Bali

Coordinates: 8°20′06″S 115°05′17″E

Bali (/ˈbɑːli/; Balinese: ᬩᬮᬶ ) is a province of Indonesia

and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Bali
easternmost of the Sunda Shelf. East of Java and west of
Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a
Province
few smaller offshore islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Province of Bali
Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan to the southeast. The
provincial capital, Denpasar,[7] is the most populous city
in the Lesser Sunda Islands and the second-largest, after
Makassar, in Eastern Indonesia. The upland town of
Ubud in Greater Denpasar is considered Bali's cultural
centre. The province is Indonesia's main tourist
Seal
destination, with a significant rise in tourism since the
1980s.[8] Tourism-related business makes up 80% of its Nickname(s): Pulau Dewata (Indonesian)
economy.[9] "Island of gods"
Motto(s): Bali Dwipa Jaya (Balinese)
Bali is the only Hindu-majority province in Indonesia, "Glorious Bali Island"
with 86.9% of the population adhering to Balinese
Hinduism.[3] It is renowned for its highly developed arts,
including traditional and modern dance, sculpture,
painting, leather, metalworking, and music. The
Indonesian International Film Festival is held every year
in Bali. Other international events that have been held in
Bali include Miss World 2013, the 2018 Annual Meetings
Bali in Indonesia
of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank
Group and the 2022 G20 summit. In March 2017, OpenStreetMap [show]
TripAdvisor named Bali as the world's top destination in
its Traveller's Choice award, which it also earned in
January 2021.[10][11]

Bali is part of the Coral Triangle, the area with the

highest biodiversity of marine species, especially fish and
turtles.[12] In this area alone, over 500 reef-building
coral species can be found. For comparison, this is about
seven times as many as in the entire Caribbean.[13] Bali is
the home of the Subak irrigation system, a UNESCO
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
World Heritage Site.[14] It is also home to a unified
confederation of kingdoms composed of 10 traditional Coordinates: 8°20′06″S 115°05′17″E
royal Balinese houses, each house ruling a specific Country Indonesia
geographic area. The confederation is the successor of
Established 14 August 1958[1]
Capital Denpasar
and largest city
Government
the Bali Kingdom. The royal houses are not recognised  • Body Bali Provincial
by the government of Indonesia; however, they Government
originated before Dutch colonisation.[15]  • Governor I Wayan Koster
 • Vice Governor T. O. A. Ardana
Sukawati
History Area
 • Total 5,780 km2
Ancient (2,230 sq mi)
Highest elevation 3,031 m (9,944 ft)
Bali was inhabited around 2000 BCE by Austronesian (Mount Agung)
people who migrated originally from the island of Population (mid 2022 estimate)[2]
Taiwan to Southeast Asia and Oceania through Maritime  • Total 4,415,100
Southeast Asia.[16][17] Culturally and linguistically, the  • Density 760/km2
Balinese are closely related to the people of the (2,000/sq mi)
Indonesian archipelago, Malaysia, Brunei, the
Philippines, and Oceania.[17] Stone tools dating from this Demographics
time have been found near the village of Cekik in the  • Ethnic groups[3] 88% Balinese
island's west.[18][19] 7% Javanese
1% East Indonesians
In ancient Bali, nine Hindu sects existed, the Pasupata, 1% Aga
Bhairawa, Siwa Shidanta, Vaishnava, Bodha, Brahma, 1% Madurese
Resi, Sora and Ganapatya. Each sect revered a specific 3% others
deity as its personal Godhead.[20] [4]
 • Religion 86.91% Hinduism
Inscriptions from 896 and 911 do not mention a king, 10.05% Islam
until 914, when Sri Kesarivarma is mentioned. They also 2.35% Christianity
reveal an independent Bali, with a distinct dialect, where 0.68% Buddhism
Buddhism and Shaivism were practised simultaneously. 0.01% others
Mpu Sindok's great-granddaughter, Mahendradatta  • Languages[5] Indonesian (official)
(Gunapriyadharmapatni), married the Bali king Udayana Balinese (native)
Warmadewa (Dharmodayanavarmadeva) around 989,
English
giving birth to Airlangga around 1001. This marriage also
brought more Hinduism and Javanese culture to Bali. Time zone UTC+08 (WITA)
Princess Sakalendukirana appeared in 1098. Suradhipa HDI 0.764 (High)
reigned from 1115 to 1119, and Jayasakti from 1146 until HDI rank 5th in Indonesia
1150. Jayapangus appears on inscriptions between 1178 (2022)
and 1181, while Adikuntiketana and his son Paramesvara GRP Nominal $17.86 billion[6]
in 1204.[21]: 129, 144, 168, 180  GDP PPP (2019) $58.39 billion[6]
Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian, GDP rank 13th in Indonesia
Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, beginning (2019)
around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali
Nominal per US$4,119 (2019)[6]
island") has been discovered from various inscriptions,
capita
including the Blanjong pillar inscription written by Sri
PPP per capita US$13,539 (2019)[6]
Kesari Warmadewa in 914 AD and mentioning Per capita rank 9th in Indonesia
Walidwipa. It was during this time that the people
(2019)
developed their complex irrigation system subak to grow Website baliprov.go.id (http://
rice in wet-field cultivation. Some religious and cultural www.baliprov.go.id/)
traditions still practised today can be traced to this
period.

