Sulawesi - GIS

Two reviews classifying causes and types of poverty, one by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) the other by IFAD, are summarized below (Sida, 1996; Jazairy et al., 1992).

Sida identifies four major interacting conditions that determine well-being or poverty status:

· Lack of material assets and productive resources.

· Low level of human resource development (education, skills, and health).

· Lack of power (economical and political).

· Vulnerability (fragile economic base and frequent exposure to shocks and fluctuations).

Sida proposes a typology of poverty with the following broad categories:

· Occupational based poverty - Typically, this can be found among landless farm laborers, marginal farmers, traditional fishing populations, and pastoralists.

· Poverty associated with disadvantaged populations - All marginalized social groups such as indigenous populations, tribal populations, and groups relegated to a low status are included here.

· Poverty resulting from discrimination based on biological attributes - Material deprivation can be the result of age or gender discrimination.

· Geographically determined poverty - People living in a specific region may be materially deprived because the area is deficient in resources, isolated, and/or avoided, intentionally or unintentionally, by government policies and programs.

Sources:

HENNINGER, NORBERT; “MAPPING AND GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF HUMAN WELFARE AND POVERTY ----- REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT”, Washington, D.C., USA, World Resources Institute, April 1998

Maize is a gigantic domesticated grass of tropical Mexican origin. The plant is used to produce grain and fodder that are the basis of a number of food, feed, pharmaceutical and industrial manufactures. Cultivation of maize and the elaboration of its food products are inextricably bound with the rise of pre-Colombian Mesoamerican civilizations. Due to its adaptability and productivity the culture of maize spread rapidly around the globe after Spaniards and other Europeans exported the plant from the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries. Maize is currently produced in most countries of the world and is the third most planted field crop (after wheat and rice).

In contrast to rice, corn is primarily a New World staple, first cultivated by the Indians of South, Central and North America. Corn contains phytosterols and is a good source of protein and high in vitamin E. When combined with dried beans and green vegetables, corn provided sound nutrition for the Indians. In fact, corn bread and beans are the main sources of protein and carbohydrates in traditional Mexican diets.

Throughout Europe, "corn" has always been the generic name for any of the cereal grains. Europeans call corn "maize", a derivative of the early American Indian word mahiz. In fact, before settlers came to the New World Europeans had never seen this food — called Indian corn by colonists. What a wonderfully versatile and useful gift the Indians gave the world. Everything on the corn plant can be used: the husks for tamales, the silk for medicinal tea, the kernels for food and the stalks for fodder.

As far as is known, maize arrived in Africa sometime after the early 1500's. It quickly spread and is now common throughout the continent. In Africa, maize is often ground into meal (mealie-meal) which is then made into Fufu-like staples such as Fufu, Banku & Kenkey, Nshima, Ugali, and Sadza, that are eaten with sauces, soups, and stews. In Eastern Africa it is used in Irio. Boiled corn is sometimes prepared at home. Grilled corn on the cob, Maïs grillé in French-speaking Africa, is often available from street-vendors as a sort of African fast food.

Horticulturists developed the two most popular varieties today — white (Country Gentleman) and yellow (Golden Bantam) corn. Yellow corn has larger, fuller-flavored kernels; white corn kernels are smaller and sweeter. The hybrid butter and sugar corn produces ears of yellow and white kernels. As soon as it's picked, the corn's sugar immediately begins its gradual conversion to starch which, in turn, lessens the corn's natural sweetness.

Maize in Indonesia is the second most important cereal crop after rice with about 19 per cent of the total area planted to food crops during 1970-2000. Around 89 per cent of maize is grown on rain-fed lowland and dry land with erratic rainfall and low fertility. This means that maize is mainly grown in marginal areas with low productivity. This agro ecosystem is also an environment where poor farmers, with smallholdings and limited resources, are living. Their farms are spread over remote areas with poor communication facilities and little access to information. Moreover, in East Java, East Nusa Tenggara, North Sulawesi, South-East Sulawesi, and Irian Jaya, maize is consumed as a staple food as well as rice.

In general, maize consumption in Indonesia can be grouped into four categories namely: (1) direct human consumption, (2) feed industry, (3) food industry, and (4) other usage (seed, loss, etc.). FAO data indicates that the share of maize demand for direct food to the total domestic demand declined dramatically from about 68 per cent in 1970 to around 7 per cent in 2001. In contrast, maize demand for feed increased steadily at an average rate of 6.4 per cent per year during 1970-2001, although during the Asian monetary crisis (1997-2001) it declined by nearly 5 per cent per year.

Increases and decreases in maize demand for the feed industry are highly determined by the performance of the poultry industry. During the crisis, the poultry industry collapsed, thus the demand for feed and therefore maize declined significantly.

References:

Swastika, Dewa K.S., “Developing Maize for Improving Poor Farmers' Income in Indonesia”, in CGPRT Flash: vol. II No. 4, 2004. Online: http://www.uncapsa.org/Flash/flash0404.pdf

Other sources:

http://www.answers.com/topic/maize-1

http://www.congocookbook.com/

http://www.petpepup.com/ingredients/corn.shtml

Seventy per cent of the world's poorest people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture. The Millennium Development Goal of reducing poverty and halving the proportion of people earning less than $ 1 per day can only be achieved by improving the lot of poor farmers and creating

viable agricultural communities. Poor farmers cannot escape the poverty trap if they are forced to compete with products subsidized by the richest countries, in world trade and their own domestic markets. The elements of a solution include effectively pursuing the process of reform in market access, domestic support and export competition, while providing greater flexibility for developing countries to pursue rural development and food security. Most importantly, there is need for the EU, Japan and the United States to reduce subsidies, cut tariff and non-tariff protection, address tariff peaks and escalation. The recent decision to reform the EU's Common Agricultural Policy is a positive step, but this needs to be translated into ambitious negotiating proposals.

