Gorontalo (province)

Gorontalo Hulontalo
Province
Province of Gorontalo
Clockwise, from top left : Saronde Island, Lake Limboto, Botutonuo beach, Fort Otanaha
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Bumi Serambi Madinah (The Land of Medina's Porch)
Motto: Adati Hula-hula'a to Sara'a, Sara'a hula-hula'a to Kuru'ani (Adat bersendikan Syara', Syara' bersendikan Alquran) (Gorontalo language)
Location of Province of Gorontalo in Indonesia
Coordinates: 0°40′N 123°00′E / 0.667°N 123.000°E / 0.667; 123.000Coordinates: 0°40′N 123°00′E / 0.667°N 123.000°E / 0.667; 123.000
Country	Indonesia
Capital	Gorontalo
Government
• Governor	Rusli Habibie (Golkar)
• Vice Governor	Idris Rahim
Area
• Total	12.435 km2 (4.801 sq mi)
Population (2016)
• Total	1.133.237
Demographics
• Ethnic groups	Gorontaloan, Atinggolan, Bolangoan, Suwawan, Mongondowi
• Religion	Islam (97.81%), Protestantism (1.59%), Hinduism (0.35%), Buddhism (0.09%)
• Languages	Indonesian (official), Gorontalo Language (native)
Time zone	CIT (UTC+08)
Area code(s)	+62 435
Vehicle registration	DM
Website	www.gorontaloprov.go.id

Gorontalo or Hulontalo is a city and the capital of Gorontalo Province, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. As Province, Gorontalo was born on December 5, 2000. It is renowned as a center spread of Islam in Eastern Indonesia. Besides, classical Gorontalese fine art and culture are unique such as Karawo, Upiya Karanji (Songkok Gorontalo) or known as Peci Gusdur (The 4th President of Indonesia), and poetry. Gorontalo also known as City of Medina Porch. Gorontalo province is located on the peninsula Gorontalo (Gorontalo Peninsula) on the island of Sulawesi, precisely in the western part of the province of North Sulawesi. The total area of the province 12435.00 km² with a population of 1,133,237(2016), the population density 88 inhabitants / km². Gorontalo inhabited by ethnic diversity are shaped Pohala'a (Family), among Pohala'a Gorontalo (Ethnic Hulontalo), Pohala'a Suwawa (Ethnic Suwawa / Tuwawa), Pohala'a Limboto (Ethnic Limutu), Pohala'a Bolango (Ethnic Bulango / Bolango) and Pohala'a Atinggola (Ethnic Atinggola) is entirely categorized into Gorontalo tribe or Hulontalo tribe or Gorontalese or Gorontaloan. Suspected, the spread of Diaspora People Gorontalo has reached 5 times of the total population are now scattered around the world.

Although, actually Gorontalo Province had already been known since the Dutch colonial era with the old towns of its addition to the city of Gorontalo (Hulontalo), such as:

There are several nicknames of gorontalo:

There are several hypotheses about the etymology of the name Gorontalo.:

Gorontalo lies on the northern Sulawesi arm, known as the Minahasa Peninsula. The province has an elongated shape area, stretching from west to east almost horizontally on a map, with total area of 11,257.07 km² (4,346.38 sq mi). To the north and the south of the province are the Sulawesi Sea and the Gulf of Gorontalo or known as Gulf of Tomini, respectively. Prior to 2000, Gorontalo province was part of North Sulawesi province which lies on the eastern border. The western border of the province is Central Sulawesi province.

Topography of the province is relatively low (0—40^o), with the elevation ranging between 0—2,400 m (7,900 ft) above sea level. Its coastline length is more than 590 km (370 mi). Counting the Exclusive Economic Zone to the north where Philippines is at the border, the total sea area of the province is more than 50,500 km² (19,500 sq mi). There are some small islands around the north and the south of the province, 67 of which have been identified and named.