The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343.
The uncle of Hayam Wuruk is mentioned in the charters of 1384–86. Mass Javanese immigration
to Bali occurred in the next century when the Majapahit Empire fell in 1520.[21]: 234, 240  Bali's
government then became an independent collection of Hindu
kingdoms which led to a Balinese national identity and major
enhancements in culture, arts, and economy. The nation with
various kingdoms became independent for up to 386 years
until 1906 when the Dutch subjugated and repulsed the natives
for economic control and took it over.[22]

Portuguese contacts Subak irrigation system

The first known European contact with Bali is thought to have
been made in 1512, when a Portuguese expedition led by
Antonio Abreu and Francisco Serrão sighted its northern shores. It was the first expedition of a
series of bi-annual fleets to the Moluccas, that throughout the 16th century travelled along the
coasts of the Sunda Islands. Bali was also mapped in 1512, in the chart of Francisco Rodrigues,
aboard the expedition.[23] In 1585, a ship foundered off the Bukit Peninsula and left a few
Portuguese in the service of Dewa Agung.[24]

Dutch East Indies

In 1597, the Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived at Bali, and
the Dutch East India Company was established in 1602. The Dutch
government expanded its control across the Indonesian archipelago
during the second half of the 19th century. Dutch political and
economic control over Bali began in the 1840s on the island's north
coast when the Dutch pitted various competing Balinese realms
against each other.[25] In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese
kingdoms on the island's south were exploited by the Dutch to
increase their control.

In June 1860, the famous Welsh naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace,

travelled to Bali from Singapore, landing at Buleleng on the north
coast of the island. Wallace's trip to Bali was instrumental in helping Puputan monument
him devise his Wallace Line theory. The Wallace Line is a faunal
boundary that runs through the strait between Bali and Lombok. It is
a boundary between species. In his travel memoir The Malay Archipelago, Wallace wrote of his
experience in Bali, which has a strong mention of the unique Balinese irrigation methods:

I was astonished and delighted; as my visit to Java was some years later, I had never
beheld so beautiful and well-cultivated a district out of Europe. A slightly undulating
plain extends from the seacoast about ten or twelve miles (16 or 19 kilometres) inland,
where it is bounded by a fine range of wooded and cultivated hills. Houses and villages,
marked out by dense clumps of coconut palms, tamarind and other fruit trees, are
dotted about in every direction; while between them extend luxurious rice grounds,
watered by an elaborate system of irrigation that would be the pride of the best-
cultivated parts of Europe.[26]

The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were met by
the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who rather than yield to the
superior Dutch force committed ritual suicide (puputan) to avoid the humiliation of surrender.[25]
Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 200 Balinese killed themselves rather than
surrender.[27] In the Dutch intervention in Bali, a similar mass suicide occurred in the face of a
Dutch assault in Klungkung. Afterwards, the Dutch governours exercised administrative control
over the island, but local control over religion and culture generally remained intact. Dutch rule
over Bali came later and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java
and Maluku.

In the 1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, artists Miguel Covarrubias
and Walter Spies, and musicologist Colin McPhee all spent time here. Their accounts of the island
and its peoples created a western image of Bali as "an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with
themselves and nature". Western tourists began to visit the island.[28] The sensuous image of Bali
was enhanced in the West by a quasi-pornographic 1932 documentary Virgins of Bali about a day
in the lives of two teenage Balinese girls whom the film's narrator Deane Dickason notes in the
first scene "bathe their shamelessly nude bronze bodies".[29]: 134  Under the looser version of the
Hays code that existed up to 1934, nudity involving "civilised" (i.e. white) women was banned, but
permitted with "uncivilised" (i.e. all non-white women), a loophole that was exploited by the
producers of Virgins of Bali.[29]: 133  The film, which mostly consisted of scenes of topless Balinese
women was a great success in 1932, and almost single-handedly made Bali into a popular spot for
tourists.[29]: 135 

Imperial Japan occupied Bali during World War II. It was not originally a target in their
Netherlands East Indies Campaign, but as the airfields on Borneo were inoperative due to heavy
rains, the Imperial Japanese Army decided to occupy Bali, which did not suffer from comparable
weather. The island had no regular Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) troops. There was
only a Native Auxiliary Corps Prajoda (Korps Prajoda) consisting of about 600 native soldiers and
several Dutch KNIL officers under the command of KNIL Lieutenant Colonel W.P. Roodenburg.
On 19 February 1942, the Japanese forces landed near the town of Sanoer (Sanur). The island was
quickly captured.[30]

During the Japanese occupation, a Balinese military officer, I Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese
'freedom army'. The harshness of Japanese occupation forces made them more resented than the
Dutch colonial rulers.[31]

Independence from the Dutch

In 1945, Bali was liberated by the British 5th infantry Division under the command of Major-
General Robert Mansergh who took the Japanese surrender. Once Japanese forces had been
repatriated the island was handed over to the Dutch the following year.

In 1946, the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly
proclaimed State of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia, which was
proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United
States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December
1949.[32] The first governor of Bali, Anak Agung Bagus Suteja, was appointed by President
Sukarno in 1958, when Bali became a province.[33]

Contemporary
The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc, and forced many
displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of
social divisions across Indonesia in the 1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between
supporters of the traditional caste system, and those rejecting this system. Politically, the
opposition was represented by supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the
Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), with tensions and ill-feeling
further increased by the PKI's land reform programmes.[25] A
purported coup attempt in Jakarta was averted by forces led by
General Suharto.

The army became the dominant power as it instigated a violent anti-

communist purge, in which the army blamed the PKI for the coup.
Most estimates suggest that at least 500,000 people were killed across
Indonesia, with an estimated 80,000 killed in Bali, equivalent to 5%
of the island's population.[25][28][34] With no Islamic forces involved
as in Java and Sumatra, upper-caste PNI landlords led the
extermination of PKI members.[34]

As a result of the 1965–66 upheavals, Suharto was able to manoeuvre

2002 Bali bombings
Sukarno out of the presidency. His "New Order" government re-
memorial
established relations with Western countries. The pre-War Bali as
"paradise" was revived in a modern form. The resulting large growth
in tourism has led to a dramatic increase in Balinese standards of living and significant foreign
exchange earned for the country.[25]

A bombing in 2002 by militant Islamists in the tourist area of Kuta killed 202 people, mostly
foreigners. This attack, and another in 2005, severely reduced tourism, producing much economic
hardship on the island.