Based on UNDP, 2003. UNDP Policy Statement on Trade Issues at Fifth World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting, Cancun, Mexico (September 2003).

In September 2000 at the Millennium Summit, the Government of Indonesia, along with 188 others, signed the UN Millennium Declaration, an ambitious agenda committing the nation to reducing poverty, improving health and education, and promoting peace, human rights and environmental sustainability. A set of development goals, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), emerged out of the Declaration, setting specific, measurable targets to be achieved by 2015. As a signatory, the Government of Indonesia has made a commitment to take action to realize these goals and to monitor progress towards their achievement.

Each goal is associated with a number of specific targets, using 1990 as a benchmark, may have one or more indicators.


1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Target for 2015: Halve the proportion of people living on less than dollar a day and those who suffer from hunger.


2. Achieve universal primary education

Target for 2015: Ensure that all boys and girls complete primary school.


3. Promote gender equality and empower women

Targets for 2005 and 2015: Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015.


4. Reduce child mortality

Target for 2015: Reduce by two-thirds the mortality rate among children under five.


5. Improve maternal health

Target for 2015: Reduce by three-quarters the ratio of women dying in childbirth.


6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Target for 2015: Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.


7. Ensure environmental sustainability

Targets:

* Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources.

* By 2015, reduce by half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water.

* By 2020 achieve significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers.


8. Develop a global partnership for development

Targets:

* Develop further an open trading and financial system that includes a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction nationally and internationally.

* Address the least developed countries’ special needs, and the special needs of landlocked and small island developing States.

* Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt problems.

* Develop decent and productive work for youth.

* In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries.

* In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies – especially information and communications technologies.


These targets express the collective commitment of the international community to focus development co-operation and global governance on the eradication of extreme poverty. They have been taken particularly seriously by key multilateral agencies (including the UN system and the World Bank) and by some bilateral.


References:

ODI, “The Millennium Development Goals and the use of Targets in development policy” online: http://www.odi.org.uk/mdg/, 2005

Satterthwaite, David (ed), “The Millennium Development Goals and Local Processes: booklet”; IIED, 2003. available online: http://www.iied.org/docs/mdg/MDG-booklet.pdf

UNDP, “Indonesia Progress Report on the Millenium Development Goals”, online: http://www.undp.or.id/pubs/imdg2004/ , 2005

This native Sulawesi species, Anoa (means buffalo in local language) is perhaps one of most endangered species that has not yet studied intensively. It is a miniature water buffalo, a type of wild cattle, similar in appearance to a deer, weighing 150 - 300 kg (330 - 660 lb). The thick black hide is covered with short, dark brown hair, with males tending to be darker than females. The undersides may be light brown. There are white markings on the head and lower legs, and a white crescent-shaped throat bib. Stout limbs support the plump body. The short, triangular-based horns are found in both sexes and are flattened along the top. They begin at the edge of the forehead and point diagonally backwards, growing 18-37 cm / 7-14.5 inches in length.

Lowland anoas belong to the family Bovidae, which includes about 23 species of cattle and spiral-horned antelopes. They also belong to the subfamily Bovinae that includes about 24 species of cattle. The lowland anoa belongs to the genus Bubalus, which includes four species: lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), mountain anoa (Bubalus quarlesi), wild water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and tamarau (Bubalus mindorensis).

It lives in undisturbed shaded, swampy, lowland forest and mostly found solitary (except during breeding and having baby). Anoas frequently wallow in mud and water. They have been seen drinking seawater which might fulfill their mineral needs in areas that do not have salt licks or mineral spring water. Their diets are grass, herbs, leaves, fruit and marsh and aquatic plants.

There is no record about their breeding season, but females and males sexually mature at about age 2. The gestation period lasts from 275 to 315 days. When calving time nears, females will go off alone. Usually in a year one offspring is born and rarely twins. The calf has thick, bright rufous-orange, woolly hair.

Anoas feed during the morning, resting in shade through the hottest parts of the day. The preferred gait is a walk, though when fleeing, they are known to make clumsy leaps. Their bodies are very efficient at crashing through the forest undergrowth, with the short horns being held close to the back in order to avoid being tangled. However, if cornered or approached within a critical distance, anoas will turn and attack violently.

The anoa is considered very excitable and dangerous to its opponents (and also very aggressive towards human), as its sharp horns can be used as daggers. This is especially true for young bulls in the breeding season, and females with young. Several anoa fatalities in zoos have resulted from attempts to keep these solitary animals in pairs or groups, with the larger animals disemboweling their counterparts with their horns. In wild life, their enemy mostly is human. Occasionally a python (Python reticulatus or Python molurus) or an endemic civet (Macrogalidia musschembroekii) will prey upon an infant anoa.

Because of increasing human population and the spread of cultivation, by the 1890's, the anoa had already begun to abandon the coastal areas of Sulawesi where it was once common. However, it was still widely distributed throughout northern Sulawesi in 1900. In 1937 it was still fairly common in the forested areas in Gorontalo, northern Sulawesi. Subsequently, increasing cultivation caused it to abandon the lowlands and retreat to remote mountainous areas. By 1966 a major decline had occurred, and it was found only sporadically as a severely threatened remnant in the undisturbed, swampy forests of northern Sulawesi. As of 1979, the anoa had declined significantly or disappeared altogether near many towns and villages (where it was heavily hunted), but healthy populations still occurred in large forest blocks.

Reasons for the anoa's decline include hunting for hide, horns and meat (it was rarely hunted by natives before the introduction of modern firearms); killing by the military; and the expansion of settlement, which has caused the anoas to retreat to more remote forest areas due to loss of habitat (e.g. due to draining of marshland) and to avoid human activity. The wild number of anoas is unknown. As of 1995, 110 anoas were in captivity. Unfortunately, anoas are not easy to breed in captivity. Inbred captive anoas are a problem and zoos work to diversify the gene pool.

