Manado

Manado (maˈnado, Wenang) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi. It is the second largest city in Sulawesi after Makassar, with the 2020 census giving a population of 451,916, and the official estimates for mid 2022 showing 454,606 inhabitants (228,011 males and 226,595 females), distributed over a land area of 157.26 km2. The Manado metropolitan area had a population of 1,365,237 as of mid 2022. The city is located adjacent to the Bay of Manado, and is surrounded by a mountainous area. Manado is among Indonesia's top-five tourism priorities. The city is served by Sam Ratulangi International Airport, which provides regular international flights to Japan, and Singapore, international charter flights to China and South Korea, as well as domestic flights to other major Indonesian cities like Denpasar, Jakarta, Makassar, and Surabaya. Bunaken National Park is one of the city's most famous tourist attractions. The city is also known for its Christian-majority population, and holds the country's biggest Christmas celebration annually. It is also recognised as one of the most tolerant and peaceful cities in Indonesia. The name Manado is derived from the Sangir language word manaro, meaning 'on the far coast' or 'in the distance', and originally referred to the further of two islands which can be seen from the mainland. When the settlement on this island was relocated to the mainland, the name Manado was brought with it, after which the island itself became referred to as Manado Tua (Old Manado). The name for Manado in the Sangir language is Manaro. The first mention of Manado comes from a world map by French cartographer Nicolas Desliens, which shows the island of Manarow (today's Manado Tua). Before Europeans arrived in North Sulawesi, the area was under the rule of the Sultan of Ternate, who exacted tribute and introduced Islam to its inhabitants. The Portuguese made the Sultan their vassal, ruling over the Minahasa people, and establishing a factory in Wenang.