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{{Short description|Province in Sumatra, Indonesia}}
{{about|the province in mainland Sumatra|the archipelagic province|Riau Islands|other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Riau
| official_name           = Province of Riau<br>{{lang|id|{{nobold|Provinsi Riau}}}}
| image_shield            = {{#property:p94}}
| shield_link = #Coat of arms
| image_flag              = 
| shield_size             = 80
| flag_size               = 
| nickname                = {{native phrase|ms|Bumi Lancang Kuning}}<br />{{Script/Arabic| بومي لنچڠ كونيڠ}}<br />"Land of Yellow [[Lancang (ship)|Lancang]]"{{force singular}}
| translit_lang1_type1    = 
| translit_lang1_info1    = 
| motto = {{force singular}} {{native phrase|ms|Bumi Bertuah Negeri Beradat}}<br />{{Script/Arabic|بومي برتواه نڬري برادت}}<br />"Ground of Fortunes, Land of Customs"
| image_map               = Riau in Indonesia.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = {{centre|{{Legend inline|#C41E3A|outline=red}} '''Riau''' in {{Legend inline|#FFFDD0|outline=silver}} '''[[Indonesia]]'''}}
| image_map1              = {{hidden begin|title=OpenStreetMap|ta1=center}}{{Infobox mapframe
|frame-width=250
|zoom=6}}{{hidden end}}
| coordinates             = {{coord|0.54|N|101.45|E|region:ID_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| type                    = [[Provinces of Indonesia|Province]]
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = {{Flag|Indonesia}}
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of Indonesia|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Sumatra]]
| established_title       = Province status
| established_date        = 10 August 1957
| seat_type               = Capital<br />{{nobold|and largest city}}
| seat                    = [[Pekanbaru]]
| governing_body          = Riau Provincial Government
| leader_title            = [[List of current Indonesian governors|Governor]]
| leader_name             = [[Abdul Wahid (governor)|Abdul Wahid]] ([[National Awakening Party|PKB]])
| leader_title2           = Vice Governor
| leader_name2            = [[:id:Sofyan Franyata Hariyanto|Sofyan Franyata Hariyanto]]
| leader_title3           = [[Regional House of Representatives|Legislature]]
| leader_name3            = [[:id:Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Provinsi Riau|Riau Regional House of Representatives]] (DPRD)
| unit_pref               = Metric <!--or US or UK-->
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_total_km2          = 93356.32
| area_rank               = [[Provinces of Indonesia|5th]]
| area_note               = 
| population_total        = 7007353
| population_as_of        = mid 2024 estimate
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="Badan Pusat Statistik 2025">Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Provinsi Riau Dalam Angka 2025'' (sum of returns in city and regency Katalogs)</ref>
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_rank         = [[Provinces of Indonesia|10th]]
| population_density_rank = 24th
| population_note         = 
| demographics_type1      = Demographics<ref name="ethnicity">{{cite book |author1=Aris Ananta |author2=Evi Nurvidya Arifin |author3=M. Sairi Hasbullah |author4=Nur Budi Handayani |author5=Agus Pramono |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies dan BPS – Statistics Indonesia |title=Demography of Indonesia's Ethnicity |year=2015}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1    = {{nowrap|[[Ethnic groups in Indonesia|Ethnic groups]]}} {{nobold|(2010)}}
| demographics1_info1     = 45% [[Indonesian Malays|Riau Malay]]<br /> 25% [[Javanese people|Javanese]]<br /> 12% [[Batak]]<br /> 8% [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]]<br /> 10% ''[[Ethnic groups in Indonesia|Others]]''
| demographics1_title2    = [[Religion in Indonesia|Religion]] {{Nobold|(2024)}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://gis.dukcapil.kemendagri.go.id/peta/ | title=ArcGIS Web Application | access-date=23 July 2021 | archive-date=5 August 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805043517/http://gis.dukcapil.kemendagri.go.id/peta/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
