Pontianak, Provincial capital in West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Pontianak sits at the delta of the Kapuas River in western Borneo and serves as the capital of West Kalimantan Province. The city stretches across several river branches, with many residential areas and markets built on stilts to remain dry during changing water levels.
In 1771, Sultan Syarif Abdurrachman Alkadrie established the settlement as a trading post and seat of a Malay sultanate. After Dutch colonial rule, the place grew into an administrative center for the region and gained the status of provincial capital following Indonesian independence.
The Abdurrachman Mosque belongs to the oldest prayer sites in the region and shows a mix of Malay and Middle Eastern building styles. Along the riverfront stand wooden merchant houses with painted facades, inhabited by Chinese trader families for several generations.
Supadio International Airport connects the city with larger Indonesian destinations and some routes to Malaysia, while the port offers regional ship connections. Many streets near the river run along narrow wooden walkways, so visitors should walk carefully during rain and after dark.
Roughly three kilometers north of the city runs the equator, where a small monument marks the geographic location. Twice a year, during the equinox, objects here cast no shadow at noon because the sun stands exactly perpendicular above the ground.
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