I have a dream, a song to sing To help me cope with anything If you see the wonder, of a fairy tale You

can take the future even if you fail I believe in angels, Something good in everything I see, I believe in angels, When I know the time is right for me. I'll cross the stream, I have a dream I have a dream, a fantasy, To help me through reality, And my destination makes it worth the while Pushing through the darkness still another mile I believe in angels, Something good in everything I see I believe in angels, When I know the time is right for me I'll cross the stream - I have a dream I have a dream, a song to sing To help me cope with anything If you see the wonder, of a fairy tale You can take the future, even if you fail I believe in angels, Something good in everything I see I believe in angels. When I know the time is right for me I'll cross the stream I have a dream I'll cross the stream I have a dream

Riau Islands
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Riau Islands

Motto: "Berpancang Amanah Bersauh Marwah"

Capital Governor Area Population Density Ethnic groups

Tanjung Pinang Ismeth Abdullah 21,992 km2 (8,491 sq mi) 1,198,526 54.5 /km2 (141 /sq mi) Malays (35,6%), Javanese (22,2%), Chinese (9,3%), Minangkabau (9,3%), Batak (8,1%), Buginese (2,2%), Banjarese (0,7%) [1] Religion Islam Languages Indonesian Time zone UTC+7 Web site www.kepriprov.go.id

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2009) Not to be confused with Riau Archipelago (Kepulauan Riau) Riau Islands Province (Indonesian: Propinsi Kepulauan Riau (Kepri or Riau Kepulauan) is a province of Indonesia, consisting of Riau Archipelago, Natuna Islands, Anambas, and Lingga Islands. Originally part of the Riau Province, the Riau Islands were split off as a separate province in July 2004 with Tanjung Pinang as its capital. The archipelagos of Anambas and Natuna, located between mainland Malaysia and Borneo were attached to the new province. Batam has a majority of the province's population. Other populated major islands include Bintan and Karimun. Sizewise, however, the sparsely populated Natuna Islands are larger. There are around 3,200 islands in the province.

Contents
[hide]

1 Language 2 History 3 Administrative division 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Language
The official language of the Riau Islands is Riau. The Riau Islands are considered the birthplace of the Malay language. It is the official standard for Malay, as agreed upon by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

[edit] History
From Srivijayan times until the 16th century, Riau was a natural part of greater Malay kingdoms or sultanates, in the heart of what is often called the Malay World, which stretches from eastern Sumatra to Borneo. The Malay-related Orang Laut tribes inhabited the islands and formed the backbone of most Malay kingdoms from Srivijaya to the Sultanate of Johor for the control of trade routes going through the straits. After the fall of Melaka in 1511, the Riau islands became the center of political power of the mighty Sultanate of Johor or Johor-Riau, based on Bintan island, and were for long considered the center of Malay culture. [2] But history changed the fate of Riau as a political, cultural or economic center when European powers struggled to control the regional trade routes and took advantage of political weaknesses within the sultanate. Singapore island, that had been for centuries part of the same greater Malay kingdoms and sultanates, and under direct control of the Sultan of Johor, came under control of the British. The creation of a European-controlled territory in the heart of the Johor-Riau natural boundaries broke the sultanate into two parts, destroying the cultural and political unity that had existed for centuries. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 consolidated this separation, with the British controlling all territories north of the Singapore strait and the Dutch controlling territories from Riau to Java. After the European powers withdrew from the region, the new independent governments had to reorganize and find balance after inheriting 100 years of colonial boundaries. Before finding their current status, the territories of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Borneo struggled and even came into military conflict against each other, and the Riau islands once again found themselves in the middle of a regional struggle.

The strong cultural unity of the region with Riau in the heart of this region never returned, and the line drawn by the British in 1819 remained, dividing the area into three new countries in 1965: Singapore, the Malaysian federation in the north, and Indonesia in the south. Some level of unity returned in the Riau region for the first time after 150 years with the creation of the Sijori Growth Triangle in 1989. But while bringing back some economical wealth to Riau, the Sijori Growth Triangle somewhat further broke the cultural unity within the islands. With Batam island receiving most of the industrial investments and dramatically developing into a regional industrial center, it attracted hundreds of thousands of non-Malay Indonesian migrants, changing forever the demographic balance in the archipelago. Today the name of Riau merely refers to this administrative region of Indonesia, a free trade zone heavily supported by Indonesian, Singaporean and international investments.