| demographics1_info2     = 87.05% [[Islam in Indonesia|Islam]]
{{Tree list}}
*10.83% [[Christianity in Indonesia|Christianity]]
**9.76% [[Protestantism in Indonesia|Protestantism]]
**1.07% [[Catholicism in Indonesia|Catholicism]]
{{Tree list/end}}
2.05% [[Buddhism in Indonesia|Buddhism]]<br /> 0.03% [[Confucianism in Indonesia|Confucianism]]<br /> 0.16% [[Folk religion]]<br />0.11% [[Hinduism in Indonesia|Hinduism]]
| demographics1_title3    = [[Languages of Indonesia|Languages and dialects]]
| demographics1_info3     = [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] (official), [[Malay language|Riau Malay]] (native), [[Minangkabau language|Minangkabau]], [[Southern Peninsular Malaysian Hokkien|Hokkien]]
| timezone1               = [[Time in Indonesia|Indonesia Western Time]]
| utc_offset1             = +7
| iso_code                = ID-RI
| website                 = {{URL|www.riau.go.id|riau.go.id}}
| elevation_max_ft        = 4213
| elevation_max_point     = Mount Mandiangin
| registration_plate_type = [[Vehicle registration plates of Indonesia|Vehicle sign]]
| blank_name              = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] (nominal)
| blank_info              = 2022<ref name="bpsdata2022">{{Cite web |author=Badan Pusat Statistik |author-link=Statistics Indonesia |year=2023 |title=Produk Domestik Regional Bruto (Milyar Rupiah), 2020–2022 |url=https://www.bps.go.id/indicator/52/286/1/-seri-2010-produk-domestik-regional-bruto-.html |publisher=Badan Pusat Statistik |location=Jakarta |language=id}}</ref>
| blank1_name             = &nbsp;- Total
| blank1_info             = [[Indonesian rupiah|Rp]] 991.6&nbsp;trillion ([[List of Indonesian provinces by GDP|5th]])<br>[[USD|US$]] 66.8&nbsp;billion<br>[[Int$]]  208.4&nbsp;billion ([[Purchasing power parity|PPP]])
| blank2_name             = &nbsp;- Per capita
| blank2_info             = [[Indonesian rupiah|Rp]] 149.9&nbsp;million ([[List of Indonesian provinces by GRP per capita|4th]])<br>[[USD|US$]]&nbsp;10,096<br>[[Int$]]  31,504&nbsp;([[Purchasing power parity|PPP]])
| blank3_name             = &nbsp;- Growth
| blank3_info             = {{Increase}} 4.55%<ref name="bappenas2022">{{Cite web |author=Badan Pembangunan Nasional |author-link=Ministry of National Development Planning (Indonesia) |year=2023 |title=Capaian Indikator Utama Pembangunan |url=https://simreg.bappenas.go.id/home/pemantauan/lpe |publisher=Badan Pembangunan Nasional |location=Jakarta |language=id}}</ref>
| blank4_name             = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2024)
| blank4_info             = {{increase}} 0.757<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bps.go.id/id/pressrelease/2024/11/15/2296/indeks-pembangunan-manusia--ipm--indonesia-tahun-2024-mencapai-75-02--meningkat-0-63-poin-atau-0-85-persen-dibandingkan-tahun-sebelumnya-yang-sebesar-74-39-.html|title=Indeks Pembangunan Manusia 2024|publisher=[[Statistics Indonesia]]|date=2024|language=id|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref> ([[List of Indonesian provinces by Human Development Index|10th]]) – <span style=color:#090>high</span>
}}
'''Riau''' ([[Jawi script|Jawi]]: {{Script/Arabic|رياو}}) is a [[Provinces of Indonesia|province]] of [[Indonesia]]. It is located on the central eastern coast of the island of [[Sumatra]], and extends from the eastern slopes of the [[Barisan Mountains]] to the [[Malacca Strait]], including several large islands situated within the Strait. The province shares land borders with [[North Sumatra]] to the northwest, [[West Sumatra]] to the west, and [[Jambi]] to the south, and a maritime border with the [[Riau Islands]] and the country of [[Malaysia]] to the east. It is the second-largest province in the island of [[Sumatra]] after [[South Sumatra]] with a total land area of 93,356.32&nbsp;km², and an estimated population of 7,007,353 in 2024.<ref name="Badan Pusat Statistik 2025">Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Provinsi Riau Dalam Angka 2025'' (sum of returns in city and regency Katalogs)</ref> The province comprises ten [[Regency (Indonesia)|regencies]] and two [[City status in Indonesia#Kota|cities]], with [[Pekanbaru]] serving as the [[capital city|capital]] and [[List of Indonesian cities by population|largest city]].

