ABSTRACT
The Province of Central Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tengah) is the largest province on the island, with a territory of 61,841 sq km. Its sea territory covers about 190,000 sq km. The province occupies much of the island’s mountainous centre, as well as the central, eastern peninsula and part of the northern arm. Its territory, therefore, wraps around much of two of Sulawesi’s great eastward-facing gulfs, the Gulf of Tomini between the northern and eastern peninsulas and the broader Gulf of Tolo south of the eastern arm, and includes the Togian Islands in the Gulf of Tomini and the Banggai Islands in Tolo bay. The Peleng Strait separates the Banggais from the mainland of the eastern peninsula. In the south-east, South-East Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tenggara) extends southwards on another peninsula, while South Sulawesi (Sulawesi Selatan) lies to the south-west. The western coast is washed by the waters of the Makassar Strait, as it enters the Celebes or Sulawesi Sea to the north. In the north, once the northern peninsula has curved eastwards, there is an eastern border with Gorontalo. The Equator runs through the tiny island of Pasoso in the Makassar Strait, which is included in Donggala regency, crosses the northern peninsula nearest its narrowest point and then passes through the Gulf of Tomini just to the north of the Togians. To the east is the Moluccan Sea, in which lie the Moluccas, grouped in the provinces of North Maluku (Maluku Utara) and, more to the south-east, Maluku. Central Sulawesi encompasses approximately 3.2% of the national territory. Administratively, it consists of nine regencies and one city, the latter being the capital, Palu, on the west coast, at the base of the northern peninsula.
