in each district.

People and Culture

Ethnic Groups in Mataram

The Sasak people are the original people of Lombok. They make up most of the population in Mataram. The city is also home to people from other groups, including:

• Balinese
• Javanese
• Tionghoa-Peranakan (people with mixed Indonesian and Chinese backgrounds)
• A small number of Arab Indonesian people, mostly from Yemen. They arrived when the city was known as "Ampenan".

Even though they live in a city, the Sasak people in Mataram still feel a strong connection to their culture and origins.

Religions Practiced in Mataram

Islam is the main religion in Mataram. Over 80% of the people follow Islam. Hinduism is the second largest religion, with about 14% of the population. Other religions practiced in Mataram include Christianity, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

Languages Spoken in Mataram

Most people in Mataram speak the Sasak language, known as Bahasa Sasak. This is the native language of the people of Lombok.

Indonesian is used for formal things like school, government, and business. However, when people are at home or relaxing, they usually speak the Mataram Sasak language. There are also many people who speak Balinese in the city. This is because Mataram was once ruled by the Karangasem kingdom from Bali.

Sister City

Mataram has a "sister city" relationship with:

• Pengzhou, China

Climate

Mataram has a tropical monsoon climate. This means it has a lot of rain from November to March. From April to October, there is less rain.