Muara Bungo is a town in the Indonesian province of Jambi, Sumatra. It is the administrative capital of Bungo Regency,[1] [2] a regency (kabupaten) in Sumatra. It has a land area of 9.21 km2, and had a population of 21,243 as of the 2020 census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 21,290,[4] comprising the five kelurahan which make up the official town (Bungo Barat, Bungo Timur, Batang Bungo, Jaya Setia and Tanjung Gedang).
Other kelurahan in the adjacent Bungo Dani District (Sungai Pinang and Sungai Kerjan) and Rimbo Tengah District (Cadika and Pasih Putih) form part of the built-up area of the town, while the three kelurahan of Bathin III District (Bungo Taman Agung, Manggis and Sungai Binjai) adjoin it on the north side of the Batang Hari River and the Benit River.
| Name of district (kecamatan) | Name of urban village (kelurahan) | Area in km2 | Pop'n census 2010 | Pop'n estimate mid 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasar Muara Bungo | Bungo Barat (West Bungo) | 4,415 | 3,738 | ||
| Pasar Muara Bungo | Bungo Timur (East Bungo) | 3,758 | 3,338 | ||
| Pasar Muara Bungo | Batang Bungo | 5,531 | 4,764 | ||
| Pasar Muara Bungo | Jaya Setia | 5,815 | 6,706 | ||
| Pasar Muara Bungo | Tanjung Gedang | 2,747 | 2,863 | ||
| Total town | 9.21 | 22,266 | 21,409 | ||
| Bungo Dani | Sungai Kerjan | 14.06 | 7,069 | 7,606 | |
| Bungo Dani | Sungai Pinang | 2.11 | 9,134 | 9,946 | |
| Rimbo Tengah | Cadika | 7.17 | 6,374 | 7,702 | |
| Rimbo Tengah | Pasir Putih | 4.03 | 9,820 | 11,696 | |
| Bathin III | Bungo Taman Agung | 3.30 | 2,212 | 2,471 | |
| Bathin III | Manggis | 19.09 | 8,414 | ||
| Bathin III | Sungai Binjai | 5.67 | 5,430 |
The town lies of the south bank of the Batang Hari River. The Benit River, a tributary of the Batang Hari, runs through Muara Bungo before merging with the Batang Hari, and proven gold deposits in the river within Muara Bungo were estimated at 1383kg (3,049lb) in 2005.
Muara Bungo has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy rainfall year-round.
The Muara Bungo Airport is located in Muara Bungo, and began operations in November 2012. A roadway connects Muara Bungo with Jambi City and Palembang. In 1977, the Sawahtambang-Muara Bungo highway was under construction.
Muara Bungo has a fire department that is equipped with fire trucks. The fire department responds to building fires and fires on agricultural and vacant lands. In May 2015, it was reported that fires in Muara Bungo during 2015 had caused Rp $3 billion in losses and damages, which is approximately US$223,957. The damage estimate was mostly attributed to building fires. Muara Bungo also has a police department.
A branch of Bank Rakyat Indonesia is located in Muara Bungo.
Natural rubber is produced in Muara Bungo, and rubber farming is a primary source of income and livelihood for the majority of the city's residents. An agroforestry innovation involved the planting of rubber trees and cinnamon alongside one-another to diversify plantings to avoid monoculture. Muara Bungo has some large oil palm plantations, and palm oil is produced there. Circa 1995 to 1996, illegal timber harvesting was observed in Muara Bungo.
The University of Muara Bungo is located in the city.
In June 2015, it was reported that street crime rates were increasing in Muara Bungo. Crimes have included mugging (theft by violence), auto theft and robberies. It was reported by Tribun Jambi that a majority of the crimes were committed by outsiders who do not reside in Muara Bungo.