Info North Sulawesi
North Sulawesi is located on the northern peninsula of Sulawesi Island at 0 - 30 degrees north latitude and 120 - 127 degrees east longitude.

After Gorontalo was declared a separate province in 2001, the land area of North Sulawesi province became app. 15'000 square kilometers. In the north, this territory is bordered by the Sulawesi Sea, the Philippines and the Pacific Ocean, and in the east by the Maluku Sea, in the south by the Gulf of Tomini and in the west by Gorontalo province

North Sulawesi has a fairly long history prior to being declared a province. On 1964, the Indonesian government introduced a Law, which changed the status of North-Central Sulawesi by establishing North Sulawesi as an autonomous province with Manado as its capital.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), North Sulawesi had a population of more then 2'000'000 in 2005. North Sulawesi has multiethnic communities, but the Minahasa people are the most dominant group, inhabiting Minahasa, Manado, North Minahasa, South Minahasa and Bitung. This ethnic majority is made up of seven subethnic groups with different languages and dialects.

The region is also endowed with abundant and diverse natural resources. According to the North Sulawesi Investment Coordinating Board, the province's investment potential and opportunities are in the sectors of mining, tourism, industry, agriculture and fishery. Agriculture -- covering livestock breeding, estates and food crop cultivation and fishery -- are dominant areas due to local agrarian conditions. The main agricultural commodities of the region are coconuts, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla beans, coffee beans, potatoes and vegetables, while tuna, skipjack, grouper and seaweed are among its major fishery products.

Meanwhile, tourism is the sector this province is most eager to promote. For its further promotion, the regional administration recently requested former tourism and telecommunication minister Joop Ave to act as consultant. In a seminar, Joop Ave expressed readiness to help formulate North Sulawesi's tourism development strategy once a month.

The products of the above sectors have contributed to the economic growth of North Sulawesi and Infrastructure is relatively favorable in this region. Land transportation is very smooth throughout North Sulawesi as road networks reach its remote parts and remain in good repair (more or less ...). Electricity supply in the province is met by its diesel and hydro power generators, and a geothermal power generator in Lahendong, Tomohon, all being directly managed by state electricity company PLN, territory VII (North/Central Sulawesi and Gorontalo).

For accommodation and communication, North Sulawesi today has a five-star hotel, Hotel Santika, 15 km from Manado, besides two four-star hotels and dozens of three-star and lower rated ones. By the end of this year, all regencies and cities will enjoy telephone services.

With the availability of natural resources and the different advantage factors earlier described, North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Harry Sarundajang, who was directly elected by local people in 2005, is determined to bring about prosperity and high competitiveness for the region's population. To this end, Sarundajang has said the development of this province requires involvement by the Indonesian private sector as well as foreign interests.