[edit] Administrative division

This province is divided into 4 regencies:

Karimun (capital: Tanjung Balai Karimun) Bintan (Tanjung Pinang) Lingga (Daik) Natuna (Ranai) Anambas Islands (Tarempa)

and 2 cities:

Batam Tanjung Pinang

Pekanbaru
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Pekanbaru

Seal

Nickname(s): Kota Bertuah (Indonesian): "The City of Fortunate"

Pekanbaru
Location of Pekanbaru in Indonesia

Coordinates: Country Province Area - Total Population (2006) - Total - Density Time zone Postal code Area code(s) Website

0320N 101270E0.53333N 101.45E Indonesia Riau 632.26 km2 (244.1 sq mi) 754,467 1,193/km2 (3,089.9/sq mi) WIB (UTC+7) 28131 0761 www.pekanbaru.go.id

Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau, a province in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. It has an area of 632.26 km and population of over 793,000. Located on the Siak River, which drains to the Strait of Malacca, Pekanbaru has direct access to the busy strait and was long known as a trading port (the city name is derived from the Indonesian words of 'new market' or 'new town', "pekan" meaning 'market' or 'town', and "baru" meaning 'new'). The city is divided into 12 subdistricts (kecamatan). The Sultan Syarif Qasim II International Airport serves Pekanbaru with direct flights to Batam, Jakarta, Malaysia (Malacca and Kuala Lumpur), Singapore and other destinations in Indonesia.

A settlement has existed on the city site since the 17th century. In the late 19th century, the city developed to serve the coffee and coal industries, and the Dutch built roads to help ship goods to Singapore and Malacca. After oil was discovered in the region in the 1930s, Pekanbaru's economy has depended heavily on oil revenues and made the city with the highest per capita income in Indonesia.[citation needed] Most of Indonesia's petroleum is produced in Riau, and much of Pekanbaru's economy is based on the petroleum industry. International oil companies, such as Chevron from US, as well as other Indonesian companies, have established their offices in the region. This location for oil has proven to be one of the best money providers in the world. The city is connected by road to an oil refining and exporting port at Dumai. Many facilities, including an airport, three stadiums (building a fourth), swimming pool, one of the two bridges that cross the Siak River near the city, the roads in Rumbai area, and also the road to Dumai, were partially or fully financed by oil companies working in the area. Pekanbaru is one of the cleanest big cities in Indonesia[1] and in 2006 received the "Adipura" award ('clean city') in the category of large city, again, for the second consecutive time in 2007. The city is also notable for its wide streets, which are in the city's main. Pekanbaru regularly suffers, however, from smoke or smog due to forest fires, particularly in the dry season, since there is no rain to put the fires out. The fires also can be traced from people simply burning their trash or freshly cut grass. Most of the fires are intentionally started, but unintentionally grow into dangers. Because Pekanbaru is a major gateway into Indonesia from Singapore, the city is becoming a favorite stop before travelers go further inland Indonesia. The Pasar Pusat market is a food-trip destination and a household-goods trove as well. Pasar Bawah and Pasar Tengeh in the port area have Chinese goods, including ceramics and carpets. Some tourist attractions in Pekanbaru are the Great Mosque of An-Nur, Alam Mayang Fishing Garden, Sang Nila Utama Museum, Riau Cultural Park, Princess Kaca Mayang Garden, Soeman HS Main Library and Sari Valley Artificial Lake. Pekanbaru is becoming known as a center of Malay culture; a Malay culture festival was held there in 2004.
Grand Mosque of Pekanbaru

Pekanbaru is located at the south bank of the Siak River. Here, one can visit the Grand Mosque, which is the oldest mosque of Pekanbaru. It has been built in the 18th century during the authority of Abdul Jalil Alamuddin Syah Sultan and Muhammad All Abdul Jalil Alamuddin Syah Sultan of Siak sultanate; the Great Mosque of this kingdom is the oldest mosque in Pekanbaru City. Next to the mosque there are some graves of the royal family. Their graves can be found on the compound of the mosque. Other than that, there is also an old well considered holy and frequently visited by visitors, mainly those who possessed the cultural link with Siak Sultanate, while requesting for blessing and fortune.

Siak Sultanate's Park

Sultan Syarif Hasyim Abdul Jalil Syarifuddin built this Moorish style palace of Siak Sultan, 120 km up stream from Pekanbaru on Siak River, in 1889. Now a museum, the palace contains sultanate's royal paraphernalia and other items of historical interest. Established during the 16th century, Siak Sri Inderapura sultanate lasted until 1946, when it became victim to the popular upheavals following the Japanese surrender at the close of World War II. Muara Takus ]

At Rantau Berangin, 15 kilometers after Bangkinang, the roads splits and turn left, entering Bukit Barisan range, which borders Riau province. The road climbs up and reaches the recently finished hydroelectric dam of Koto Panjang. Near Muaramahat, some 122 km west of Pekanbaru off the main road to Bukittinggi, are the ruins of Muara Takus, an ancient temple complex close to the bank of the river Kampar Kanan. Standing in a remote area amid Sumatra's tropical forest, the temple is a mysterious entity. Archeological experts have not yet been able to confirm when the temple has been built. Short inscriptions found among the ruins point to a date in the 11th or 12th century. Other relates the complex to Srivijaya Buddhist Empire, which ruled in Sumatra in the 8th through 10th century. Some opinions go even back to the 4th century.

http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/riau/selat-barubeach.html