Historically, Riau has been a part of [[List of Indonesian monarchies|various monarchies]] before the arrival of [[European colonisation of Southeast Asia|European colonial]] powers. [[Muara Takus]], a [[Buddhist]] temple complex believed to be a remnant of the [[Buddhist]] empire of [[Srivijaya]] {{Circa|11th}}-12th century, is situated in [[Kampar Regency]] in Riau province. Following the [[Spread of Islam in Indonesia|spread of Islam]] in the 14th century, the region was then under control of [[Malay race|Malay]] sultanates of [[Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura|Siak Sri Indrapura]], Indragiri, and [[Johor Sultanate|Johor]]. The sultanates later became [[protectorate]] of the [[Dutch Empire|Dutch]] and were reduced to puppet states of the [[Dutch East Indies]]. After the [[proclamation of Indonesian independence|establishment]] of Indonesia in 1945, Riau belonged to the republic's provinces of Sumatra (1945–1948) and [[Central Sumatra]] (1948–1957). On 10 August 1957, the province of Riau was inaugurated and it included the [[Riau Islands]] until 2004.

Although Riau is predominantly considered the land of [[Malay Indonesians|Malays]], it is a highly diverse province. In addition to Malays constituting one-third of the population, other major ethnic groups include [[Javanese people|Javanese]], [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]], [[Batak]], and [[Chinese Indonesians|Chinese]]. The local Riau dialect of [[Malay language]] is considered as the ''lingua franca'' in the province, but [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], the standardized form of Malay is used as the official language and also as the second language of many people. Other than that, different languages such as [[Minangkabau language|Minangkabau]], [[Hokkien]] and varieties of [[Batak languages]] are also spoken.

Riau is one of the wealthiest provinces in Indonesia and is rich in natural resources, particularly petroleum, natural gas, rubber, [[palm oil]] and fibre plantations. Extensive logging and plantation development in has led to a massive decline in forest cover Riau, and associated fires have contributed to [[Southeast Asian haze|haze across the larger region]].{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

== Etymology ==
There are three possible origins of the word ''riau'' which became the name of this province. First, from the Portuguese word, "''[[wiktionary:rio|rio]]''" which means river.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Samin |first=Suwardi Mohammad |title=Budaya Melayu dalam perjalanannya menuju masa depan |date=1991 |publisher=Yayasan Penerbit MSI-Riau |oclc=963027527}}</ref><ref name="Kondisisosbud-setneg">[http://www.indonesia.go.id/in/provinsi-riau/sosial-budaya/6022-kondisi-sosial-budaya-riau "Kondisi Sosial Budaya Provinsi Riau"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304175653/http://indonesia.go.id/in/provinsi-riau/sosial-budaya/6022-kondisi-sosial-budaya-riau |date=4 March 2018 }}. Sekretariat Negara, diakses 17 Oktober 2013.</ref> In 1514, there was a Portuguese military expedition that traced the [[Siak River]], in order to find the location of a kingdom they believed existed in the area, and at the same time to pursue followers of [[Mahmud Shah of Malacca|Sultan Mahmud Shah]] who fled after the fall of the [[Malacca Sultanate]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Schnitger |first1=Frederic Martin |title=Forgotten kingdoms in Sumatra |last2=Fürer-Haimendorf |first2=Christoph von |last3=Tichelman |first3=Gerardus Louwrens |date=1989 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-588905-3 |location=Singapore |oclc=20361188}}</ref>

The second version claims that ''riau'' comes from the word ''riahi'' which means sea water. The word is allegedly derived from the figure of [[Sinbad|Sinbad al-Bahar]] in the book of the ''[[Thousand and One Nights|One Thousand and One Nights]]''.<ref name="Kondisisosbud-setneg"/>

