Binjai
Encyclopedia
Binjai formally Kota Binjai is an independent city in the North Sumatra
province of Indonesia
, and is surrounded by but not part of the Deli Serdang Regency. Binjai is connected to Medan
(the provincial capital), about 22 km, by the Sumatra highway
that goes to Banda Aceh
, and effectively forms a part of Greater Medan. The "Kota" population was 181,904 in the 1990 Census, 224,516 in the 2000 Census, and 246,010 in 2010 Census.
. Binjai grew from a small village on the edge of the Bingai River.
According to both oral and written accounts of the history of the area, the city of Binjai grew from a small village located on the edge of the Bingai river, approximately where the Pekan Binjai village is located today. Traditional ceremonies were held to lay the foundations of the small village in the shade of a large Binjai Tree
at the edge of the Binjai river, which flows into the Wampu River
, which is navigable for a large portion of its length.
Around the tree were built several houses, which were gradually enlarged, until finally a village hall was built. A lively port also developed, visited by barges from Stabat
, Tanjung Pura and Strait of Malacca
. Over time, the Binjai tree gave its name to the growing city.
The two nearby rivers, the Bingai and Mencirim Rivers satisfy the needs of the city for clean water, which is distributed by the local water company. However, there are many citizens on the outskirts of the city who rely on wells for their water supply.
(kecamatan) which are further divided into 37 villages
(kelurahan).
The current mayor of the city is Ali Umri, who was re-elected to this position on 27 June 2005 for the period 2005-2010. The mayoral office is located in the Town Hall, at Jenderal Sudirman Road No. 6.
Formerly, Binjai was the location for the headquarters of the Langkat Police Force, which had responsibility for policing both the city of Binjai and Kabupaten Langkat. However, in 2001 the police force was split, with the creation of a Binjai police force, while the headquarters for the Langkat Police Force moved to Stabat
.
Directly in front of the town hall is the Freedom Square, a civic open space, as well as the Pendopo
Umar Baki, a building used for a variety of official and unofficial functions.
, Chinese
, India
n and Malay
citizens. This complex ethnic mix gives Binjai a rich cultural and religious life. The total population for the city of Binjai is 246,010. Along with Deli Serdang Regency, the city functions effectively as a suburb of Medan
.
The majority of the population are Islamic, mainly of Javanese and Malay origin. The largest mosque
is located in Kapten Machmud Ismail Street. The Christian
population is next largest, and is mainly made up of Sumatran Christians, while the majority of Buddhists are of Chinese origin. There is one Hindu
temple in Binjai, located on Ahmad Yani Street, and the Hindu population are mainly made up of ethnic Indians.
In 1999, 29% of economic activity consisted of trade in goods and services, while the industrial sector contributed 23% of economic activity. The per capita income for Binjai was 3.3m rupiah, below the average for North Sumatera Province as a whole, which stood at 4.9m rupiah.
The most important agricultural sector is rambutan
production, which covered 4.25 km² with a production capacity of 2,400 tons per year. At present, the industry consists solely of the sale of fresh rambutan fruit; there is plenty of scope to modernise this industry, for instance by the introduction of canning processes and more sophisticated marketing.
There are four traditional markets in Binjai serving buyers and sellers from both Binjai and kabupaten Langkat. These are: Tavip, Kebun Lada, Brahrang and Rambung markets. There are also several modern shopping centres, including Suzuya, Mini Market Tahiti, Toserba Ramayana and the Ramayana Mall.
Jenderal Sudirman Street and Ahmad Yani Streets are the main shopping avenues, while the biggest and food court in Binjai is Bangkatan with Chinese and Indonesian food
as specialities.
The nearest airport is Medan's Polonia International Airport
, while a direct toll-road connection to the nearest port is currently under construction.
Binjai is also an important transit point for visitors to Bukit Lawang
, in the Gunung Leuser National Park
, an important site for the conservation of the red orangutan
. Bukit Lawang is located 68 km west of Binjai.
Binjai is also the site of a nationally important military cemetery.
There are three large hospitals serving the needs of the population of Binjai. These are Korem Hospital, Binjai Public Hospital, and PTP IX Hospital.
North Sumatra
North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia on the Sumatra island. Its capital is Medan. It is the most populous Indonesian province outside of Java. It is slightly larger than Sri Lanka in area.- Geography and population :...
province of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and is surrounded by but not part of the Deli Serdang Regency. Binjai is connected to Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
(the provincial capital), about 22 km, by the Sumatra highway
Trans-Sumatran Highway
The Trans-Sumatran Highway is a primarily north-south road in the Indonesian island of Sumatra, 2,508.5 km long, and connecting the north of the island in Banda Aceh to Bandar Lampung in the south, running through many major cities, including Medan and Padang on the way.The road is a major...
that goes to Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra, with an elevation of 35 meters. The city regency covers an area of 64 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 219,070 people...