Anoas have been legally protected in Indonesia since 1931. There are a number of protected areas on the island of Sulawesi, many of which are believed to contain anoas. However, these areas are not all well managed and the level of protection accorded to their wildlife is uncertain.

This bird is among the largest hornbill species and is restricted to the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and named for the large ridge along the top of its bill that is called a casque (kãsk). Although large, the casque is not heavy or cumbersome. It is not solid, but filled with air chambers. The male and female hornbills differ in coloration. Males have a red casque and a brownish red head and neck. The female is smaller, with a less significant yellow casque and a black head and neck. The large colorful bill in both birds is helpful in reaching fruit on distant branches.

Native Sulawesi and locally known as allo or rangkong is a shy bird, as big as a rooster, and lives in tall trees. It perches on tall trees like fig or trees that bear small fruits, which account for its main diet. Up to 85 percent of its diet are figs, which are available all year round, and rest is insects. In the wild, its diet consists of twelve different species of figs and they have been seen flying over 20 miles in one day in search of fruiting trees. The red-knobbed hornbill plays an important role in preserving the forest. The fruit's seeds do not crush during the digestion process and will emerge again with the bird's droppings. If the hornbill's droppings fall on the land, the seed will grow into a new tree.

Hornbills are known for their unique nesting behavior. They choose a tall tree with a large cavity near the top. The female will lay her eggs in the tree cavity. The entrance is then sealed with droppings and mud and leaving only a small slit to prevent predators (such as the giant civet (Macrogalidia muschenbrcoeki)) from attacking the eggs. It is important that the pair have a strong bond because the female is completely reliant on the male during this time. The male is extremely busy bringing foods to the nest through the slit and often it has been seen returning to the nest up to 20 times in one day. The female will remain enclosed in the nest cavity with the chicks until they are able to fly on their own. The breeding season for the red-knobbed hornbill is between July and September while for Sulawesi's dwarf hornbill it is between April and July.

Hornbills lack the small feathers that cover the base of flight feathers in most birds. The rush of air through their wings creates a whoosh sound when they fly. People belief that if you see a flock of red knobbed hornbills fly and scream in the sky, it means that rain is imminent.

Actually, Sulawesi has two species of hornbill. The other one is Sulawesi dwarf hornbill (oenelopides exarhatus). This hornbill has a smaller beak and body size. Black feathers cover the whole body (for both males and females). The male has a yellow head. This bird, which lives and feeds in the lower canopy, is more rarely sighted.

Besides Togean Island, Lore Lindu National Park, as one of Hornbill’s habitat. Unfortunately, like many other exotic birds elsewhere in Indonesia, the hornbill's population in the park is declining due to unchecked poaching, local environmentalists have reported. Indeed, illegal land clearing and logging which continue in many parts of the national park are threatening the priceless flora and fauna. As of 2001, the park has lost about 10 percent of its original 299,000 hectares.

At present, the magnificent bird is easily sighted in many parts of the national park. Among places that are their favorite to flock to are Kalimpaa lake and Lindu Lake, where you can see over a dozen red-knobbed hornbill flying across the lake, if you are lucky.

1. Production approach,
2. Expenditure approach,
3. Income approach.

Production approach expresses GRDP as the total value of final goods and services produced by all production units in a region within a certain period (usually one year period). Production units are grouped as in the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC), which are: Agriculture; Mining and Quarrying; Manufacturing Industries; Electricity, Gas and Water Supply; Construction; Trade, Hotel and Restaurant; Transport and Communication; Financial, Ownership and Business Services; Services including government services.

Expenditure approach expresses GRDP as the total of final demand components, covering the consumption expenditure of households and private non profit institutions, government consumption, gross domestic fixed capital formation, increase in stock and net export within a certain period. Net export is the export minus import.

Income approach expresses GRDP as the total income by production factors engaged in the production process in a region. The income components of the production factors may take the form of wages or salaries, land rent, capital interest and profit margin. The profits include income tax and other direct taxes. In this definition, the GRDP also contains depreciation and net direct taxes.

Gross Regional Product (GRP): GRP is the sum of Gross Domestic Regional Product and the net factor income from abroad and from other regions. The net income from abroad and from other regions constitutes of all income of production factors (labor and capital) owned by residents and accrued from abroad and from other regions, minus similar payments made to non-residents in abroad and in other regions.

Source

Poverty has traditionally been measured as a lack of income - but this is far too narrow a definition. Human poverty is a far more current concept that captures the many dimensions of poverty that exist in both poor and rich countries. The HPI-1 (Human Poverty Index for developing countries) measures deprivations in the same three aspects of human development as the HDI (longevity, life expectancy, and a decent standard of living). HPI-2 (Human Poverty Index for industrialized countries) includes, in addition to these dimensions, social exclusion.

HPI-1 (developing countries): deprivations in longevity are measured by the percentage of newborns not expected to survive to age 40. Deprivations in knowledge are measured by the percentage of adults who are illiterate. Deprivations in a decent standard of living are measured by three variables: the percentage of people without access to safe water, the percentage of people without access to health services, and the percentage of moderately and severely underweight children below the age of five.

Use of the Human Poverty Index

The HPI is used:

To focus attention on the most deprived people in a country, not on average national achievement.

1. The Human Poverty Indices focus directly on the number of people living in deprivation - presenting a very different picture from average national achievement. It also moves the focus of poverty debates away from concern about income poverty alone.

2. To highlight the presence of human poverty in every single country. High income per person is no guarantee of a poverty-free country. Even among the richest industrial countries, there is human poverty.

3. To guide national planning for poverty alleviation. Many National Human Development Reports now break down the HPI by district level or language group to identify the areas or social groups within the country most deprived in terms of human poverty. The results can be dramatic, creating national debate and helping to reshape policies.