Another version is that ''riau'' is derived from the [[Malay language|Malay]] word ''riuh,'' which means "crowded, frenzied working people". This word is believed used to reflect the nature of the [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay people]] in present-day [[Bintan Island|Bintan]]. The name is likely to have become famous since [[Raja Kecil]] moved the Malay kingdom center from Johor to Ulu Riau in 1719.<ref name="Kondisisosbud-setneg" /> This name was used as one of the four main sultanates that formed the kingdoms of Riau, Lingga, Johor and Pahang. However, as the consequences of the [[Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824]] between the [[Netherlands]] and United Kingdom, the Johor-Pahang sultanates fell under British influence, while the Riau-Lingga sultanates fell under Dutch influence.<ref>Mills, L. A. (2003). ''British Malaya 1824–67'' (p. 86– 87). Selangor, Malaysia: Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Call no.: RSEA 959.5 MIL.</ref><ref>Brown, I. (2009). ''The territories of Indonesia''. London: Routledge. {{ISBN|978-1-85743-215-2}}</ref>

== History ==
===Prehistoric era===
Riau is thought to have been inhabited since between 40,000 and 10,000 BC, with the discovery of tools from the [[Pleistocene|Pleistocene era]] in the Sengingi River area in [[Kuantan Singingi Regency]] in August 2009. Stone tools found include: an axle, a drawstring, and shale and core stone axes. The research team also found some wood fossils estimated to be older than the stone tools. It is suspected the tool users were ''[[Java Man|Pithecanthropus erectus]]'' (reclassified as ''Homo erectus'') similar to those found in [[Sangiran]], [[Central Java]]. These tools proved the existence of prehistoric settlement in Riau. Earlier settlement was assumed to be possible in the area since the discovery of the [[Muara Takus]] Temple in [[Kampar Regency|Kampar]] in 1860.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Satrio |first=Luki |date=2009-08-13 |editor-last=Sidik |editor-first=Jafar Muhammad |title=Artefak Masa Prasejarah Ditemukan di Riau |url=https://www.antaranews.com/berita/150784/artefak-masa-prasejarah-ditemukan-di-riau |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910110212/http://www.antaranews.com/berita/150784/artefak-masa-prasejarah-ditemukan-di-riau |archive-date=10 September 2017 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Antara News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 August 2009 |title=Fosil Dari Zaman Prasejarah Ditemukan di Riau |url=http://politik.tvonenews.tv/berita/view/20139/2009/08/13/fosil_dari_zaman_prasejarah_ditemukan_di_riau.tvOne |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017191011/http://politik.tvonenews.tv/berita/view/20139/2009/08/13/fosil_dari_zaman_prasejarah_ditemukan_di_riau.tvOne |archive-date=2013-10-17 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=tvOneNews}}</ref>

