Riau Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Riau

Province

Other transcription(s)

• Jawi

رياو

From top, right to left: An-Nur Mosque, Muara Takus, Siak Palace, Sunset view in Ulu Kasok and Green riverside of Kampar River, Riau Main Stadium, Tengku Agung Sultanah Latifah bridge, Idrus Tintin The Malay Art Building Center, Cian Cui Festival in Selatpanjang, Sumatran elephant in the Minas Elephant Sanctuary and Tesso Nilo National Park

Flag	Coat of arms

Nickname(s):

Bumi Lancang Kuning (Land of the Glorious)

Motto(s):

بومي برتواه نڬري برادت
Bumi Bertuah Negeri Beradat (Malay)
(meaning: Ground of Fortunes, Land of Customs)

Location of Riau in Indonesia

Country

Indonesia

Established

10 August 1957

Capital
and largest city

Pekanbaru

Government

• Body

Riau Regional Government

Area

• Total

87,023.66 km² (33,600.02 sq mi)

Area rank

7th

Elevation

10 m (30 ft)

Highest elevation

1,091 m (3,579 ft)

Lowest elevation

0 m (0 ft)

Population

(2017)

• Total

6,657,900

• Rank

10th

• Density

76.5068/km² (198.1517/sq mi)

• Density rank

24th

Demonym(s)

Riauan
Warga Riau (id)
Kaum Riau (ms)

Demographics

• Ethnic groups

Malay (33.28%), Javanese (29.20%), Batak (12.55%), Minangkabau (12.29%), Chinese (4.13%), others (8.55%)

• Religion

Islam (89.27%), Protestantism (7.87%), Buddhism (1.84%), Roman Catholicism (1.06%), Confucianism (0.08%), Hinduism (0.07%)

• Languages

Indonesian (official)
Malay, Minangkabau, Hokkien (regional)

Time zone

UTC+7 (Indonesia Western Time)

Postcodes

28xxx, 29xxx

Area codes

(62)6xx, (62)76x

ISO 3166 code

ID-RI

Vehicle sign

GRP per capita

US$9,252.17

GRP rank

3rd

HDI

0.724 (High)

HDI rank

6th (2018)

Riau is a province in Indonesia. It is located on the central eastern coast of Sumatra island. Its capital city is Pekanbaru. Riau is known for its rich natural resources. These include petroleum, natural gas, rubber, and palm oil.

History of Riau
Images for kids
See also

History of Riau

Riau has a very long history. People have lived here since about 10,000 to 40,000 years BC.

Early Kingdoms and Trade

Between the 5th and 12th centuries AD, traders from India visited Riau. They came to trade with the local people. These traders also brought their religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. Because of this, Riau was once ruled by Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms. Two important ones were the Melayu Kingdom and the Srivijaya empire.

The Spread of Islam

In the 14th century, Muslim traders arrived from India and the Arabian Peninsula. This began the spread of Islam in the region. By the end of the 14th century, the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism started to fade. Islam grew stronger, and many Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms changed. Some became Islamic Sultanates.

Malay Sultanates and European Influence

By the 16th century, three major Malay sultanates ruled in the area. These were the Siak Sri Indrapura Sultanate, Indragiri Sultanates, and the Johor Sultanate. The Johor Sultanate later split into two parts in the 19th century. One part became the modern Johor Sultanate in Malaysia. The other became the Riau-Lingga Sultanate in the Riau Archipelago.

Around this time, Europeans also started visiting Riau. First came the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and finally the British.

Colonial Rule and Independence

In 1824, the Dutch and British made an agreement. They decided to divide their influence in the region. The Malay peninsula went to the British, and Sumatra went to the Dutch. After this, the power of the local sultanates became weaker. They became like puppet states under the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch could control almost everything they did.

This continued until 1942, when Japanese forces invaded Riau. This happened during World War II. The Japanese occupied Riau for three years. This time was marked by many terrible events. In 1945, the Japanese surrendered.

The Dutch tried to take control again, but they left in 1949. This was after the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference. In this meeting, the Dutch agreed to give Indonesia its independence. Since then, Riau has been a part of the independent country of Indonesia.

Images for kids

The Siak Sri Indrapura Palace in Siak. Riau was once the seat of many great Malay sultanates
Malay nobles of the Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura
A painting of Riouw, Dutch East Indies, painted between 1859 and 1861
Giam Siak Kecil – Bukit Batu biosphere reserves]]Forest cover in Riau has declined from 78% in 1982 to only 33% in 2005. This has been further reduced an average of 160,000 hectares on average per year, leaving 22%, or 2.45 million hectares left as of 2009. Fires associated with deforestation have contributed to serious haze over the province and cities to the East, such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, [[Malaysia
A traditional Malay wedding replica in Museum Sang Nila Utama, Pekanbaru. Malay forms the majority of the population in Riau.
Street signs in Pekanbaru, written in both Latin and Jawi script
Jami Mosque of Air Tiris in Kampar Regency.
Typical dress of a Riau Malay couple while enjoying the traditional Gambus.
Rumah Melayu Lipat Kajang in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta
Lontiok House in Kampar
Balai Adat Tambisai in Rokan Hulu Regency
Riau dancers performing the tari persembahan during a welcoming ceremony
Gendang (drum) from Riau
Timber industry in Riau has begun to grow since the colonial era
Bagansiapiapi fishing port, the town was used as one of world's fishing trading port in 1900s
Palm oil construction in Riau, 2007
Sumatran elephants in the Balai Raja Wildlife Reserve
People participate in parade of ornamental vessels called Perahu Baganduang in Lubuk Jambi, Kuantan Singingi, 2018
Performers in the Pacu Jalur Festival, Kuantan Singingi Regency
View of the sunset from a beach in the Kepulauan Meranti Regency
Bakar Tongkang or Junk Burning Festival (Chinese: 五月十六日) in Bagansiapiapi, Rokan Hilir, 2019
Soeman H.S Library, the largest provincial library in Sumatra
Kaharudin Nasution Stadium.
Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport
Tanjung Buton Ferry Harbor in Siak Regency
Siak Bridge
Road conditions in Bangkinang
Nasi lemak Riau
Rolled up roti jala
Roti cane with goat curry served in a Riau restaurant
Gulai ayam

Riau facts for kids

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