Source

The human development index (HDI) measures the average achievement of a country in basic human capabilities. The HDI indicates whether people lead a long and healthy life, are educated and knowledgeable and enjoy a decent standard of living. The HDI examines the average condition of all people in a country: distributional inequalities for various groups of society have to be calculated separately.

The HDI is a composite of three basic components of human development: longevity, knowledge and standard of living. Longevity is measured by life expectancy. Knowledge is measured by a combination of adult literacy (two-thirds weight) and mean years of schooling (one-third weight). Standard of living is measured by purchasing power, based on real GDP per capita adjusted for the local cost of living (purchasing power parity, or PPP).

How is the HDI used?

1. To capture the attention of policy makers, media and NGOs and to draw their attention away from the more usual economic statistics to focus instead on human outcomes. The HDI was created to re-emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth.

2. To question national policy choices - asking how two countries with the same level of income per person can end up with such different human development outcomes (HDI levels). For example, Viet Nam and Pakistan have similar levels of income per person, but life expectancy and literacy differ greatly between the two countries, with Viet Nam having a much higher HDI value than Pakistan. These striking contrasts immediately stimulate debate on government policies on health and education, asking why what is achieved in one country is far from the reach of another.

3. To highlight wide differences within countries, between provinces or states, across gender, ethnicity, and other socioeconomic groupings. Highlighting internal disparities along these lines has raised national debate in many countries.

Is the HDI enough to measure a country's level of development?

Not at all!

The concept of human development is much broader than what can be captured in the HDI, or any other of the composite indices in this Report (see gender-related development index, gender empowerment measure, and human poverty index). The HDI, for example, does not reflect political participation or gender inequalities. HDI and the other composite indices can only offer a broad proxy on the issues of human development, gender disparity, and human poverty. A fuller picture of a country's level of human development requires analysis of other human development indicators and information

Babirusas (Babyrousa babirussa), or 'pig-deer' are wild pig with curly tusks that are endemic to Sulawesi and the surrounding Sula and Togian islands. This strange looking pig belongs to the Suidae (pig family) and is the only member of the Babyrousa genus. These subspecies have different hair covering, hair color, and tusk and body sizes. Fossil studies seem to show that the babirusa may be more closely related to hippopotamuses than pigs.

Males are characterized by large, upward curving tusks which can grow up to 30cm in length. The upper canines actually grow up through the skin of its snout from the inside. Then they grow up and curl over towards the forehead, sometimes touching the snout again. The lower canines are also very long and protrude from the sides. The two sets of tusks give the appearance of the antlers of a deer. The function of these tusks, which are absent or reduced in size in females, is unclear although they may be used in fighting (the bottom tusk). The top tusks can't be used for foraging or as weapons because they are very fragile and loose in their sockets. Because they curve upwards towards the head, they are not used for digging as in other pigs.

Babirusas are smaller than domestic pigs. They are 2.8-3.6 feet in length, and 2.1-2.6 feet at shoulder height. The tail is 8-12 inches long and not twisted. It weighs from 95-220 pounds. It has a rounded body with almost hairless, bristly skin. The sparse hairs are yellowish in color. Their skin is gray to brown, with a lighter colored under belly. Their legs are thin and longer than on most pigs. Mature babirusas have large folds near their necks and bellies.

Babirusas are confined to tropical rainforest, and are often found near rivers. Although they have been observed in captivity, not a lot is known about their behavior in the wild. They are omnivorous, eating mainly fruit and plant material but also insect larvae, fungi and small mammals. Adult males tend to be solitary, whereas females live in groups including several adults and their young. Like other pig species, they wallow in mud to remove skin parasites. Babirusas also exhibit 'ploughing' behavior whereby they push their snouts into the earth, which is believed to be involved scent marking.

Even though it has relatively long span of life (24 years), habitat loss and hunting for meat are the two primary threats facing babirusas. Given their small litter size (females typically give birth to one or two infants); populations are particularly vulnerable to hunting by humans. Although hunting babirusas is illegal, small numbers are still sold in local markets in North Sulawesi, especially for ceremonial reason. Worse, in the past babirusa were kept by rulers in Sulawesi and given as gifts to visiting diplomats.

At this moment, Babirusas are listed by the IUCN as a vulnerable species. They are also protected under Indonesian wildlife law, making it illegal to poach, kill or trade babirusas. However, there are only thought to be around 5000 individuals left following illegal hunting and habitat loss over the last few decades.

In 1998, a captive breeding program was initiated with the aim of capturing 40 wild babirusas. The capture process was carefully planned to protect wild populations and was to involve trained vetinarians. However, before the capture program had officially begun, hunters and commercial dealers were given the false impression that there was a demand for capturing live babirusas. This led to illegal capture of babirusas in protected areas in addition to the trade in babirusa meat. Fortunately the Indonesian government stopped the trade in live babirusas, preventing further damage. At present, babirusas in captivity are thought to be in-bred (i.e. not genetically diverse) and in general there are doubts whether captive breeding is a useful conservation measure.

The Dugong is a large, up to 3m, grey brown bulbous animal with a flattened fluked tail, like that of a whale, no dorsal fin, paddle like flippers and distinctive head shape. The broad flat muzzle and mouth are angled down to enable ease of grazing along the seabed. Eyes and ears are small reflecting the animal's lack of reliance on these senses.

These sea cows also have an evolutionary link to elephants, but their closest living aquatic relatives are the Manatee, an aquatic mammal that lives in freshwater rivers and coastal waters of West Africa, the Caribbean, South America and the southern United States (Florida). Another close relative was Steller’s sea cow, previously found in the northern Pacific. It was hunted to extinction in the 1700s by sealers for its meat. It grew almost three times as long as the dugong and fed on large algae (kelp).