=== Early historic era ===
[[File:Muara Takus temple.jpg|left|thumb|[[Muara Takus]] temple in [[Kampar Regency|Kampar]], believed to be a remnant of the [[Srivijaya empire]].]]The Malay kingdoms in Riau were at first based on the [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] [[Srivijaya]] Empire. This is evidenced by the [[Muara Takus]] Temple which was thought to be the center of the Srivijaya government in Riau. Its architecturally resembles temples that can be found in India. In addition, French historian [[George Cœdès]] also discovered the similarity of the Srivijaya governmental structure and the Malay sultanates of the 15th century.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Cœdès |first1=George |title=Kedatuan Sriwijaya : kajian sumber prasasti dan arkeologi : pilihan artikel |last2=Damais |first2=Louis-Charles |last3=Kulke |first3=Hermann |last4=Manguin |first4=Pierre-Yves |date=2014 |publisher=Komunitas Bambu, École française d'Extrême-Orient, Pusat Arkeologi Nasional |isbn=978-602-9402-52-0 |editor-last=Degroot |editor-first=Véronique |edition=2nd |location=Depok |translator-last=Karjo |translator-first=Wing |oclc=897891528 |editor-last2=Griffiths |editor-first2=Arlo}}</ref> The earliest text that deals with the [[Malay world]] is ''Sulalatus Salatin'' (''[[Malay Annals]])'' by [[Tun Sri Lanang]], in 1612.<ref name=":3">Mutalib, Hussin, (1977). ''Islamic Malay Polity in Southeast Asia," Islamic Civilisation in the Malay World'', (ed.) Mohd. Taib Osman, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, pp: 1–48.</ref> According to the annals, [[Bukit Seguntang]] in modern-day [[Palembang]] in [[South Sumatra]] is where [[Sang Sapurba]] came to the world and his descendants would scatter throughout the Malay world. His descendants such as Sang Mutiara would become king in [[Tanjungpura Kingdom|Tanjungpura]] and [[Sang Nila Utama]] would become king in [[Bintan Island|Bintan]] before finally moving to [[Singapore|Singapura]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Leyden |first=John |title=Malay annals |date=1821 |publisher=The Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown |isbn=967-9948-18-8 |location=[[Kuala Lumpur]] |oclc=849352973}}</ref> Before the arrival of Islam to the archipelago, many parts of the Riau region were under the Srivijaya Empire between the 7th to the 14th century which was greatly influenced by the Hindu-Buddhist tradition.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Cœdès |first1=George |title=Sriwijaya: history, religion & language of an early Malay polity: collected studies |last2=Damais |first2=Louis-Charles |date=1992 |publisher=Malaysian Branch Royal Asiatic Society |isbn=983-99614-4-6 |location=Kuala Lumpur |pages= |chapter= |oclc=27913888}}</ref> Islam was introduced to the region when the [[Maharaja]] of Srivijaya sent a letter to Caliph [[Umar II|Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz]] of the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] in Egypt containing a request to send a messenger to introduce [[Sharia|Islamic law]] to him.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Azra |last=Azyumardi |title=Jaringan ulama Timur Tengah dan kepulauan Nusantara abad XVII & XVIII : akar pembaruan Islam Indonesia |date=2005 |publisher=Prenada Media Group |isbn=979-3465-46-8 |edition=Perenial |location=[[Jakarta]] |pages=27–28 |language=id |oclc=968482172}}</ref>

=== Islamic sultanates ===
{{Main|Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura}}
[[File:Siak HUT RI 71.jpg|thumb|The [[Siak Sri Indrapura Palace]] in [[Siak Regency|Siak]]. Riau was once the seat of many great Malay sultanates]]
In the 12th century, the entry of Islam into the archipelago was carried through the [[Samudera Pasai Sultanate]] in [[Aceh]] which was the first Islamic sultanate in the archipelago.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hamka |first=Buya |title=Sejarah umat Islam |date=1994 |publisher=Pustaka Nasional |isbn=9971-77-326-0 |location=Singapore |oclc=950515590 |author-link=Buya Hamka}}</ref> The process of the [[Spread of Islam in Indonesia|spread of Islam]] occurred through trade, marriage and missionary activities of Muslim clerics. These factors led to the spread and growth of Islamic influence throughout the Malay world. The strong acceptance of Islam by Malay people is the aspect of equality, which contrasted the [[caste system]] in [[Hinduism]], where lower class caste people were less than members of a higher castes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wertheim |first=Willem Frederik |title=Indonesian society in transition : a study of social change |date=1980 |pages=170 |oclc=475271741}}</ref>

The golden age of Islam in the region was when [[Malacca Sultanate|Malacca]] became an Islamic sultanate. Many elements of Islamic law, including political and administrative sciences were incorporated into Malacca law, especially the ''[[Undang-Undang Melaka|Udang-Undang Melaka]]'' (Law of Melaka). The ruler of Malacca received the title '[[Sultan]]' and was responsible for Islam in his kingdom. In the 15th century, Islam spread and developed throughout the Melaka region including the entire [[Malay Peninsula]], [[Riau Islands]], [[Bintan Island|Bintan]], [[Lingga Regency|Lingga]], [[Jambi]], [[Bengkalis]], [[Siak Regency|Siak]], [[Rokan River|Rokan]], [[Indragiri River|Indragiri]], [[Kampar Regency|Kampar]], and [[Kuantan]]. Malacca is considered a catalyst in the expansion of Islam into other areas such as [[Palembang]], [[Sumatra]], [[Patani (historical region)|Patani]] in [[southern Thailand]], [[North Kalimantan]], [[Brunei]] and [[Mindanao]].<ref name=":3" />

