Manado

Manado, also spelled Menado, city, capital of Sulawesi Utara (North Celebes) provinsi (province), Indonesia, located near the tip of the north-northeastern arm of Celebes island on an inlet of the Celebes Sea. Manado lies at the foot of Mount Klabat (6,634 feet [2,022 metres]), about 600 miles (970 km) northeast of Ujung Padang. A trade centre for the surrounding agricultural and lumbering area, it exports coffee, sugarcane, nutmeg, and ebony and was a free port during the second half of the 19th century. Local handicrafts include bamboo and cane working, wood carving, and basketry. The city has a large Chinese population, and many of its residents are Christian. Manado has an airport and is linked by road with Amurang, Bolaang, Bitung, and Gorontalo. The remains of a fortress built by the Dutch in 1658 and the Sam Ratulangi University (founded 1961) are in the city. Pop. (2000) 372,887.