This vegetarian mammal shares their ocean habitat with other marine mammals such as dolphins, porpoises, and whales in mostly Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is now an endangered animal since it reproduces slowly -- females give birth every three to five years after the age of 10 -- but have a long life span up to 70 years. Worse, the Dugong is hunted by humans for its rare meat, blubber, oils, and hide. These harmless creatures get hit by boat propellers, and drown from getting caught in fish and shark nets.

Celebes black macaques (also known as Yaki) are all black, with the exception of some white hair in the shoulder range. With a total body length of 45 to 60 cm and a weight of 7 to 10 kg, they are one of the smaller macaque species. It also has a short tail (only approximately 2 cm of stub), long hair that forms a pointed crest on the head, and high bony cheek ridges. Crested Black Macaque or the Black "Ape", is a smart monkey that lives in the northeast of Sulawesi as well as on smaller neighboring islands.

Celebes Crested Macaques are diurnal (active during daytime) rain-forest dwellers. They sleep and search for food in trees, but socialize and spend most of their time on the ground. They live in groups of 5 to 25 animals. Smaller groups have only a single male, while larger groups have up to four males. The females, however, always outnumber the males 4:1. Since young males must leave their birth group upon maturity, they sometimes form bachelor groups before they look for a connection to an existing mixed group. Communication consists of various sounds and gestures. For example, the presentation of the long eyeteeth while grimacing a clear threatening gesture.

These macaques live in family groups, usually led by a dominant female. In these groups, there are usually about three times as many females as males, and the females are permanent members of the groups, while the males will often switch from group to group. They are very social and will often spend much of the day grooming one another. Males are competitive, fighting with each other for dominance within the group.

Clearing of rain-forests and capturing as pets, represents distinct problems for this species. To protect this family, it is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Sulawesi forest contains perhaps the largest kingdom of Tarsius (an elongated tarsus bone), the smallest primate in the world. Its short body and round head are covered with a soft, velvety coat which is gray to gray-buff in color. Its tail is long, slender and covered in scales like those which are found on the tails of rats and mice. Its head-body length is 9.5-11 cm and its tail about 20-26 cm long. The tail of this species is naked except for the last half to third, which has long hair, and at the end there is a tuft of hair.

Their owl-like eyes, mobile ears, haunting songs, two grooming claws on each foot and nocturnal habits reinforce the tarsier's image as gremlins. These gremlins of the forest are found throughout Asia. But T. dianae, T. spectrum, T. pelengensis, T. pumilus, and T. sangirensis are found only in Sulawesi.

This tiny Mammalian lacks a tapetum lucidum in its eyes, just like other nocturnal animals. And it has a special adaptation in his neck vertebrae that helps to turn his head 180 degrees to overcome its inability of eye movements. With its relatively small upper canine, it has a dental formula of 2:1:3:3 on the upper jaw and 1:1:3:3 on the lower jaw.

Tarsius spectrum is crepuscular (active in the twilight) and nocturnal. It is famous for its leaping and cross gaps abilities of up to 6 m (20 ft).

The basic group of Tarsius is made up of the mated pair and their offspring. However they sleep in groups and also found in polygynous groups. In polygynous groups all adult females of the group give birth. Pairs are territorial, chasing other co-specifics out of their home range. Females will stay in their groups until they are adults, while males will emigrate when they are still juveniles. Infants stay in the tree until they are ready to come out, which is usually between the ages of 3 to 6 weeks.

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Virtually unique in the animal kingdom, the fabulous Coelacanth ("see-la-kanth", meaning "hollow spine" in Greek) is a species of fish and represents the oldest lineage of living fish known to date. The coelacanths were believed to have been extinct since the end of the Cretaceous period (about 65 million years ago) — until a live specimen turned up off the east coast of South Africa in 1938. Today they can be found in the Comoros, Sulawesi (Indonesia), Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar and the St. Lucia Marine Protected Area in South Africa.

On July 30 1998, a Coelacanth was caught in a deep-water shark net by local fishermen off the volcanic island of Manado Tua in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. This is about 10 000 km east of the Western Indian Ocean Coelacanth population. The fishermen brought the fish to the house of American biologist Mark Erdmann who along with his wife Arnaz had seen a specimen in the outdoor markets the previous September.

When the Coelacanth from Sulawesi was first documented, the only obvious difference between it and the Coelacanth from the Comoros Islands was the color. The Comoros Coelacanth is renowned for its steel blue color, whereas fish from the Sulawesi population were reported to be brown. DNA reports indicate that the newly discovered Indonesian population is a new species of coelacanth. In 1999 it was described as a new species, Latimeria menadoensis by Pouyaud, Wirjoatmodjo, Rachmatika, Tjakrawidjaja, Hadiaty and Hadie.

The "discovery" of a new species of Coelacanth in Sulawesi, opens up the possibility that Coelacanths may be more widespread and abundant than was previously assumed. New populations recently discovered off north Sulawesi, Indonesia and Sodwana Bay, South Africa may lead to new discoveries, as well as the possibility of a severe decline similar to that seen off the Comores.

Of course, Latimeria was not really "discovered." The local fishing inhabitants of both Sulawesi, Indonesia and the Comoros Islands were well aware of the species long before the scientific community got involved. Fishermen in both locations even had pre-existing names for the fish. The Comoros Islanders refer to Latimeria as gombessa. In north Sulawesi, they are known by the name raja laut, or "king of the sea."


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Environmentalists in Sulawesi are sounding the alarm for the dwindling population of Maleo, the big bird endemic to the island.

As of June 2002 they have noted that the Maleo has disappeared in 44 places where they used to be abundant.

Unlike most birds, Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) has the size of a chicken with brownish-black feathers with a prominent medium-length tail. This striking bird has a distinctive bony, dark casque on its crown, a yellowish face, and a bare pale bill. As its alternative name, Maleo Megapode suggests, it has characteristically large feet. The thighs are black, and the belly white, with pink hues on the breast. It usually flies from one tree to another, and just like a chicken, it seeks seeds and legumes on the ground.