According to the journals of the Portuguese explorer [[Tomé Pires]] between 1513 and 1515, Siak controlled an area that lies between ''Arcat'' and ''Indragiri''. It was a port city under a [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] king,<ref>Cortesão, Armando, (1944), ''The Suma Oriental of Tomé Pires'', London: Hakluyt Society, 2 vols.</ref> but became a Malacca vassal before being conquered by the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]]. Since the [[Battle of Malacca (1641)|fall of Malacca]] to the [[Dutch East India Company]] (VOC), the [[Johor Sultanate]] claimed Siak as part of its sovereign territory. This continued until the arrival of Sultan Abdul Jalil Rahmat Shah or ''Raja Kecil'' who later founded the [[Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura|Siak Sultanate]].<ref name="Andaya2">Andaya, L.Y., (1972), ''Raja Kechil and the Minangkabau conquest of Johor in 1718'', JMBRAS, 45-2.</ref> In the ''Syair Perang Siak'', it is told that ''Raja Kecil'' was asked to become the ruler of Siak for the consensus of the people in [[Bengkalis]]. This aims to release Siak from the influence of the Johor Sultanate.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last1=Goudie |first1=Donald James |title=Syair Perang Siak : a court poem presenting the state policy of a Minangkabau Malay royal family in exile |last2=Thomas |first2=Phillip Lee |last3=Effendy |first3=Tenas |date=1989 |publisher=Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society |isbn=983-99614-1-1 |location=Kuala Lumpur |oclc=28548689}}</ref> While according to the ''Hikayat Siak'', ''Raja Kecil'' was also called the true inheritor of the throne of the Sultan of Johor who lost the power struggle.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barnard |first=Timothy P. |title=Contesting Malayness : Malay identity across boundaries |date=2004 |publisher=Singapore University Press, National University of Singapore |isbn=9971-69-279-1 |location= |oclc=54960291}}</ref> Based on the correspondence of the Sultan Indermasyah with the Dutch Governor-General in Malacca at that time, it was mentioned that Sultan Abdul Jalil was his brother who was sent for business affairs with the VOC.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Van Niel |first=Robert |date=1964 |editor-last=Coolhaas |editor-first=Willem Phillipus |editor2-last=Nijhoff |editor2-first=Martinus |title=Generale Missiven der V.O.C., Vol. 2. 1964. Pp. xiv, 870. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0217781100003318/type/journal_article |journal=Journal of Southeast Asian History |language=en |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=150–151 |doi=10.1017/S0217781100003318 |issn=0217-7811|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Sultan Abdul Jalil then wrote a letter addressed to the Dutch, calling himself the ''Raja Kecil'' of [[Pagaruyung Kingdom|Pagaruyung]], that he would take revenge for the death of the [[Sultan of Johor]].<ref>NA, VOC 1895, ''Malacca'', 30 Januari 1718, fols.55-6.</ref>
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM De Sultan van Siak met rijksgroten in de afdeling Bengalis oostkust van Sumatra TMnr 60012313.jpg|left|thumb|Malay nobles of the [[Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura]]]]
In 1718, ''Raja Kecil'' succeeded in conquering the Johor Sultanate, at the same time crowning himself as the Sultan of Johor with the title ''Yang Dipertuan Besar Johor''.<ref name="Andaya2" /> But in 1722, a rebellion led by Raja Sulaiman, the son of the former Sultan [[Abdul Jalil Shah IV]], demanded the right to the throne of Johor. With the help of [[Bugis]] mercenaries, Raja Sulaiman then succeeded in seizing the throne of Johor, and established himself as the ruler of Johor in [[Peninsular Malaysia]], crowning himself as Sultan [[Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah of Johor]], while ''Raja Kecil'' moved to [[Bintan Island|Bintan]] and in 1723 established a new government center on the bank of the [[Siak River]] with the name [[Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura|Siak Sri Inderapura]].<ref name=":4" /> While the center of the Johor government which had been around the estuary of the [[Johor River]] was abandoned. Whereas the claim of ''Raja Kecil'' as the legitimate heir to the throne of Johor, was recognized by the [[Orang Laut]] community. The Orang Laut is a Malay sub-group that resides in the [[Riau Islands]] region that stretches from east Sumatra to the [[South China Sea]], and this loyalty continued until the collapse of the Siak Sultanate.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Andaya |first=Leonard Y. |title=The Kingdom of Johor, 1641-1728 |date=1975 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-580262-4 |location=Kuala Lumpur |oclc=2119978}}</ref>

