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Bangka-Belitung, cutely abbreviated Babel, is a province in Indonesia consisting of the islands of Bangka and Belitung (Billiton), just off the south-eastern coast of Sumatra.
Bangka Belitung Islands (Indonesian: Kepulauan Bangka Belitung) is a province of Indonesia. Situated off the southeastern coast of Sumatra, the province comprises two main islands, Bangka and Belitung and numerous smaller ones. Bangka Belitung is bordered by the Bangka Strait to the west, the Natuna Sea to the north, the Java Sea is to the south and the Karimata Strait to the east. The province's capital and largest city is Pangkal Pinang. The province covers an area of 16,424.06 km2 and, as of the 2020 census, the population of Bangka Belitung was 1,455.678.The province has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests, which however is disappearing due to deforestation. Mount Maras is the highest point in the province and the island of Bangka, with a height of 699 m. There are several rivers in the province, such as the Sebuku River, Baturusa River and Mendo River. The province is ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse, major ethnic groups including Malays, Chinese and Javanese. Indonesian is the official language of the province, while the local Malay dialect and Hakka serves as the lingua franca of the province.
Historically, Bangka Belitung has been part of the kingdoms of Sriwijaya, Majapahit and Palembang, before becoming a colony of foreign empires (Dutch, British and Japanese). Bangka Belitung was a residency within the Dutch East Indies. Upon the independence of Indonesia, the region was administered as part of the province of Sumatra and subsequently of South Sumatra. Bangka Belitung officially became the 31st province of Indonesia in 2000.