Pangkalan Bun

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Pangkalan Bun is the capital of West Kotawaringin Regency in Central Kalimantan Province, on Borneo, Indonesia. It is an agglomeration of seven urban villages (kelurahan) plus one nominally rural village (desa), all of which are part of South Arut District (kecamatan Arut Selatan), with a combined population of 108,814 in mid 2024.[1] It is also the administrative headquarters of South Arut District (Arut Selatan).

Pangkalan Bun
Town
An aerial view of Pangkalan Bun, looking towards the south with the Arut River in the top right-hand corner of the view
An aerial view of Pangkalan Bun, looking towards the south with the Arut River in the top right-hand corner of the view
Pangkalan Bun is located in the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.
Pangkalan Bun is located in the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.
Pangkalan Bun
Location of Pangkalan Bun on Kalimantan.
Coordinates: 2°41′S 111°37′E / 2.683°S 111.617°E / -2.683; 111.617
ProvinceCentral Kalimantan
RegencyWest Kotawaringin
DistrictSouth Arut
Area
  Total
814.00 km2 (314.29 sq mi)
Population
 (mid 2024)
  Total
108,814
  Density133.68/km2 (346.22/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (WIB)
Kode Pos
74110
The Istana Kuning or "Yellow Palace" of the former princes of Kotawaringin
The C-47 Skytrain or Dakota RI-002 monument that was originally used for paratroopers on Operasi Kalimantan or Operation Kalimantan in 1947.

The town is mostly situated on the east bank of the Arut River, although the kelurahan of Menawai Seberang and Raja Seberang lie on the west bank of the river ("Seberang" in Indonesian means "across" or "on the other side of" [the river]). The seven kelurahan (urban villages) of the district have a land area of 652 km2 and a population of 94,114 according to the official estimates for mid 2024; in addition to these, Pasir Panjang (which is technically classed as a rural village (desa), but is an urbanised part of the agglomeration) has a further 14,700 inhabitants in 2024. All these are listed below, together with the rural villages in the district,[2] together with their postcodes.

Kode
Wilayah
Name of
kelurahan
or desa
Area
in km2
Pop'n
Estimate
mid 2024
Post
codes
62.01.02.1002Mendawai Seberang26.002,33774117
62.01.02.1003Mendawai469.0012,85374115
62.01.02.2004Pasir Panjang162.0014,70074117
62.01.02.1005Madurejo26.0024,68174112
62.01.02.1006Sidorejo6.0019,08674111
62.01.02.1007Raja1.506,72774114
62.01.02.1008Raja Seberang115.002,60274116
62.01.02.1009Baru8.5025,82874113
62.01.02Pangkalan Bun Totals814.00108,814
62.01.02.2001Tanjung Putri19.0085074117
62.01.02.2010Rangda51.001,14474117
62.01.02.2011Kenambui150.0067174117
62.01.02.2012Runtu504.001,92774117
62.01.02.2013Umpang609.001,11474117
62.01.02.2014Kumpai Batu Bawah18.252,16374117
62.01.02.2015Kumpai Batu Atas30.003,93274117
62.01.02.2016Natai Raya6.202,03574117
62.01.02.2017Medang Sari9.001,50474117
62.01.02.2018Natai Baru7.301,40074117
62.01.02.2019Tanjung Terantang12.251,20974117
62.01.02.2020Sulung170.0080574117
62.01.02Rural villages of
Arut Selatan District
1,586.0018,755

Pangkalan Bun is served by Iskandar Airport. Several airlines (which is Nam Air, Citilink, and Batik Air) fly to this airport. Shipping services provide connections to Jakarta, Surabaya, and Semarang.[3]

Birutė Galdikas established her base, Camp Leakey, for the study and conservation of orangutans about 48 kilometres (30 mi) from Pangkalan Bun up the Sekonyer River.[3] The site was expanded from the original hut in 1971. Its facilities, supported by the Orangutan Foundation International, are a part of the Tanjung Puting National Park.[4]

Crash of AirAsia QZ 8501

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Iskandar Airport was one of the operation centres being used to support search operations following the crash of AirAsia QZ 8501 on 28 December 2014 in nearby Karimata Strait. Shortly after the crash, the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS, or Badan SAR Nasional) established a post in Iskandar airport to coordinate the search. The head of the agency, Air Marshal Bambang Sulistyo, took close personal command of operations.[5]

