Batam : located west of Bintan Island, south of Singapore

Batam

Batam is located west of Bintan Island, south of Singapore, north of Rempang and east of Bulan Island. The Riau Strait separates Batam and Bintan.
Batam has tropical climate with average temperatures between 26-32xC. Humidity in the region ranges from 73% to 96%. The region has a wet season from November to April and a dry season from May to October. Average annual rainfall is around 2,600 mm.
The local governmental offices are in Batam Centre. The largest community on the island is Lubuk Baja. Other residential area include Baloi Garden, Sekupang, Nongsapura (Nongsa), Waterfront City (Teluk Senimba), Batu Ampar, Jodoh.
Batam City is divided into 12 sub-districts - which include several adjacent islands such as Bulan, Rempang and Galang as well as Batam Island itself.
Beginning in the 1970s, the island underwent a significant transformation from a largely forested area into a major harbor and industrial zone. Shipbuilding and electronics manufacturing are important industries on the island. Being close to ports of Singapore increases the speed for goods shipping and product distribution which benefits the island's economy, with lower labour costs and special government incentives, it is the site of many factories operated by foreign companies.
Under a framework signed in June 2006, Batam, along with parts of neighboring Bintan and Karimun, are a part of a Special Economic Zone with Singapore; this zone eliminates tariffs and value-added taxes for goods shipped between Batam and Singapore.
In 2010, approximately 58 percent of foreign tourists came from Singapore, and 13 percent from Malaysia.

Batam has recently been of the controversial

exposed as a major facilitator ivory trade.

The local ferry terminal ports connect to nearby Singapore and Bintan, and provides routes to Johor Bahru. There are five ferry terminals on the island: Harbourbay, Nongsapura Ferry Terminal, Sekupang, Waterfront City and Batam Centre International Ferry Terminal.

Related Sites for Batam

• BATAM ISLAND read Batam
• BATAM HOLIDAYS read Batam
• Welcome to Batam Spa Villa - Home read Batam
• Batam Island Travel Guide - Sumatra read Batam