Palangka Raya, Capital city in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Palangka Raya is a provincial capital on the Indonesian island of Borneo and sits between the Kahayan and Sabangau rivers amid tropical rainforests. The city spreads across five administrative districts with large protected nature areas and dense forest cover throughout much of its territory.
President Sukarno began building the new capital in 1957 on the site of the former village of Pahandut with help from Soviet military engineers. The foundation was meant to become the center of Central Kalimantan province and promote growth across the region.
The old Dayak Ngaju term palangka means sacred place and joins with the Malay word raya for wide or great. This name still recalls the indigenous roots of the region and the importance of the site for the original inhabitants of Kalimantan.
Travel happens through Tjilik Riwut Airport, which offers regular connections to other Indonesian cities. On site there are eight hospitals and several educational institutions serving residents and visitors.
The city area is roughly four times as large as Jakarta and ranks among the largest municipalities by land area in the country. Most of this territory consists of forest and only a small part is actually built up or settled.
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