Batam

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Batam
Geography

Location	Southeast Asia
Archipelago	Riau Archipelago
Area	415 km²
Administration
Indonesia
Demographics
Population	700,000 (as of 2004)

The Batam island in the Riau Islands Province of Indonesia, known for a free trade zone as a part of the Sijori Growth Triangle, is located 20 km (12.5 miles) off the Singapore's south coast (about 1 hour free ride). The 415 km² (160 miles²) has a population of 700,000, most of whom are Malays (85%) and Chinese (14%).^{[citation needed]} A few of indigenous Orang Laut tribes still live in the island.

In 1970s, the island observed a major transformation from topologically forest area into a major harbor and industrial zone. The population is hiked from a few thousands in 1960s into hundreds of thousands.^{[citation needed]} Located in the direct proximity of Singapore and provided with cheaper labour forces, several Singaporean companies have established factories in Batam.

The official language in the island is Bahasa Indonesia, but due to major Chinese population, Chinese dialets like Teochew and Mandarin are widely spoken, particularly in businesses. Apart from industrial zones, the islands have several resorts and tourist destinations.

Since 2006 the Indonesian Islands of Batam, Bintan and Karimun as well as Singapore benefit from the new SEZ scheme introduced by Indonesia and Singapore. Under this rule there will be no tax paid for shipments between these islands. This was introduced to help the economy in this region.

Batam can be reached by ferries from the islands of Singapore, Bintan and Karimun. 3 different ferry operators ferry travelers between Batam and Singapore daily. Penguin, Batam Fast and WaveMaster provide fast and efficient ferry services. Ferries from Singapore will drop off and pick up passengers from one of the 5 international terminals in Batam. Travelers to Batam can choose from Teluk Senimba(Waterfront City), Sekupang, Batam Center, Batu Ampar(Harbour Bay) and Nongsa Pura.

Batam also has Hang Nadim International Airport. The Indonesian government is planning to build a bridge linking the islands Batam and Bintan. This has not yet been approved.