Padang, Indonesia

**Padang**


Motto: "Padang Kota Tercinta" (Indonesian: "Padang, the beloved City")

Mayor	Fauzi Bahar
Area	694.96 km²
Population - Total (2000): - Density:	757,600 1,090/km²
Time zone	WIB (UTC+7)
Coordinates
Elevation - Highest point - Lowest point	1853 m 0 m
Web site	www.padang.go.id

Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of 694.96 km² and a population of over 750,000 people, mostly speakers of the Minangkabau language.

History

Since the 16th century Padang has been a trade centre. During the 16th and 17th century pepper was cultivated and traded with India, Portugal, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In 1663 the city came under the authority of the Dutch. The city came under British authority twice, the first time during the war between United Kingdom and the Netherlands (1781-1784) and again when the United Kingdom managed the area for the Netherlands during the Napoleonic wars (1795-1815). Afterwards the city was transferred back to the Netherlands. Up to approximately 1780 the most important trade product was gold, originating from the gold mines in the region. When the mines where exhausted, the emphasis turned to other products such as coffee, salts and textiles.

Administration

Padang is divided in 11 subdistricts (kecamatan):

Bungus Teluk Kabung, Koto Tangah, Kuranji, Lubuk Begalung, Lubuk Kilangan, Nanggalo, Padang Barat, Padang Selatan, Padang Timur, Padang Utara, Pauh

Transport

The city is served by the newly-opened Minangkabau International Airport (in Ketaping, Padang Pariaman). Padang's Teluk Bayur harbor is the largest and busiest harbor on the west coast of Sumatra.

Education

Andalas University is the oldest University in Sumatra, it is the first state university outside Java, and it is located in Karimuntiang Hill Limau Manih, about 15 Km from the center of Padang. Bung Hatta University is another University in Padang located in Ulak Karang.

Cuisine

The cuisine of the Minangkabau people is commonly called Padang cuisine, due to it being the capital and largest city of the region. Padang restaurants are common throughout the country and are famous for their spicy food and their unique way of serving it. Padang food is served in small portions of various dishes, in a way similar to tapas or mezedes, but constituting, with rice, a complete meal. In a Padang-style restaurant, the table will quickly be set with dozens of small dishes filled with highly-flavored foods such as curried fish, fried tempeh, stewed greens, chili eggplant, curried beef liver, fried chicken, and of course, sambals, the spicy sauces ubiquitous at Indonesian tables. Customers take - and pay for - only what they want from this array of dishes. The best known Padang dish is rendang, a spicy meat stew. Soto Padang (crispy beef in spicy soup) is local residents' breakfast favorite, meanwhile Sate (beef satay in curry sauce served with ketupat) is a treat in the evening.

Tourism

Padang is a common transit point for surfers travelling to the Mentawai Islands, and for tourists visiting the West Sumatran highlands. Padang beach (known as Taplau or Tapi Lauik) which located from Samudra Street until Puruih, is well-known for its beautiful sunset and hundreds of food stalls. Bungus bay, to the south of Padang, is suitable for swimming and boating. Adityawarman Museum specializes in the history and culture of the local Minangkabau ethic group, and the main exhibits are housed within a Rumah Gadang style building.

External links

Pemerintah Padang - official city website

Cities in Indonesia