On 27 November 2017, Mount Agung erupted five times, causing the evacuation of thousands,
disrupting air travel and causing much environmental damage. Further eruptions also occurred
between 2018 and 2019.[35]

Geography
The island of Bali lies 3.2  km (2.0  mi) east of Java, and is
approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. Bali and Java
are separated by the Bali Strait. East to west, the island is
approximately 153  km (95  mi) wide and spans approximately
112  km (70  mi) north to south; administratively it covers
5,780  km2 (2,230  sq  mi), or 5,577  km2 (2,153  sq  mi) without
Nusa Penida District,[36] which comprises three small islands
off the southeast coast of Bali. Its population density was
roughly 747 people/km2 (1,930 people/sq mi) in 2020.
Aerial photograph of Bali
Bali's central mountains include several peaks over 2,000
metres (6,600 feet) in
elevation and active
volcanoes such as Mount
Batur. The highest is
Mount Agung (3,031  m;
9,944  ft), known as the
"mother mountain", which
Detailed map of Bali is an active volcano rated
Mount Agung is the highest point of
as one of the world's most
Bali.
likely sites for a massive
eruption within the next 100 years.[37] In late 2017 Mount
Agung started erupting and large numbers of people were evacuated, temporarily closing the
island's airport.[38] Mountains range from centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the
easternmost peak. Bali's volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility and its tall
mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports the highly productive agriculture sector.
South of the mountains is a broad, steadily descending area where most of Bali's large rice crop is
grown. The northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main coffee-
producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables, and cattle. The longest river, Ayung River,
flows approximately 75 km (47 mi) (see List of rivers of Bali).

The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those
in the north and west have black sand. Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is
navigable by small sampan boats. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being
developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for
significant tourism.

The largest city is the provincial capital, Denpasar, near the

southern coast. Its population is around 726,800 (mid 2022).
Bali's second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja,
which is located on the north coast and is home to around
150,000 people in 2020.[39][40] Other important cities include
the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically part of Denpasar's
urban area, and Ubud, situated at the north of Denpasar, is the
island's cultural centre.[41]

Three small islands lie to the immediate south-east and all are The cliff of Nusa Penida with
administratively part of the Klungkung regency of Bali: Nusa Kelingking beach in the foreground
Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. These islands
are separated from Bali by the Badung Strait.

To the east, the Lombok Strait separates Bali from Lombok and marks the biogeographical
division between the fauna of the Indomalayan realm and the distinctly different fauna of
Australasia. The transition is known as the Wallace Line, named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who
first proposed a transition zone between these two major biomes. When sea levels dropped during
the Pleistocene ice age, Bali was connected to Java and Sumatra and to the mainland of Asia and
shared the Asian fauna, but the deep water of the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok Island
and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.

Climate
Being just 8 degrees south of the equator, Bali has a fairly even climate all year round. Average
year-round temperature stands at around 30 °C (86 °F) with a humidity level of about 85%.[42]

Daytime temperatures at low elevations vary between 20 and 33  °C (68 and 91  °F), but the
temperatures decrease significantly with increasing elevation.

The west monsoon is in place from approximately October to April, and this can bring significant
rain, particularly from December to March. During the rainy season, there are comparatively fewer
tourists seen in Bali. During the Easter and Christmas holidays, the weather is very unpredictable.
Outside of the monsoon period, humidity is relatively low and any rain is unlikely in lowland areas.

Ecology
Bali lies just to the west of the Wallace Line,[43] and thus has a fauna that is Asian in character,
with very little Australasian influence, and has more in common with Java than with Lombok.[44]
An exception is the yellow-crested cockatoo, a member of a primarily Australasian family. There
 are around 280 species of birds, including the critically endangered
Bali myna, which is endemic. Others include barn swallow, black-
naped oriole, black racket-tailed treepie, crested serpent-eagle,
crested treeswift, dollarbird, Java sparrow, lesser adjutant, long-tailed
shrike, milky stork, Pacific swallow, red-rumped swallow, sacred
kingfisher, sea eagle, woodswallow, savanna nightjar, stork-billed
kingfisher, yellow-vented bulbul and great egret.

Bali myna (Leucopsar
rothschildi) is found only on
Bali and is critically
endangered.
Until the early 20th century, Bali was possibly home to several large
mammals: banteng, leopard and the endemic Bali tiger. The banteng
still occurs in its domestic form, whereas leopards are found only in
neighbouring Java, and the Bali tiger is extinct. The last definite
record of a tiger on Bali dates from 1937 when one was shot, though
the subspecies may have survived until the 1940s or 1950s.[45]
Pleistocene and Holocene megafaunas include banteng and giant tapir
(based on speculations that they might have reached up to the Wallace
Line),[46] and rhinoceros.[47]

Squirrels are quite commonly encountered, less often is the

Asian palm civet, which is also kept in coffee farms to produce
kopi luwak. Bats are well represented, perhaps the most
famous place to encounter them remaining is the Goa Lawah
(Temple of the Bats) where they are worshipped by the locals
and also constitute a tourist attraction. They also occur in other
cave temples, for instance at Gangga Beach. Two species of
monkey occur. The crab-eating macaque, known locally as
"kera", is quite common around human settlements and Monkeys in Uluwatu
temples, where it becomes accustomed to being fed by
humans, particularly in any of the three "monkey forest"
temples, such as the popular one in the Ubud area. They are also quite often kept as pets by locals.
The second monkey, endemic to Java and some surrounding islands such as Bali, is far rarer and
more elusive and is the Javan langur, locally known as "lutung". They occur in a few places apart
from the West Bali National Park. They are born an orange colour, though they would have already
changed to a more blackish colouration by their first year. In Java, however, there is more of a
tendency for this species to retain its juvenile orange colour into adulthood, and a mixture of black
and orange monkeys can be seen together as a family. Other rarer mammals include the leopard
cat, Sunda pangolin and black giant squirrel.