This rare bird is usually silent but, especially around nesting sites, it can emit quite extraordinary noises. These include loud braying and, when in disputes, a duck-like quacking.

Maleo birds used to live in nearly all regions of Sulawesi. However, the places where the Maleo used to be found are now in a state of neglect. In Tatongko Dua Saudara, North Sulawesi, for instance, the population of Maleo was reported to have dropped by 80 percent due to uncontrolled egg collection, an activity which has been going on for decades.

A research conducted recently by the Jambata Foundation, a non-governmental organization focusing on Maleo protection, showed that out of 46 locations where Maleo could be found in the western part of Central Sulawesi and the northern part of South Sulawesi, Maleo's existence in 11 sites were considered "threatened" and "very threatened" in 16 sites.

Palu-based Jambata members also reported that another 44 Maleo habitats have disappeared in the last two decades. In the remaining sites, the birds were still considered safe, simply because they were located in the Lore Lindu National Park.

Another unique thing about Maleo birds are the way it lays eggs. Although it lives in forests and mountains about 1,200 m above sea level, it will find a lowland area to lay its eggs (usually a sandy beach or a sandy river bank). These places must get enough sunshine to warm the eggs.

Although a Maleo is as big as a chicken, its egg is the size of an adult's fist. A Maleo egg is the same as five to six chicken eggs, or weighs about 250 grams. The eggs are kept in warm sand about 60 cm - 70 cm underground. When the mother bird lays her eggs, the male bird will keep watch from a tree and immediately signal its "spouse" in case of danger.

The legs of a pair of Maleo birds are strong enough to allow them to move a cubic meter of sand when making a hole to lay the eggs. In the process, both of the "parents" take turns digging the eggs, including other holes as decoys to keep their eggs from being discovered by predators. That's why those digging for Maleo eggs often find only empty holes.

A pair of Maleo birds can only have, on average, about seven to eight eggs a year, although research data showed at least one pair was able to produce 12. The egg-laying periods are usually in April, October and November. The eggs are usually laid about a week apart. After being warmed by the hot sand, the eggs will hatch between 35 and 75 days after being laid. After the egg is hatched, the infant Maleo chicks will have to make its way up through the sand, to find food and deal with potential dangers on its own.

Til this day there is still no conclusive understanding in the scientific community revealing precisely how the infant Maleo gets out of the sand.

Some locals claim that Maleo always places its eggs in an upright position and when the egg hatches, the small Maleo will "cut" around the middle of the egg and use the nearly conical shaped top end of the egg as piercing shield/umbrella to plow its way up through the sand. If the shield/umbrella is broken on the way, the baby Maleo will never reach the surface.

At the Lore Lindu National Park, Maleo prefer laying eggs in sandy riverbanks. The locations are safer there than in other places, but there are still a number of poachers who enter the park. In fact, in Bakiriang, Pantai Toili, Banggai regency; Sausu Piore, Donggala regency; and Tanjung Matop, Buol Regency in Central Sulawesi, threat comes from government officials who visit captive breeding sites and take the eggs as "souvenirs" for their bosses. Worse, we still can find these eggs for Rp. 2,500 to Rp 5,000 (about 3 – 6 dollar) each in Buol or Toili market sold by forestry officers.

No wonder that this distinctive Megapode was recently up listed to Endangered because it has undergone a very rapid decline, which is projected to continue based on levels of exploitation and declines in extent and quality of habitat, combined with the fact that it has a small population, which is continuing to undergo severe fragmentation.

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Rambu Solo’, is a funeral procession in Toraja society. It means: the Setting Sun or Smoke Descending rituals which are associated with the south and west, with darkness, night, and death. Generally, there are two of them: one immediately after a death and elaborate, second funeral after preparations. This ritual procession held to send the spirit to the Puya, the afterworld, properly to avoid misfortune to its family. The souls of the dead can only go to Puya when the entire death ritual has been carried out. Without proper funeral rites the spirit of the deceased will cause misfortune to its family. The funeral sacrifices, ceremonies and feats also impress the gods with the importance of deceased, so that the spirit can intercede effectively on behalf of living relatives.

They believe the soul of the deceased will ride the souls of the slaughtered buffaloes and pigs to heaven. The buffalo has traditionally been a symbol of wealth and power - even land could be paid for buffaloes. After the guest display their presents of pigs and buffaloes, the traditional Mabadong song and dance is performed. This is a ceremonial re-enactment of the cycle of human life and the life story of the deceased. It is also farewell to the soul of the deceased, and relays the hope that the soul will arrive in the afterworld safely. Funerals can be spread out over several days and involve hundreds of guests (and many tourists).

In Toraja, a dead person is called 'Tomate'. It presides over the funeral from the high-roofed tower constructed at one and of the field. At a funeral, bamboo pavilions for the family and guests are constructed around a field. There are several arcs of groups of roughly hewn stone slabs around villages, and each stone possibly represents a member of the noble class who lived and died there.

There is also statues made for Tomate that stand at the mouth of the cave and looks out from a balcony near the burial caves. This is to guard and watch over the families and friends they have been left behind. The faces of these Tau Tau made similar with each Tomates.

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Sulawesi has been inhabited for almost 30,000 years. Traces of the first settlements can still be found in old caves near Maros in the chalk hills about 30 kms north-east of Makassar, and the finds include some Stone Age tools.

In 2002, Sulawesi's population was 15,445,153 and the highest population density was in South Sulawesi with 8,025,567. In 1938 the population of Makassar, though growing, was still under 100,000. The town was described by writer Joseph Conrad as "the prettiest and perhaps, cleanest looking of all the towns in the islands". By the 1950s, however, the population had increased to such a degree that many of the historic sites had been swallowed by modern development and today you have to look very carefully to find the few remains of the city's once splendid history.

