Quick facts
Pekanbaru overview
Pekanbaru (orange) and the other large cities of Indonesia
Pekanbaru lies in Riau in Indonesia at 0.52°N, 101.44°E, about 19 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Jakarta (UTC+7); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Jepara (1,257,912) and larger than Bandar Lampung (1,166,066). The largest city in Indonesia is Jakarta with 8,540,121 people; the capital, Jakarta, has 8,540,121.
The national capital, Jakarta, is about 959 km away; the nearest large city is Payakumbuh, 121 km from Pekanbaru.
Indonesia as a whole has a live population of 288,519,962 (+0.7% a year) and ranks #4 of 238 countries — see the Indonesia population page for the full statistics and the Indonesia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Pekanbaru
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Payakumbuh West Sumatra | 121 km | 139,576 |
| Dumai Riau | 128 km | 349,389 |
| Bukittinggi West Sumatra | 150 km | 121,028 |
Largest cities in Indonesia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JakartaCapital | Jakarta | 8,540,121 |
| 2 | Surabaya | East Java | 3,018,022 |
| 3 | Bekasi | West Java | 2,648,272 |
| 4 | Bandung | West Java | 2,528,163 |
| 5 | Medan | North Sumatra | 2,486,283 |
| 6 | Depok | West Java | 2,163,635 |
| 7 | Tangerang | Banten | 1,927,815 |
| 8 | Palembang | South Sumatra | 1,801,367 |
| 9 | Semarang | Central Java | 1,694,740 |
| 10 | Makassar | South Sulawesi | 1,474,393 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pekanbaru?
Pekanbaru has about 1,167,599 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Pekanbaru the capital of Indonesia?
No. The capital of Indonesia is Jakarta (8,540,121 people), about 959 km away. Pekanbaru is the 14th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Pekanbaru compared with the rest of Indonesia?
Its 1,167,599 residents are 0.4% of the 288,519,962 people living in Indonesia today. Jakarta is larger with 8,540,121 people.
Where is Pekanbaru?
In Riau, Indonesia, at latitude 0.52 and longitude 101.44, 19 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Payakumbuh (121 km), Dumai (128 km), Bukittinggi (150 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Pekanbaru Population 2026 — Indonesia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/indonesia/pekanbaru/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/indonesia/pekanbaru/">Pekanbaru Population 2026 — Indonesia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.