Following confirmation of the crash, Indonesian agencies prepared over 160 coffins in Pangkalan Bun to be ready, following Indonesian practice, to take care of those who died as quickly as possible.[6] After a reception in Pangkalan Bun, the plan was to return the bodies of the people who died to their families, mostly in Surabaya in East Java where Flight QZ 8501 originated from.[7]

Geography

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Pangkalan Bun is 24 metres (79 ft) above sea-level.[8]

Climate

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Pangkalan Bun has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy rainfall year-round.

Climate data for Pangkalan Bun (Iskandar Airport) (1991–2020 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37.2
(99.0)
37.8
(100.0)
36.0
(96.8)
35.8
(96.4)
36.4
(97.5)
35.6
(96.1)
36.5
(97.7)
35.6
(96.1)
35.8
(96.4)
36.4
(97.5)
36.8
(98.2)
35.6
(96.1)
37.8
(100.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 31.8
(89.2)
32.1
(89.8)
32.1
(89.8)
32.1
(89.8)
32.3
(90.1)
31.8
(89.2)
31.5
(88.7)
31.8
(89.2)
32.2
(90.0)
32.3
(90.1)
32.1
(89.8)
31.8
(89.2)
32
(90)
Daily mean °C (°F) 26.1
(79.0)
26.2
(79.2)
26.2
(79.2)
26.3
(79.3)
26.7
(80.1)
26.3
(79.3)
25.9
(78.6)
26.0
(78.8)
26.2
(79.2)
26.3
(79.3)
26.2
(79.2)
26.0
(78.8)
26.2
(79.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 23.1
(73.6)
23.1
(73.6)
23.2
(73.8)
23.4
(74.1)
23.5
(74.3)
23.1
(73.6)
22.4
(72.3)
22.3
(72.1)
22.7
(72.9)
23.0
(73.4)
23.1
(73.6)
23.1
(73.6)
23.0
(73.4)
Record low °C (°F) 19.9
(67.8)
19.4
(66.9)
20.5
(68.9)
20.5
(68.9)
20.8
(69.4)
18.1
(64.6)
17.4
(63.3)
17.0
(62.6)
17.7
(63.9)
19.4
(66.9)
19.4
(66.9)
20.5
(68.9)
17.0
(62.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 247.8
(9.76)
239.7
(9.44)
293.3
(11.55)
313.4
(12.34)
211.3
(8.32)
178.0
(7.01)
136.0
(5.35)
105.3
(4.15)
128.1
(5.04)
214.5
(8.44)
289.9
(11.41)
302.2
(11.90)
2,659.5
(104.70)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 18.8 16.4 19.5 18.9 14.0 12.5 10.9 8.9 9.3 14.7 19.1 21.4 184.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 128.6 125.2 135.2 137.6 163.1 162.5 171.9 182.2 151.9 142.3 130.9 122.4 1,753.8
Source: World Meteorological Organization[9]

References

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  1. This is the official estimate. Various media reports mention a figure of around 200,000, but the total district population, which includes 12 other rural villages (desa) outside of the agglomeration, was 127,569 in mid 2024. The total population of the entire Regency, of which Pangkalan Bun is the capital, was 235,803 at the 2010 Census, 270,388 at the 2020 Census, and was officially estimated at 285,737 in mid 2025. The majority of the population of the district are believed to live in or nearby to Pangkalan Bun.
  2. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Arut Selatan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.6201050)
  3. 1 2 Among the Orangutans: The Birute Galdikas Story, p. PA13, at Google Books
  4. "About Camp Leakey". Orangutan Foundation International. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  5. Indra Harsaputra and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, 'Hope fades as debris found', The Jakarta Post, 31 December 2014.
  6. 'Six AirAsia bodies recovered, says Basarnas', The Jakarta Post, 31 December 2014.
  7. 'Two bodies of AirAsia victims arrive in Surabaya', The Jakarta Post, 31 December 2014.
  8. "Pangkalanbuun, Indonesia Travel Weather Averages". Weatherbase. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  9. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 19 October 2023.