Batam, Industrial port city in Riau Islands, Indonesia
Batam spans the three islands of Batam, Rempang and Galang, with Batam Island serving as the main urban and industrial zone. Shipyards, factories and logistics centers share the territory with residential neighborhoods, shopping streets and an international airport.
Malay seafarers known as the Orang Laut settled these islands in the third century and lived from fishing and trade along the Malacca Strait. In the sixteenth century Admiral Hang Nadim defended the territory against Portuguese attacks, and during the 1970s the fishing village transformed into an industrial zone.
The Great Mosque stands alongside Buddhist temples and Christian churches that serve communities from Malaysia, Java, Sumatra and China. In the residential quarters and markets people speak Malay, Indonesian and several Chinese dialects.
Five ferry terminals connect the island group to Singapore and Malaysia, and most travelers arrive by sea across the strait. Hang Nadim International Airport offers numerous domestic flights and lies about 20 minutes from the main port.
The Barelang Bridge system from the nineties links the three main islands through six bridges that span several kilometers. Locals often name the longest bridge after its engineer and drive there on weekends to watch the sea.
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