Snakes include the king cobra and reticulated python. The water monitor can grow to at least 1.5 m
(4.9 ft) in length and 50 kg (110 lb)[48] and can move quickly.

The rich coral reefs around the coast, particularly around popular diving spots such as Tulamben,
Amed, Menjangan or neighbouring Nusa Penida, host a wide range of marine life, for instance
hawksbill turtle, giant sunfish, giant manta ray, giant moray eel, bumphead parrotfish,
hammerhead shark, reef shark, barracuda, and sea snakes. Dolphins are commonly encountered
on the north coast near Singaraja and Lovina.[49]

A team of scientists surveyed from 29 April 2011, to 11 May 2011, at 33 sea sites around Bali. They
discovered 952 species of reef fish of which 8 were new discoveries at Pemuteran, Gilimanuk, Nusa
Dua, Tulamben and Candidasa, and 393 coral species, including two new ones at Padangbai and
between Padangbai and Amed.[50] The average coverage level of healthy coral was 36% (better
than in Raja Ampat and Halmahera by 29% or in Fakfak and Kaimana by 25%) with the highest
coverage found in Gili Selang and Gili Mimpang in Candidasa, Karangasem Regency.[51]
Among the larger trees the most common are: banyan trees, jackfruit, coconuts, bamboo species,
acacia trees and also endless rows of coconuts and banana species. Numerous flowers can be seen:
hibiscus, frangipani, bougainvillea, poinsettia, oleander, jasmine, water lily, lotus, roses, begonias,
orchids and hydrangeas exist. On higher grounds that receive more moisture, for instance, around
Kintamani, certain species of fern trees, mushrooms and even pine trees thrive well. Rice comes in
many varieties. Other plants with agricultural value include: salak, mangosteen, corn, Kintamani
orange, coffee and water spinach.[52]

Environment
Over-exploitation by the tourist industry has led to 200 out of
400 rivers on the island drying up. Research suggests that the
southern part of Bali would face a water shortage.[53] To ease
the shortage, the central government plans to build a water
catchment and processing facility at Petanu River in Gianyar.
The 300 litres capacity of water per second will be channelled
to Denpasar, Badung and Gianyar in 2013.[54]

A 2010 Environment Ministry report on its environmental Uluwatu

quality index gave Bali a score of 99.65, which was the highest
score of Indonesia's 33 provinces. The score considers the level
of total suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, and chemical oxygen demand in water.[55]

Erosion at Lebih Beach has seen seven metres (23 feet) of land lost every year. Decades ago, this
beach was used for holy pilgrimages with more than 10,000 people, but they have now moved to
Masceti Beach.[56]

In 2017, a year when Bali received nearly 5.7  million tourists, government officials declared a
"garbage emergency" in response to the covering of 3.6-mile stretch of coastline in plastic waste
brought in by the tide, amid concerns that the pollution could dissuade visitors from returning.[57]
Indonesia is one of the world's worst plastic polluters, with some estimates suggesting the country
is the source of around 10 per cent of the world's plastic waste.

Government

Politics
In the national legislature, Bali is represented by nine members,[58] with a single electoral district
covering the whole province.[59] The Bali Regional People's Representative Council, the provincial
legislature, has 55 members.[60] The province's politics has historically been dominated by the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which has won by far the most votes in every
election in Bali since the first free elections in 1999.[61]

Administrative divisions
The province is divided into eight regencies (kabupaten) and one city (kota). These are, with their
areas and their populations at the 2010 census[62] and the 2020 census,[40] together with the
official estimates as at mid 2022[2] and the Human Development Index for each regency and city.
 Area Population Population Population Population HDI[63]
Name Capital in 2000 2010 2020 mid 2022 2019
km2 Census Census Census estimate estimate
Denpasar 0.830
City Denpasar 127.78 532,440 788,589 725,314 726,800 (Very
High)
Badung 0.802
Regency Mangupura 418.62 345,863 543,332 548,191 549,500 (Very
High)
Bangli Bangli 490.71 193,776 215,353 258,721 267,100 0.689
Regency (Medium)
Buleleng Singaraja 1,364.73 558,181 624,125 791,813 825,100 0.715
Regency (High)
Gianyar Gianyar 368.00 393,155 469,777 515,344 524,000 0.760
Regency (High)
Jembrana Negara 841.80 231,806 261,638 317,064 327,900 0.712
Regency (High)
Karangasem Amlapura 839.54 360,486 396,487 492,402 511,300 0.676
Regency (Medium)
Klungkung Semarapura 315.00 155,262 170,543 206,925 214,000 0.703
Regency (High)
Tabanan Tabanan 1,013.88 376,030 420,913 461,630 469,300 0.748
Regency (High)
Totals 5,780.06 3,146,999 3,890,757 4,317,404 4,415,100 0.794
(High)

Economy
In the 1970s, the Balinese economy was largely agriculture-based in terms of both output and
employment.[64] Tourism is now the largest single industry in terms of income, and as a result,
Bali is one of Indonesia's wealthiest regions. In 2003, around 80% of Bali's economy was tourism
related.[9] By the end of June 2011, the rate of non-performing loans of all banks in Bali were
2.23%, lower than the average of Indonesian banking industry non-performing loan rates (about
5%).[65] The economy, however, suffered significantly as a result of the Islamists' terrorist
bombings in 2002 and 2005. The tourism industry has since recovered from these events.

