Manado is the capital of the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. Manado is located at the Bay of Manado, and is surrounded by a mountainous area. The city has about 330,000 inhabitants. The municipality of Manado is divided into five districts: Wenang, Sario, Malalayang, Molas, and Mapanget.

History

The Dutch East India Company built a fortress in Manado in 1658. The Javanese prince Diponegoro was exiled to Manado by the Dutch government in 1830. The English biologist Alfred Wallace visited Manado in 1859, and praised the town for its beauty. The city was heavily damaged during World War II, and was bombed again by the Indonesian air force in 1958.

Tourism

As the largest city in the region, Manado is a key tourist transit point for visitors. Diving and snorkelling on the nearby island of Bunaken are popular attractions.. Other places of interest are nearby Lake Tondano and Mount Lokon.

Language

The local language spoken in Manado and the surrounding area is called Manado Malay.