Riau

Indonesia

Riau, propinsi (or provinsi; province), east-central Sumatra, Indonesia. It is bounded by the province of North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) to the north and northwest, by the Strait of Malacca to the east and Berhala Strait to the southeast, and by the provinces of Jambi to the south and West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat) to the west. Riau includes the islands of Rupat, Bengkalis, Rangsang, and Rantau in the Strait of Malacca. The capital is Pekanbaru, in the west-central part of the province. Area 33,600 square miles (87,024 square km). Pop. (2009 est.) 5,538,367.