Agriculture
Although tourism produces the GDP's largest output,
agriculture is still the island's biggest employer.[66] Fishing
also provides a significant number of jobs. Bali is also famous
for its artisans who produce a vast array of handicrafts,
including batik and ikat cloth and clothing, wooden carvings,
stone carvings, painted art and silverware. Notably, individual
villages typically adopt a single product, such as wind chimes
or wooden furniture. Wood carving
The Arabica coffee production region is the highland region of Kintamani near Mount Batur.
Generally, Balinese coffee is processed using the wet method. This results in a sweet, soft coffee
with good consistency. Typical flavours include lemon and other citrus notes.[67] Many coffee
farmers in Kintamani are members of a traditional farming system called Subak Abian, which is
based on the Hindu philosophy of "Tri Hita Karana". According to this philosophy, the three
causes of happiness are good relations with God, other people, and the environment. The Subak
Abian system is ideally suited to the production of fair trade and organic coffee production.
Arabica coffee from Kintamani is the first product in Indonesia to request a geographical
indication.[68]

Tourism
Number of tourists by nationality
In 1963 the Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur was built by Sukarno
and boosted tourism in Bali. Before the Bali Beach Hotel No. Country Tourists
construction, there were only three significant tourist-class 1 Australia 1,225,425
hotels on the island.[71] Construction of hotels and restaurants
began to spread throughout Bali. Tourism further increased in 2 China 1,185,764
Bali after the Ngurah Rai International Airport opened in 3 India 371,850
1970. The Buleleng regency government encouraged the
tourism sector as one of the mainstays for economic progress 4 United Kingdom 283,539
and social welfare. 5 United States 273,317
The tourism industry is primarily focused in the south, while 6 Japan 257,897
also significant in the other parts of the island. The prominent 7 South Korea 213,324
tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and its
outer suburbs of Legian and Seminyak (which were once 8 France 206,814
independent townships), the east coast town of Sanur (once 9 Germany 194,773
the only tourist hub), Ubud towards the centre of the island, to
the south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jimbaran 10 Malaysia 184,477
and the newer developments of Nusa Dua and Pecatu. As of 2019[69][70]

The United States government lifted its travel warnings in

2008. The Australian government issued an advisory on
Friday, 4 May 2012, with the overall level of this advisory
lowered to 'Exercise a high degree of caution'. The Swedish
government issued a new warning on Sunday, 10 June 2012,
because of one tourist who died from methanol poisoning.[72]
Australia last issued an advisory on Monday, 5 January 2015,
due to new terrorist threats.[73]
Kuta Beach is a popular tourist
An offshoot of tourism is the growing real estate industry. spot.
Bali's real estate has been rapidly developing in the main
tourist areas of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Oberoi. Most
recently, high-end 5-star projects are under development on the Bukit peninsula, on the island's
south side. Expensive villas are being developed along the cliff sides of south Bali, with
commanding panoramic ocean views. Foreign and domestic, many Jakarta individuals and
companies are fairly active, and investment into other areas of the island also continues to grow.
Land prices, despite the worldwide economic crisis, have remained stable.

In the last half of 2008, Indonesia's currency had dropped approximately 30% against the US
dollar, providing many overseas visitors with improved value for their currencies.
 Bali's tourism
economy
survived the
Islamists
terrorist
bombings of
2002 and 2005,
and the tourism
industry has
slowly Ogoh-ogoh procession on the eve of
recovered and Nyepi
surpassed its
pre-terrorist
bombing levels; the long-term trend has been a
steady increase in visitor arrivals. In 2010, Bali
received 2.57  million foreign tourists, which
surpassed the target of 2.0–2.3  million tourists.
The average occupancy of starred hotels achieved
65%, so the island still should be able to
accommodate tourists for some years without any
addition of new rooms/hotels,[74] although at the
peak season some of them are fully booked.
Several tourist spots in Bali island, from top left
Bali received the Best Island award from Travel and
to right: Sunset over Amed beach with Mount Leisure in 2010.[75] Bali won because of its
Agung in the background, Garuda Wisnu Kencanaattractive surroundings (both mountain and coastal
monument, Tanah Lot temple, view from top of areas), diverse tourist attractions, excellent
Besakih Temple, scuba diving around Pemuteran,
The Rock Bar at Jimbaran Bay, and various international and local restaurants, and the
traditional Balinese people activities friendliness of the local people. The Balinese
culture and its religion are also considered the main
factor of the award. One of the most prestigious
events that symbolize a strong relationship between a god and its followers is Kecak dance.
According to BBC Travel released in 2011, Bali is one of the World's Best Islands, ranking second
after Santorini, Greece.[76]

In 2006, Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir Eat, Pray, Love was published, and in August 2010 it was
adapted into the film Eat Pray Love. It took place at Ubud and Padang-Padang Beach in Bali. Both
the book and the film fuelled a boom in tourism in Ubud, the hill town and cultural and tourist
centre that was the focus of Gilbert's quest for balance and love through traditional spirituality and
healing.[77]

In January 2016, after musician David Bowie died, it was revealed that in his will, Bowie asked for
his ashes to be scattered in Bali, conforming to Buddhist rituals. He had visited and performed in
several Southeast Asian cities early in his career, including Bangkok and Singapore.[78]

Since 2011, China has displaced Japan as the second-largest supplier of tourists to Bali, while
Australia still tops the list while India has also emerged as a greater supply of tourists. Chinese
tourists increased by 17% from last year due to the impact of ACFTA and new direct flights to
Bali.[79] In January 2012, Chinese tourists increased by 222.18% compared to January 2011, while
Japanese tourists declined by 23.54% year on year.[80]

Bali authorities reported the island had 2.88  million foreign tourists and 5  million domestic
tourists in 2012, marginally surpassing the expectations of 2.8 million foreign tourists.[81]
Based on a Bank Indonesia survey in May 2013, 34.39 per cent of tourists are upper-middle class,
spending between $1,286 and $5,592, and are dominated by Australia, India, France, China,
Germany and the UK. Some Chinese tourists have increased their levels of spending from previous
years. 30.26 per cent of tourists are middle class, spending between $662 and $1,285.[82] In 2017
it was expected that Chinese tourists would outnumber Australian tourists.

