Samarinda

About Samarinda

Samarinda is the capital city of the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan. It is situated on the riverbanks of lower Mahakam, and both parts are connected by Mahakam Bridge, Mahakam Ulu Bridge, and Achmad Amins Bridge. It holds title of the seventh largest Indonesian city by area, with a total area of around 718 km2 (277 sq mi). Samarinda is also the most populous city on the entire island of Borneo, with population estimates of 727,500 (2010 Census); 827,994 (2020 Census); and 865,306 (mid 2025). As of 2026, it is divided into 10 districts and further into 59 urban villages (kelurahan).

Samarinda was formally established as a city on 26 June 1959, after being separated from the outgoing Special Region of Kutai, a second-level administrative division similar to a regency that was ruled by the eponymous sultanate. Before becoming the capital city of East Kalimantan, it was the seat of Special Region of Kutai during its early years until it was moved into Tenggarong in 1956. Today, Samarinda is an enclave surrounded by different districts belonging to the Kutai Kartanegara Regency: (in clockwise direction from the north) Tenggarong Seberang, Muara Badak, Anggana, Sanga-Sanga, Muara Jawa, Loa Janan, and Loa Kulu.

Samarinda was one of Indonesia's top ten Most Liveable Cities in 2022, ranks first on East Kalimantan Human Development Index Samarinda is East Kalimantan's largest exporter and fifth-largest importer. The city has the highest number of bank headquarters in East Kalimantan. In 2021, Samarinda Harbour became the busiest passenger port in East Kalimantan. The container port in Samarinda is also the busiest in East Kalimantan, handled more than 271 thousand twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2019. Samarinda is known for its traditional food amplang, as well as the cloth sarung samarinda.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.