Buton

For the Buddhist scholar, seeButon Rinchen Drub.

Buton

Buton
Geography
Location	Southeast Asia
Coordinates	5°3′S122°53′E
Area	4,727.07 km2(1,825.13 sq mi)
Highest elevation	1,100 m (3600 ft)
Highest point	Unnamed
Administration
Indonesia
Province	Southeast Sulawesi
Largest settlement	Baubau(pop. 159,248)
Demographics
Population	414,899 (2020 Census)
Pop. density	87.8/km2(227.4/sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Butonese people
Additional information
Time zone	WITA (UTC+8)

Buton and surrounding islands

Buton(alsoButung,BoetonorButton) is anislandinIndonesialocated off the southeast peninsula ofSulawesi.It covers roughly 4,727 square kilometers in area, or about the size ofMadura;it is the 129thlargest island in the worldand Indonesia's 19th largest in area.

History

First minister of Buton

In the precolonial era, the island, then usually known as Butung, was within the sphere of influence ofTernate.Especially in the sixteenth century, Buton served as an important secondary regional center within the Ternaten empire, controlling regional trade and collecting tribute to be sent to Ternate.

TheSultanate of Butonruled over the island from the 14th until the 20th century.

Sultan Murhum, the first Islamic monarch on the island, is remembered in the name of the island's major harbor, Murhum Harbor, in Baubau.

Geography

Its largest town isBaubau,where theWolioandCia-Cialanguages are spoken. Major nearby islands includeWawonii(to the north),MunaandKabaena(to the west) and Siumpu (to the southwest). TheTukangbesi Islandslie just to the east whereTukang Besiis spoken, and is separated by theGulf of Kolowana Watabo(Teluk Kolowana Watabo).

BatuatasIsland is to the south. Also theBouton Passage(as it was known in the pre-Independence era) was an important inter-island navigational location of the northernFlores Sea.

Ecology

The island is largely covered byrainforestand is known for its wildlife. It is one of only two habitats of theanoa,a type ofbuffalo.

People

Portrait of a delegation from Buton

The languages spoken on Buton includeWolio,Cia-Cia,various dialects ofMuna,Tukang Besi,Kumbewaha,Lasalimu,Kamaru,Pancana,Busoa,Taloki,KulisusuandKioko.TheIndonesian language,the national language of Indonesia, is also widely used and taught in schools.

In 2009, theCia-Ciatribe in Baubau city began to use the KoreanHangulAlpha bet for their language, based on textbooks created by theHunminjeongeum Society,a linguistic society in Seoul.,but in 2012 it was reported that adoption ultimately failed and has been abandoned.

Economy

The island has a massive reserve of naturalasphaltand several other minerals. Asphalt from Buton can be utilized as bitumen modifiersas well as a substitute for petroleum asphalt. As a result, natural asphalt can be used to reduce dependency on conventional fossil based resources.

Administration

Buton Island is administratively divided into five second level administrative divisions (Daerah Tingkat II):BaubauCity,Buton Regency,(part of)South Buton Regency(which includes several smaller islands to the west and south of Buton),North Buton Regencyand (part of)Muna Regency.

Kabupaten	Area in km2	Pop'n Census 2010	Pop'n Census 2020	comprising
North Buton Regency	1,923.03	54,736	66,653	all districts
Muna Regency (part)	400.78	19,488	22,534	Pasih Putih, Pasi Kolaga, Wakorumba Selatan, Batukara and Maligano districts
Buton Regency	1,648.04	94,388	115,207	all districts
Baubau city	295.07	136,991	159,248	all districts
South Buton Regency (part)	460.15	41,886	51,257	Sampolawa, Lapandewa and Batauga districts
Totals	4,727.07	347,489	414,899

However, the eponymous archipelago is administered under an additional four regencies: the rest ofMuna RegencyandSouth Buton Regency,together withWest Muna Regency,Wakatobi Regency,Central Buton Regency(which does not include any portion of Buton Island), and (part of)Bombana Regency.