Pekanbaru

Pekanbaru is the capital city of the Indonesian province of Riau, and a major economic centre on the eastern side of Sumatra Island with its name derived from the Malay (Indonesian) word for 'new market' . It has an area of 639.00 km2 (246.72 sq mi), with a population of 897,767 at the 2010 Census, and 983,356 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 1,192,990, and was projected to be 1,228,298 as at mid 2026. It is located on the banks of the Siak River, which flows into the Strait of Malacca, Pekanbaru has direct access to the busy strait and has long been known as a trading port.