, and effectively forms a part of Greater Medan. The "Kota" population was 181,904 in the 1990 Census, 224,516 in the 2000 Census, and 246,010 in 2010 Census.
History
The origin of Binjai when it established itself as a city is unknown. Historically the Binjai area was situated between two Malay kingdoms, Deli and LangkatLangkat Regency
Langkat Regency is the northernmost regency in eastern shore of North Sumatra. Its seat is Stabat. Its area is 6,272 km² and population was 892,533 in the 2000 national Census, and official intercensal estimate in 2007 of 1,027,414 people....
. Binjai grew from a small village on the edge of the Bingai River.
According to both oral and written accounts of the history of the area, the city of Binjai grew from a small village located on the edge of the Bingai river, approximately where the Pekan Binjai village is located today. Traditional ceremonies were held to lay the foundations of the small village in the shade of a large Binjai Tree
Jack (tree)
Mangifera caesia is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. Common names include Jack, Malaysian Mango, Binjai , Wani , yaa-lam , and bayuno...
at the edge of the Binjai river, which flows into the Wampu River
Wampu River
The Wampu River is a river in North Sumatra, Indonesia. It rises as the Lau Biang river in Karo Regency near Siberaya, flowing past Kabanjahe, Perbesi, Kuta Buluh, Marike and onto Bohorok in Langkat Regency, where the river is known as the Wampu. It flows past Stabat and Tanjung Langkat before...
, which is navigable for a large portion of its length.
Around the tree were built several houses, which were gradually enlarged, until finally a village hall was built. A lively port also developed, visited by barges from Stabat
Stabat
Stabat is a town in North Sumatra province of Indonesia and it is the seat of Langkat Regency.Stabat town lies on the road between Medan and Banda Aceh, a short distance past the city of Binjai....
, Tanjung Pura and Strait of Malacca
Strait of Malacca
The Strait of Malacca is a narrow, stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 to 1511.-Extent:...
. Over time, the Binjai tree gave its name to the growing city.
Geography
Binjai is located between the Mencirim and Bingai rivers. On average, it is 28 m above sea level. As the crow flies, Binjai is only 8 km from Medan, although Kabupaten Deli Serdang separates the two. However, the route of the Sumatara Highway increases the effective distance between the two cities to 22 km.The two nearby rivers, the Bingai and Mencirim Rivers satisfy the needs of the city for clean water, which is distributed by the local water company. However, there are many citizens on the outskirts of the city who rely on wells for their water supply.
Government
Binjai city is divided into 5 subdistrictSubdistricts of Indonesia
In Indonesia, a kecamatan or district is a subdivision of a regency or of a city . A district is itself divided into kelurahan or administrative villages....
(kecamatan) which are further divided into 37 villages
Village (Indonesia)
An administrative village is the lowest level of government administration in Indonesia. It could be a village or a kelurahan. A village is headed by a village chief , which is elected by popular vote. A kelurahan is headed by a lurah....
(kelurahan).
The current mayor of the city is Ali Umri, who was re-elected to this position on 27 June 2005 for the period 2005-2010. The mayoral office is located in the Town Hall, at Jenderal Sudirman Road No. 6.
Formerly, Binjai was the location for the headquarters of the Langkat Police Force, which had responsibility for policing both the city of Binjai and Kabupaten Langkat. However, in 2001 the police force was split, with the creation of a Binjai police force, while the headquarters for the Langkat Police Force moved to Stabat
Stabat
Stabat is a town in North Sumatra province of Indonesia and it is the seat of Langkat Regency.Stabat town lies on the road between Medan and Banda Aceh, a short distance past the city of Binjai....
.
Directly in front of the town hall is the Freedom Square, a civic open space, as well as the Pendopo
Pendopo
A Pendopo or Pendapa is a fundamental element of Javanese architecture; a large pavilion-like structure built on columns. Either square or rectangular in plan, it is open on all sides and provides shelter from the sun and rain, but allows breeze and indirect light. The word pendopo is a variant on...
Umar Baki, a building used for a variety of official and unofficial functions.
Demographics
Binjai is a multi-ethnic city, with Javanese, BatakBatak (Indonesia)
Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The term is used to include the Toba, Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Angkola and Mandailing, each of which are distinct but related groups with distinct, albeit related, languages and...
, Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n and Malay
Malay Indonesian
Malay Indonesians are ethnic Malays living throughout Indonesia, as one of the indigenous peoples of the island nation. Indonesia has the second largest ethnic Malay population, the first is Malaysia. Historically, Indonesian, the national language of Indonesia, was derived from the Malay spoken...
citizens. This complex ethnic mix gives Binjai a rich cultural and religious life. The total population for the city of Binjai is 246,010. Along with Deli Serdang Regency, the city functions effectively as a suburb of Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
.
The majority of the population are Islamic, mainly of Javanese and Malay origin. The largest mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
is located in Kapten Machmud Ismail Street. The Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
population is next largest, and is mainly made up of Sumatran Christians, while the majority of Buddhists are of Chinese origin. There is one Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple in Binjai, located on Ahmad Yani Street, and the Hindu population are mainly made up of ethnic Indians.
Economics and commerce
The commercial centre is located in the heart of the city. The industrial area is in the north, while farming is concentrated in the east, south and west of the city, with the west being the main area for animal husbandry. There is a 3 km² business park in the Kelurahan Cengkeh Turi. There is also oil and gas exploration occurring in the Tandam Hilir region, to the north of the city.In 1999, 29% of economic activity consisted of trade in goods and services, while the industrial sector contributed 23% of economic activity. The per capita income for Binjai was 3.3m rupiah, below the average for North Sumatera Province as a whole, which stood at 4.9m rupiah.
The most important agricultural sector is rambutan
Rambutan
The rambutan is a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae, and the fruit of this tree. It is native to Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, although its precise natural distribution is unknown. It is closely related to several...
production, which covered 4.25 km² with a production capacity of 2,400 tons per year. At present, the industry consists solely of the sale of fresh rambutan fruit; there is plenty of scope to modernise this industry, for instance by the introduction of canning processes and more sophisticated marketing.
There are four traditional markets in Binjai serving buyers and sellers from both Binjai and kabupaten Langkat. These are: Tavip, Kebun Lada, Brahrang and Rambung markets. There are also several modern shopping centres, including Suzuya, Mini Market Tahiti, Toserba Ramayana and the Ramayana Mall.
Jenderal Sudirman Street and Ahmad Yani Streets are the main shopping avenues, while the biggest and food court in Binjai is Bangkatan with Chinese and Indonesian food
Cuisine of Indonesia
Indonesian cuisine is diverse, in part because Indonesia is composed of approximately 6,000 populated islands. Many regional cuisines exist, often based upon cultural and foreign influences. Indonesian cuisine varies greatly by region and has many different influences...
as specialities.
Education
As of 2005, there are 154 primary schools, 37 middle schools, 9 Islamic middle schools, 31 high schools and 10 Islamic high schools. There are approximately 78,000 children attending these 241 schools.Transport
The major forms of public transport within the city are becak, a unique three-wheeled motorised vehicle, and small minibusses called sudako. Aside from road transport out of the city, there is also a train connecting Binjai with Medan and Kwala in Kabupaten Langkat.The nearest airport is Medan's Polonia International Airport
Polonia International Airport
Polonia International Airport is located in the city of Medan, Indonesia, about 5 km from the Central Business District. It is the first international airport in Medan, the other being the planned Kuala Namu International Airport...
, while a direct toll-road connection to the nearest port is currently under construction.
Other items of interest
An important icon for the city is the Struggle of 1945 Statue, which welcomes visitors from outside the city. Binjai also used to have as historic water fountain built by the Dutch, which was used a water source for the local population, however, this was demolished and replaced by shops several years ago.Binjai is also an important transit point for visitors to Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang is a small tourist village at the bank of Bahorok River in North Sumatra province of Indonesia. Situated approximately 86 km north-west of Medan, Bukit Lawang is known for the largest animal sanctuary of Sumatran orangutan , and also the main access point to the Gunung Leuser National...
, in the Gunung Leuser National Park
Gunung Leuser National Park
Gunung Leuser National Park is a national park covering 7,927 km² in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddling the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The national park, named after Mount Leuser , protects a wide range of ecosystems. An orangutan sanctuary of Bukit Lawang is located inside...
, an important site for the conservation of the red orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
. Bukit Lawang is located 68 km west of Binjai.
Binjai is also the site of a nationally important military cemetery.
There are three large hospitals serving the needs of the population of Binjai. These are Korem Hospital, Binjai Public Hospital, and PTP IX Hospital.