Pekanbaru

Pekanbaru is the capital city of the Indonesian province of Riau, and a major economic centre on the eastern side of Sumatra Island with its name derived from the Malay words for 'new market' ('pekan' is market and 'baru' is new). It has an area of , with a population of 897,767 at the 2010 Census, and 983,356 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 1,007,540 (comprising 506,231 males and 501,309 females). It is located on the banks of the Siak River, which flows into the Strait of Malacca, Pekanbaru has direct access to the busy strait and has long been known as a trading port. A settlement has existed on the site since the 17th century. In the late 19th century, the city was developed to serve the coffee and coal industries, and the Dutch built roads to help ship goods to Singapore and Malacca. This city has an airport called Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport, and a port called Sungai Duku that is located by the Siak River. The words "pekan" (market) and "baru" (new) in the Malay for "new market" are the source of the names Pekanbaru and Pekan Baru. It was formerly known as "Senapelan," and Batin was the tribe chief at the time. In time, this area transforms into Dusun Payung Sekaki, which is situated near the mouth of the Siak River, as it continues to grow into a new residential area. According to the records kept by Imam Suhil Siak, Sultan Muhammad Ali Abdul Jalil Muazamsyah under the rule of Sultan Yahya officially established Senapelan on the 21st of Rajab, Tuesday, in the year 1204 H, corresponding to the 23rd of June 1784 AD, which was later set as the day of Pekanbaru City. Senapelan was later more commonly known as Pekanbaru. On 14 December 1745, the Siak region was ceded by the Sultan of Johor Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah from the Johor Sultanate to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) under the terms of a treaty in return for Dutch help against the enemies of Johor. Siak was put under Dutch administration. The Sultan moved residence to a palace in Senapelan built in 1760.