Approximately 80% of the people of Sulawesi practice Islam, 17% practice Christianity, and small groups practice traditional religions. Islam is dominant in the central, south-east, and southern provinces. Most Christians are in the north, as well as in the district of Poso in Central Sulawesi and Tana Toraja in the south. While they are mostly Moslem, Buginese, Makassarese, and Mandarese; they still cling on to some older, pre-Islamic habits. Almost similar with Christian in Tana Toraja who retain animistic beliefs from Megalithic era.

Sulawesi is home to a number of ethnic groups including the Bugis, Makassarese and Mandarese of the southern coasts, the Toraja of the highlands, and the Minahasans of the north.

In the south, the people are Malayan, except for some indigenous ethnic groups in the interior. The largest ethnic group is the Makassarese-Bugis, who are renowned as seafaring traders.

Buginese (or Bugis) live mostly in the central area of the peninsula, among that the remote and fertile plain between Pinrang and Watampone. The Bugis people of southern Sulawesi are bearers of an ancient maritime heritage that for millennia supported the spread of Austronesian peoples throughout the archipelago. The Bugis still uphold what is arguably the largest and most vital commercial sailing tradition in the world.

The ships of the Buginese, Makassarese, and Mandarese, the largest sailing populations of Indonesia, are remarkably good. The excellent craftsmanship proves that they can still make heavy ships from wood only. The many different fish-and sailboats which sail through the harbor of Makassar give a unique charm to the city. From the wide boulevard you can see a big diversity of traditional ships. Under the many different types of crafts are the perahu phinisi, the elegant schooner which has become the symbol of South-Sulawesi; the pantorani, with two square sails, which is used to catch flying fish; the lambo, a freighter with one meast; the balolang and many kinds of lepa lepa, sailing boats.

The Makasarese has close cultural relations with the Buginese. Their habitat is generally less fertile (except the very productive soil around Maros) and they depend more on the sea for life support.

The Mandarese are culturally close to the Buginese as well. Most of them live in the less hospitable northwestern part of the peninsula. In contrary to the more prosperous Buginese and Makasarese populations, which have better soil, the Mandarese never developed extensive and centralized kingdoms, but they lives in relative autonomous villages. Together with the Torajan, the Mandarese live more centrally. Now Mandar is part of the newly established province of West Sulawesi (October 2004), while Toraja still belongs to South Sulawesi.

The Mandar people have long been famous for their silk sarongs, lipa sa'be, and the Toraja for their woven cotton blankets. On the basis of its cultural elements Mamasa, a high place of the regency of Polmas (Poliwali Mamasa), is included in West Toraja. There is now a trekking route through the spectacular hills between Bittung and Mamasa.

The Toraja inhabit the northern part of the peninsula, where they are scattered over a large and hard terrain. They are divided in several sub-groups, among them the Sa'dan, Rongkong, Seko, Mamasa and Mangki. Most of them live in the central highlands (Tana Toraja), while rest live in the cities of the lowlands. Because their area is mountainous, the Toraja have insufficient space for wet rice agriculture to feed the population; many live from the cultivation of coffee, rice and sago.

Known for their magnificent burial ceremonies on cliffs or in hanging graves, the Toraja (To ~ people, i-raja ~ from above, highland, west, big) believe that their forefathers descended from heaven in a boat some twenty generations ago. The majority of the people still follow an ancestral cult called "Aluk Todolo", which governs all their traditional ceremonies. Their ancestor worship includes elaborate death and after life ceremonies, which are essentially great feasts.

They have two basic types of ceremony: Rambu Tuka and Rambu Solo. Both of these rituals are still practiced and are very important. The Rambu Tuka (Rising Sun or Smoke Ascending) rites are associated with the north and east, with joy and life. They include rituals relating to birth, marriage, health, the home, the community, and rice.

The Rambu Solo (Setting Sun or Smoke Descending) rites are associated with the south and west, with darkness, night, and death. In these rites buffaloes are sacrificed in the final death ceremony, after which the remains of the deceased are placed in a coffin and interred in caves hollowed out in high cliffs. The mouth of the cave is guarded by lifelike statues, looking out from a balcony. As death is so important -- it is when the soul is released -- burials are elaborate and accompanied by days of feasting. Rock graves are also a form of burial. A strict social hierarchy regarding burial gifts and protocol is observed in the villages.

In the north are the Minahassan, also known as the Menadonese. Wallace described these people as different from related tribes: "The inhabitants of Minahasa differ much from those of all the rest of the island, and in fact from any other people in the Archipelago. They are of light-brown or yellow tint, often approaching the fairness of a European; of a rather short stature, stout and well-made; of an open and pleasing countenance, more or less disfigured as age increases by projecting cheek-bones; and with the usual long, straight, jet-black hair of the Malayan races. In some of the inland villages where they may be supposed to be the purest race, both men and women are remarkably handsome"(Alfred Russel Wallace, "The Malay Archipelago" p. 185).

In this volcanic area, people love music, and they are famed throughout the country for their vocal skills, displayed to best advantage during their rituals, celebrations and gatherings.

The existence of an ancient civilization in North Sulawesi is shown by the presence of the waruga stone sarcophagi, the oldest reportedly dating back to 900 AD. North Sulawesi and the Minahassan people there never developed any large empire. In 670 AD the leaders of the various tribes, who all spoke different languages, met by a stone known as Watu Pinabetengan. There they founded a federation of independent states, who pledged to stand together and fight any outside enemies if they were attacked. The word Minahassan is derived from Mina'esa, meaning "unification of the tribes". This unification was necessary to withstand their mutual enemy the Bolaang Mongondow. It was not until 1693 that they were able to finally defeat the Bolaang Mongondow.

