Makassar, city, central Indonesia, capital of Sulawesi Selantan Province, in the southwestern portion of the island of Sulawesi (Celebes), on Makassar Strait. The largest city and chief port of Sulawesi, it serves as a commercial center and a transshipment point for goods being transported to and from the eastern Indonesian islands. Major manufactures include processed foods, textiles, paper products, and building materials. The city is the site of Hasanuddin University (1956); a museum of handicrafts; and Fort Vredenburg. The site was visited in 1512 and later settled by the Portuguese. Fort Rotterdam, originally built by the Portuguese, was taken by the Dutch East India Company in the early 17th century, and in 1667 Dutch control over the area was established. From 1946 to 1950 the city was the capital of the Dutch-supported state of East Indonesia. The city was called Ujungpandang from the early 1970s until 1999; it is sometimes spelled Macassar. Population (1997 estimate) 1,252,245.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Makassar Information info
|
