Palu Population 2026

Palu has a population of 389,959, making it the #36 biggest city in 🇮🇩 Indonesia, located in Central Sulawesi. Roughly 0.1% of Indonesia's population lives here. It is about 22× smaller than Jakarta, the country's biggest city.

Location of Palu (capital Jakarta shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

389,959

Rank in Indonesia

#36

Coordinates

0.91°S, 119.87°E

~9 m elevation · Asia/Makassar

Distance to capital (Jakarta)

1,561 km

969 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Central Sulawesi

City	Population	Rank in Indonesia
Luwuk	47,778	#286
Poso	47,477	#290
Bungku	25,477	#404

Cities near Palu

Poso47,477 people · ~112 km away
Masamba38,024 people · ~190 km away
Rantepao40,438 people · ~229 km away
Palopo184,961 people · ~235 km away
Polewali65,800 people · ~287 km away
Bontang194,606 people · ~289 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Palu?

Palu has a population of 389,959 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #36 biggest city in Indonesia.

What region is Palu in?

Palu is located in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Is Palu the capital of Indonesia?

No, the capital of Indonesia is Jakarta, about 1,561 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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