In January 2020, 10,000 Chinese tourists cancelled trips to Bali due to the COVID-19
pandemic.[83] Because of the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions, Bali welcomed 1.07 million
international travelers in 2020, most of them between January and March, which is -87%
compared to 2019. In the first half of 2021, they welcomed 43 international travelers.[84] The
pandemic presented a major blow on Bali's tourism-dependent economy. On 3 February 2022,
Bali reopened again for the first foreign tourists after 2 years of being closed due to the
pandemic.[85]

In 2022 Indonesia's Minister of Health, Budi Sadikin, stated that the tourism industry in Bali will
be complemented by the medical industry.[86]

At the beginning of 2023, the governor of Bali demanded a ban on the use of motorcycles by
tourists. This happened after a series of accidents. Wayan Koster proposed to cancel the violators'
visas. The move sparked widespread outrage on social media.[87]

Transportation
The Ngurah Rai International Airport is located near
Jimbaran, on the isthmus at the southernmost part of the
island. Lt. Col. Wisnu Airfield is in northwest Bali.

A coastal road circles the island, and three major two-lane

arteries cross the central mountains at passes reaching 1,750 m
in height (at Penelokan). The Ngurah Rai Bypass is a four-lane
expressway that partly encircles Denpasar. Bali has no railway
lines. There is a car ferry between Gilimanuk on the west coast I Gusti Ngurah Rai International
of Bali to Ketapang on Java. Airport
In December 2010 the Government of Indonesia invited
investors to build a new Tanah Ampo Cruise Terminal at Karangasem, Bali with a projected worth
of $30 million.[88] On 17 July 2011, the first cruise ship (Sun Princess) anchored about 400 metres
(1,300 feet) away from the wharf of Tanah Ampo harbour. The current pier is only 154 metres (505
feet) but will eventually be extended to 300  to 350 metres (980–1,150 feet) to accommodate
international cruise ships. The harbour is safer than the existing facility at Benoa and has a scenic
backdrop of east Bali mountains and green rice fields.[89] The tender for improvement was subject
to delays, and as of July 2013 the situation was unclear with cruise line operators complaining and
even refusing to use the existing facility at Tanah Ampo.[90]

A memorandum of understanding was signed by two

ministers, Bali's governor and Indonesian Train Company to
build 565 kilometres (351 miles) of railway along the coast
around the island. As of July 2015, no details of these proposed
railways have been released.[91][92] In 2019 it was reported in
Gapura Bali that Wayan Koster, governor of Bali, "is keen to
improve Bali's transportation infrastructure and is considering
plans to build an electric rail network across the island".[93]
Trans Sarbagita bus
On 16 March 2011 (Tanjung) Benoa port received the "Best Port Welcome 2010" award from
London's "Dream World Cruise Destination" magazine.[94] Government plans to expand the role
of Benoa port as export-import port to boost Bali's trade and industry sector.[95] In 2013, The
Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry advised that 306 cruise liners were scheduled to visit
Indonesia, an increase of 43 per cent compared to the previous year.[96]

In May 2011, an integrated Area Traffic Control System (ATCS) was implemented to reduce traffic
jams at four crossing points: Ngurah Rai statue, Dewa Ruci Kuta crossing, Jimbaran crossing and
Sanur crossing. ATCS is an integrated system connecting all traffic lights, CCTVs and other traffic
signals with a monitoring office at the police headquarters. It has successfully been implemented
in other ASEAN countries and will be implemented at other crossings in Bali.[97][98]

On 21 December 2011, construction started on the Nusa Dua-

Benoa-Ngurah Rai International Airport toll road, which will
also provide a special lane for motorcycles. This has been done
by seven state-owned enterprises led by PT Jasa Marga with
60% of the shares. PT Jasa Marga Bali Tol will construct the
9.91-kilometre-long (6.16-mile) toll road (totally 12.7
kilometres (7.89 miles) with access road). The construction is
estimated to cost Rp.2.49 trillion ($273.9 million). The project Bali Mandara Toll Road
goes through 2 kilometres (1 mile) of mangrove forest and
through 2.3 kilometres (1.4 miles) of beach, both within 5.4
hectares (13 acres) area. The elevated toll road is built over the mangrove forest on 18,000
concrete pillars that occupied two hectares of mangrove forest. This was compensated by the
planting of 300,000 mangrove trees along the road. On 21 December 2011, the Dewa Ruci 450-
metre (1,480-foot) underpass has also started on the busy Dewa Ruci junction near Bali Kuta
Galeria with an estimated cost of Rp136 billion ($14.9 million) from the state budget.[99][100][101]
On 23 September 2013, the Bali Mandara Toll Road was opened, with the Dewa Ruci Junction
(Simpang Siur) underpass being opened previously.[102]

To solve chronic traffic problems, the province will also build a toll road connecting Serangan with
Tohpati, a toll road connecting Kuta, Denpasar, and Tohpati, and a flyover connecting Kuta and
Ngurah Rai Airport.[103]

Demographics
The population of Bali was 3,890,757 as of the 2010 census,
and 4,317,404 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at
mid 2022 was 4,415,100.[105] There are an estimated 30,000
expatriates living in Bali.[106]

Ethnic origins
A DNA study in 2005 by Karafet et al.[107] found that 12% of
Balinese Y-chromosomes are of likely Indian origin, while 84% Balinese family after performing
are of likely Austronesian origin, and 2% of likely Melanesian puja in a temple
origin.