Extremely irregular in shape, island of Sulawesi comprises four large peninsulas separated by three gulfs—Tomini in the north-east, Tolo in the south-east, and Bone in the south. It lies in the middle of the Malay Archipelago between the islands of Kalimantan to the west, Maluku to the east, Flores to the south and Timor to the south-east, and shares a border with the Philippines to the north. Sulawesi’s wet and dry seasons vary across the different peninsulas, but (except for the northern peninsula) the heaviest rainfall usually occurs between November and April during the western monsoon. In the sheltered centre of the island is the semi-arid Palu Valley, with an annual rainfall of less than 600 mm, while the mountains can receive up to 4000 mm.

The name Sulawesi is a local pronunciation of the Portuguese name for the island, Celebes, and came into common use after Independence, but the exact origin of the name Celebes is not clear. The Portuguese, the first Europeans on the island, called it Ponto dos Celebres which means point of the notorious/renowned. This might refer to the many pirates that were sailing in Sulawesi (and Indonesian) waters those days, or to the strong Monsoon winds which caused many ships to sink.

A local legend says that when the Portuguese first landed on the island, the captain of the ship met a man who was busy working as a blacksmith. The captain asked the man - in Portuguese - what the name of the island was. The blacksmith, not understanding, thought the captain had asked him what he was doing, and answered "sele besi", which means "heat iron" or "work with iron". The captain was satisfied with the answer and registered Selebesi as name of the island in his logbook. Some invoke a mountain called Kalabat to explain the name. Meanwhile, a more modern legend says the name Sulawesi is derived from the two words sula (island) and besi (iron), referring to the rich sources of iron on the island.

Sulawesi (formerly Celebes) is the fourth largest island of Indonesia and the eleventh largest in world. It covers an area of 189,040 km² and is one of the most forested and mountainous islands in the region. As a unique rain forest lying on the Wallace line, Sulawesi is rich in varieties of flora and fauna. It also has the highest level of mammal endemism in Asia and is a major component of the Wallace Biodiversity Hotspot as designated by Conservation International. For the time being Sulawesi is still the most forested island in Indonesia. It has many lakes, of which Towuti is the largest and Tondano, with its waterfall, is considered the most beautiful.

Sulawesi also boasts eleven active volcanoes, and among them are Mt. Rantemario (11,286 ft/3,440 m) and Mt. Rantekombola (11,335 ft/3,455 m) that are also the island’s highest peaks. Eruptions have occurred as recently as 1991, while the eruption of Awu in the Sangihe Talaud archipelago in 1966 killed over 7,300 people. Parts of southern Sulawesi are largely infertile due to the high concentration of heavy metals in the soils. With a wealth of natural resources -- minerals and high-quality woods -- Sulawesi is now one of the richest regions in Indonesia.

Sulawesi comprises of six separate provinces: South Sulawesi (capital: Makassar), North Sulawesi (capital: Manado), Gorontalo (capital: Gorontalo), Central Sulawesi (capital: Palu), South-East Sulawesi (capital: Kendari), and West Sulawesi (capital: Majene), which was established in October 2004 as the Indonesia’s 33rd province.

South Sulawesi is the largest province in Sulawesi while Gorontalo is the smallest. The most populous city on the island, Makassar (pop. 1.1 million) is frequently referred to as the 'Gateway to Eastern Indonesia.'

By the 16th century, Makassar had become Sulawesi's major port and the centre of the powerful Gowa and Tallo sultanates, which between them set up a series of 11 fortresses and strongholds and a fortified sea wall which extended along the coast. When Dutch came in the early 17th century, everything changed dramatically. Their first objective was to seize hegemony over the spice trade, and their first move was to capture the fort of Makassar in 1667, which they rebuilt and renamed Fort Rotterdam. From this base they managed to destroy the strongholds of the Sultan of Gowa who was then forced to live on the outskirts of Makassar. The character of this old trading centre changed as a walled city known as Vlaardingen grew, a place where slaves were at the mercy of the ruthless foreigners.

With few sites of historical and artistic importance, the charm of the region lies in well-kept towns, impressive traditional beliefs and activities, and the extensive coastline where master shipbuilders construct massive wooden schooners, using only simple hand-tools and designs passed down by rote through the centuries.

Welcome to Sulawesi GIS
A web-based Geographic Information System

Thank you for visiting Sulawesi GIS, a project done by Yayasan Inovasi Pemerintahan Daerah (YIPD) also known as Center for Local Governance Innovation (CLGI).

The first version of the Sulawesi GIS contains:

1. Bio-physical Data including: delineation of watersheds; forest-related data such as priority watersheds, percentage of forest cover, parks, etc.; water-related data, such as mapping of water bodies (streams, rivers and lakes); biodiversity data; environmental data and information.

2. Socio-economic, development and poverty-related data, such as demographics, agricultural statistics, consumption and expenditure, also including data on Millennium Development Goal indicators or proxies to the extent available

3. Administrative boundaries, including province, kabupaten, kecamatan and desa

4. Governance and local policy/planning information, including narrative documents

5. Infrastructure map, including roads, ports, airports, rail-links

6. Donor map, displaying the location of both current and planned donor programs on the island.

GIS lets the user access, appreciate, decipher, and contextualize information on the basis of interactive maps and in this way improve their decision-making tools and analysis capabilities.

You also can create a map, generate a report, read and download Kota (cities) and Kabupaten (districts) Information Cards, and use GIS data and information on this site, or download the data to use in your own system.

Standard Web GIS tools such as Zoom, Zoom Area, Pan, Print and Measure a Distance or an Area are also available.

This virtual library can be accessed anywhere at anytime and updated regularly together with its reader-friendly supplementary texts here: icon GIS.

Please use the navigation bar above to check out the different features and information offered through Sulawesi GIS