Sibolga (formerly sometimes Siboga) is a city and a port located in the natural harbour of Sibolga Bay on the west coast of North Sumatra province, in Indonesia.
The city is located on the western side of North Sumatra facing the Indian Ocean, is a transit harbour to Nias Island, and was hard hit during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Sibolga is also a semi-enclave within Central Tapanuli Regency, as Sibolga borders Central Tapanuli Regency in the north, east, and south, while it borders the Mentawai Strait in the west.
The city has an area of only 10.77 km2 and is the smallest city by land area in Indonesia.[2] It had a population of 84,444 at the 2010 census[3] and 89,584 at the 2020 census;[4] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 91,265 - comprising 45,839 males and 45,426 females.[1]
Administrative districts
The city is divided into four districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census[3] and the 2020 census,[4] together with the official estimates as of mid-2023.[1] The table also includes the number of administrative villages (all classed as urban kelurahan) in each district and its postcodes.
Kode Wilayah
Name of District (kecamatan)
Area in km2
Pop'n census 2010
Pop'n census 2020
Pop'n estimate mid 2023
No. of villages
Post codes
12.73.01
Sibolga Utara (North Sibolga)
3.33
19,970
21,383
21,831
5
22511 -22514
12.73.02
Sibolga Kota (Sibolga Town)
2.73
14,304
15,172
15,448
4
22521 -22524
12.73.03
Sibolga Selatan (South Sibolga)
3.14
30,082
33,346
34,177
4
22533 -22538
12.73.04
Sibolga Sambas
1.57
20,125
19,683
19,809
4
22531 -22535
Totals
10.77
84,441
89,584
91,265
17
History
Poncan Ketek Island (Small Poncan Island) in Sibolga Bay was once the location of a fort, with British, Dutch, French, and American traders passing through. It is thought Stamford Raffles passed through before he moved to Bengkulu in southern Sumatra. From Bengkulu Raffles, after relinquishing the port to the Dutch, established the trade port that became Singapore.
At some point between 1890 and 1920, there was a major fire in the city, which was presumably mostly built from wood from the surrounding mountains (shown partly denuded in the 1928 panorama below).
After the Japanese invasion of Sumatra in 1942, a makeshift prison described as a "civilian camp" was set up at Taroetoengweg, in the city center, from 16 March to 4 May 1942. It first housed 10 "European" men from in and around Sibolga, who were then joined on April 24 by another 10 men from the island of Nias. On May 4 they were taken to the Native Secondary School for Boys in Pearadja (Taroetoeng), located in the mountains behind Sibolga.[5]
Transport and tourism
Buses are available from Medan, Parapat, and Padang. Ferries from here service the outlying islands to the west, Simeulue and Nias, as well as the rest of Indonesia. Sibolga is a step-off point for trade and passenger boats to Nias Island. The local airport is Ferdinand Lumban Tobing Airport.