Caste system Historical population

Year Pop. ±%
1971 2,120,322 —    
1980 2,469,930 +16.5%
Pre-modern Bali had four castes, as Jeff Lewis and Belinda 1990 2,777,811 +12.5%
Lewis state, but with a "very strong tradition of communal 1995 2,895,649 +4.2%
decision-making and interdependence".[108] The four castes 2000 3,146,999 +8.7%
have been classified as Sudra (Shudra), Wesia (Vaishyas), 2005 3,378,092 +7.3%
Satria (Kshatriyas) and Brahmana (Brahmin).[109] 2010 3,890,757 +15.2%
The 19th-century scholars such as Crawfurd and Friederich
2015 4,148,588 +6.6%
suggested that the Balinese caste system had Indian origins, 2020 4,317,404 +4.1%
but Helen Creese states that scholars such as Brumund who 2022 4,415,100 +2.3%
had visited and stayed on the island of Bali suggested that his sources:[104]
field observations conflicted with the "received understandings
concerning its Indian origins".[110] In Bali, the Shudra (locally spelt Soedra) has typically been the
temple priests, though depending on the demographics, a temple priest may also be from the other
three castes.[111] In most regions, it has been the Shudra who typically make offerings to the gods
on behalf of the Hindu devotees, chant prayers, recite meweda (Vedas), and set the course of
Balinese temple festivals.[111]

Religion
About 86.91% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism,
formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu
influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia.
Minority religions include Islam (10.05%), Christianity (2.35%),
and Buddhism (0.68%) as for 2018.[4][112]

The general beliefs and

practices of Agama Hindu
Dharma mix ancient
traditions and contemporary
pressures placed by
Religion in Bali (2018) Indonesian laws that permit
only monotheist belief under
Hinduism (86.91%) the national ideology of
Islam (10.05%) Pancasila.[113][114] The Mother Temple of Besakih, one
Christianity (2.35%) Traditionally, Hinduism in of Bali's most significant Hindu
Buddhism (0.68%) Indonesia had a pantheon of temples.
 Other (0.01%) deities and that tradition of
belief continues in practice;
further, Hinduism in Indonesia granted freedom and flexibility to
Hindus as to when, how and where to pray.[114] However, officially, the Indonesian government
considers and advertises Indonesian Hinduism as a monotheistic religion with certain officially
recognised beliefs that comply with its national ideology.[113][114][115] Indonesian school textbooks
describe Hinduism as having one supreme being, Hindus offering three daily mandatory prayers,
and Hinduism as having certain common beliefs that in part parallel those of Islam.[114][116]
Scholars[114][117][118] contest whether these Indonesian government recognised and assigned
beliefs to reflect the traditional beliefs and practices of Hindus in Indonesia before Indonesia
gained independence from Dutch colonial rule.

Balinese Hinduism has roots in Indian Hinduism and Buddhism, which arrived through Java.[119]
Hindu influences reached the Indonesian Archipelago as early as the first century.[120] Historical
evidence is unclear about the diffusion process of cultural and spiritual ideas from India. Java
legends refer to Saka-era, traced to 78 AD. Stories from the Mahabharata Epic have been traced in
Indonesian islands to the 1st century; however, the versions mirror those found in the southeast
Indian peninsular region (now Tamil Nadu and southern Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh).[120]

The Bali tradition adopted the pre-existing animistic traditions

of the indigenous people. This influence strengthened the
belief that the gods and goddesses are present in all things.
Every element of nature, therefore, possesses its power, which
reflects the power of the gods. A rock, tree, dagger, or woven
cloth is a potential home for spirits whose energy can be
directed for good or evil. Balinese Hinduism is deeply
interwoven with art and ritual. Ritualising states of self-control
are a notable feature of religious expression among the people, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
who for this reason have become famous for their graceful and
decorous behaviour.[121]

Apart from the majority of Balinese Hindus, there also exist Chinese immigrants whose traditions
have melded with that of the locals. As a result, these Sino-Balinese embrace their original religion,
which is a mixture of Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, and Confucianism, and find a way to
harmonise it with the local traditions. Hence, it is not uncommon to find local Sino-Balinese
during the local temple's odalan. Moreover, Balinese Hindu priests are invited to perform rites
alongside a Chinese priest in the event of the death of a Sino-Balinese. Nevertheless, the Sino-
Balinese claim to embrace Buddhism for administrative purposes, such as their Identity Cards.[122]
The Roman Catholic community has a diocese, the Diocese of Denpasar that encompasses the
province of Bali and West Nusa Tenggara and has its cathedral located in Denpasar.

Penataran Ibnu Batutah Saint Joseph's Ling Sii Miao

Lempuyang Temple, Mosque, Kuta Church, Denpasar Buddhist Temple,
Gunung Lempuyang, Denpasar
Bali

Language
Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages
in Bali, and the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual
or trilingual. The most common spoken language around the
tourist areas is Indonesian, as many people in the tourist sector
are not solely Balinese, but migrants from Java, Lombok,
Sumatra, and other parts of Indonesia. The Balinese language
is heavily stratified due to the Balinese caste system.[123] Kawi 1:30
and Sanskrit are also commonly used by some Hindu priests in
Bali, as Hindu literature was mostly written in Sanskrit. Balinese language
English and Chinese are the next most common languages (and the primary foreign languages) of
many Balinese, owing to the requirements of the tourism industry, as well as the English-speaking
community and huge Chinese-Indonesian population. Other foreign languages, such as Japanese,
Korean, French, Russian or German are often used in multilingual signs for foreign tourists.

