History of Batam

Batam with a land area of 1.038,84 km ² and area of water 2.791,09 km² is part of Riau Islands Province which includes;

• BP Batam working area which has authority and responsibility of the National Strategic Area (KSN), status of Free Trade Zone and Free Port (KPBPB) for investment and export development in 8 islands covering an area of 716.30 km², namely: Batam Island, Rempang Island and Galang Island and other small islands in Singapore Strait and Malacca Strait. Batam Island, Rempang, and Galang are connected by the Barelang Bridge. Batam is part of the Batam-Bintan-Karimun (BBK) free trade area.
• City Government working area which has authority and responsibility of sub-affairs in accordance UU No. 23 Tahun 2014 about Regional Government, covering an area of 322,54 km² for regional economic development in 365 islands besides 8 islands which are under authority of BP Batam.

>Batam has a strategic location in the Malacca Strait which is an international shipping lane, connecting Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean and is located between 2 continents, namely Asia and Australia. With the status of KPBPB dan Special Economic Zone (KEK) Enclave as an option, make Batam as a zone of confluence change of civilization countries are switching from the use of natural resources and industries to use the services and options for countries that do not have economic cooperation with Indonesia dan region to expand market access and production base.
Through Presidential Number 74 of 1971 on Development of Batam Island Development, a small island across from Singapore, populated ± 6000 inhabitants who live in 21 hamlets scattered on the coast, set direction of development as an industrial area. Due to budget constraints Government of Republic of Indonesia at that time Pertamina was a appointed as implementer, and is developed as a logistics base offshore oil industry. Central Government is really serios about encouraging the development of Batam Island so that it issued another Presidential Decree Number 41 of 1973 concerning the Batam Island Industrial Area, assigned as an industrial estate with several bonded zones and also establishing land status on Batam Island as Batam Authority Management Rights. Along with the increase in industrial activity on Batam Island, population also increased significantly to ± 31,800 per 1978.
Through Presidential Decree No. 41 of 1978, entire island of Batam is set a Bonded Zone, Batam Authority is also evaluating Batam development master plan which had previously only been the development of an industrial area as well as an investment destination. Through Government Regulation No. 34 of 1983 Batam Municipal Administration Government was formed with responsibility of fostering government and society. To coordinate implementation of all government, development and community activities on the island of Batam regulated through Presidential Decree Number 7 of 1984, Batam Authority is responsible for the implementation of development and the Batam Government is responsible for fostering government and community life. Rapid economic activity on the island of Batam, through Presidential Decree No. 28 of 1992, Batam Authority's working area was expanded to Rempang Island, Galang Island, Galang Baru Island and 39 small islands around it. Entering era of Regional Autonomy, through Law Number 53 Year 1999, Batam City was formed with the status of a fully autonomous region.