Culture
Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms,
such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and
performing arts. Balinese cuisine is also distinctive. Balinese
percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly
developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray
stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy
Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet,
legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the
monkey dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and
innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid Balinese cuisine
performances at thousands of temple festivals, private
ceremonies, and public shows.[124]

Architecture
Kaja and kelod are the Balinese equivalents of North and
South, which refer to one's orientation between the island's
largest mountain Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod). In
addition to spatial orientation, kaja and kelod have the
connotation of good and evil; gods and ancestors are believed Rejang, a sacred Balinese dance to
to live on the mountain whereas demons live in the sea. greet the gods that come down to
Buildings such as temples and residential homes are spatially
the earth on ceremony day
oriented by having the most sacred spaces closest to the
mountain and the unclean places nearest to the sea.[125][126]

Most temples have an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard

which are arranged with the inner courtyard furthest kaja.
These spaces serve as performance venues since most Balinese
rituals are accompanied by any combination of music, dance,
and drama. The performances that take place in the inner
courtyard are classified as wali, the most sacred rituals which
Kecak dance
are offerings exclusively for the gods, while the outer courtyard
is where bebali ceremonies are held, which are intended for
gods and people. Lastly, performances meant solely for the
entertainment of humans take place outside the temple's walls
and are called bali-balihan. This three-tiered system of
classification was standardised in 1971 by a committee of
Balinese officials and artists to better protect the sanctity of the
oldest and most sacred Balinese rituals from being performed
for a paying audience.[127]

Cremation ceremony in Nusa

Dances Penida
Tourism, Bali's chief industry, has provided the island with a foreign audience that is eager to pay
for entertainment, thus creating new performance opportunities and more demand for
performers. The impact of tourism is controversial since before it became integrated into the
economy, the Balinese performing arts did not exist as a capitalist venture, and were not
performed for entertainment outside of their respective ritual context. Since the 1930s sacred
rituals such as the barong dance have been performed both in their original contexts, as well as
exclusively for paying tourists. This has led to new versions of many of these performances that
have developed according to the preferences of foreign audiences; some villages have a barong
mask specifically for non-ritual performances and an older mask that is only used for sacred
performances.[128]

Festivals
Throughout the year, there are many festivals celebrated locally or island-wide according to the
traditional calendars.[129] The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of
silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged (or required) to remain in
their hotels. On the day before New Year, large and colourful sculptures of Ogoh-ogoh monsters
are paraded and burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the
year are specified by the Balinese pawukon calendrical system.

Celebrations are held for many occasions such as a tooth-filing (coming-of-age ritual), cremation
or odalan (temple festival). One of the most important concepts that Balinese ceremonies have in
common is that of désa kala patra, which refers to how ritual performances must be appropriate
in both the specific and general social context.[125] Many ceremonial art forms such as wayang
kulit and topeng are highly improvisatory, providing flexibility for the performer to adapt the
performance to the current situation.[130] Many celebrations call for a loud, boisterous atmosphere
with much activity, and the resulting aesthetic, ramé, is distinctively Balinese. Often two or more
gamelan ensembles will be performing well within earshot, and sometimes compete with each
other to be heard. Likewise, the audience members talk amongst themselves, get up and walk
around, or even cheer on the performance, which adds to the many layers of activity and the
liveliness typical of ramé.[131]

Tradition
Balinese society continues to revolve around each family's ancestral village, to which the cycle of
life and religion is closely tied.[132] Coercive aspects of traditional society, such as customary law
sanctions imposed by traditional authorities such as village councils (including "kasepekang", or
shunning) have risen in importance as a consequence of the democratisation and decentralisation
of Indonesia since 1998.[132]

Other than Balinese sacred rituals and festivals, the government presents Bali Arts Festival to
showcase Bali's performing arts and various artworks produced by the local talents that they have.
It is held once a year, from the second week of June until the end of July. Southeast Asia's biggest
annual festival of words and ideas Ubud Writers and Readers Festival is held at Ubud in October,
which is participated by the world's most celebrated writers, artists, thinkers, and performers.[133]

One unusual tradition is the naming of children in Bali. In general, Balinese people name their
children depending on the order they are born, and the names are the same for both males and
females.

Beauty pageant
Bali was the host of Miss World 2013 (63rd edition of the Miss World pageant). It was the first
time Indonesia hosted an international beauty pageant. In 2022, Bali also co-hosted Miss Grand
International 2022 along with Jakarta, West Java, and Banten.

Sports
Bali is a major world surfing destination with popular breaks
dotted across the southern coastline and around the offshore
island of Nusa Lembongan.[134]

As part of the Coral Triangle, Bali, including Nusa Penida,

offers a wide range of dive sites with varying types of reefs, and
tropical aquatic life.

Bali was the host of 2008 Asian Beach Games.[135] It was the
second time Indonesia hosted an Asia-level multi-sport event, Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium, the
after Jakarta held the 1962 Asian Games. home of Bali United F.C.
In football, Bali is home to Bali United football club, which
plays in Liga 1. The team was relocated from Samarinda, East Kalimantan to Gianyar, Bali.
Harbiansyah Hanafiah, the main commissioner of Bali United explained that he changed the name
and moved the home base because there was no representative from Bali in the highest football
tier in Indonesia.[136] Another reason was due to local fans in Samarinda preferring to support
Pusamania Borneo F.C. rather than Persisam.

Heritage sites
In June 2012, Subak, the irrigation system for paddy fields in Jatiluwih, central Bali was enlisted
as a Natural UNESCO World Heritage Site.[137]

See also
Indonesia portal
Islands portal

Culture of Indonesia
Hinduism in Indonesia
Tourism in Indonesia

References
1. "Pembentukan Daerah-daerah Tingkat I Bali, Nusa Tenggara Barat Dan Nusa Tenggara Timur"
(http://www.dpr.go.id/jdih/index/id/1304). dpr.go.id.
2. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023.
3. Penduduk Menurut Wilayah serta Agama yang Dianut (http://sp2010.bps.go.id/index.php/site/t
abel?tid=321&wid=0) (2010 census). bps.go.id
4. "Statistik Umat Beragama Setiap Provinsi di Indonesia Tahun 2018" (https://web.archive.org/w
eb/20200903221250/https://data.kemenag.go.id/agamadashboard/statistik/umat).
data.kemenag.go.id. Archived from the original (https://data.kemenag.go.id/agamadashboard/
statistik/umat) on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.