By the late 18th century, the Siak Sultanate had become the dominant power on the eastern coast of Sumatra. In 1780, the Siak Sultanate conquered the [[Sultanate of Langkat]], and made the area its protectorate, alongside the [[Sultanate of Deli|Deli]] and [[Sultanate of Serdang|Serdang]] Sultanates.<ref>''Penelitian dan pengkajian naskah kuno daerah Jambi'', Volume 2, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Direktorat Jenderal Kebudayaan, Direktorat Sejarah dan Nilai Tradisional, Proyek Penelitian dan Pengkajian Kebudayaan Nusantara, 1989</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Cribb |first1=Robert Bridson |title=Historical dictionary of Indonesia |last2=Kahin |first2=Audrey |date=2004 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-4935-6 |edition=2nd |location=[[Lanham, Maryland]]. |oclc=53793487}}</ref> Under the ties of a cooperation agreement with the VOC, in 1784 the Siak Sultanate helped the VOC attack and subdue the [[Selangor Sultanate]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hack |first1=Karl |title=Colonial armies in Southeast Asia |last2=Rettig |first2=Tobias |date=2006 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-203-41466-7 |location=London |oclc=64769892}}</ref> Previously they had collaborated to quell the [[Raja Haji Fisabilillah]] rebellion on [[Penyengat Island]].

The Siak Sultanate took advantage of the trade supervision through the [[Strait of Malacca|Straits of Malacca]], as well as the ability to control [[Piracy in the Strait of Malacca|pirates]] in the region. The progress of Siak's economy can be seen from the Dutch records which stated that in 1783 there were around 171 merchant ships making a voyage from Siak to Malacca.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lee |first=Kam Hing |title=The shipping lists of Dutch Melaka : a source for the study of coastal trade and shipping in the Malay peninsula during the 17th-18th centuries. |date=1984 |oclc=969029284}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hashim |first=Muhammad Yusoff |title=Kapal dan harta karam = Ships and sunken treasure |date=1986 |publisher=United Selangor Press |pages=53–76 |oclc=246745967}}</ref> Siak is a trading triangle between the Netherlands in Malacca and the United Kingdom on [[Penang]].<ref>''The London general gazetteer, or Geographical dictionary: containing a description of the various countries, kingdoms, states, cities, towns, &c. of the known world'', W. Baynes & Son, 1825.</ref> But on the other hand, the glory of Siak caused jealousy of the descendants of ''[[Yang di-Pertuan Muda of Riau|Yang Dipertuan Muda]]'', especially after the loss of their power in the Riau Islands. The attitude of dislike and hostility towards the Sultan of Siak was, seen in the [[Tuhfat al-Nafis]], where in the description of the story they describe the Sultan of Siak as "a person who is greedy for the wealth of the world".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ahmad |first=Ali Haji bin Raja Haji |title=Tuhfat al-nafis |date=1998 |publisher=Yayasan Karyawan, Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka |isbn=983-9510-02-9 |oclc=41649929}}</ref>

The dominance of the Siak Sultanate towards the eastern coast of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula was quite significant. They were able to replace the influence of Johor before on the control of the trade route in the Strait of Malacca. In addition, the Siak Sultanate also emerged as a key holder of the [[Minangkabau Highlands|Minangkabau highland]], through three main rivers, of  [[Siak River|Siak]], [[Kampar River|Kampar]], and [[Indragiri River|Kuantan]], which had previously been the key to the glory of Malacca. However, the progress of Siak's economy faded caused by the turmoil in the Minangkabau interior known as the [[Padri War]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Reid |first=Anthony |title=Asal mula konflik Aceh : dari perebutan Pantai Timur Sumatra hingga akhir Kerajaan Aceh abad ke 19 |date=2005 |publisher=Yayasan Obor Indonesia |isbn=979-461-534-X |location=Jakarta |oclc=956950438}}</ref>

=== Colonial rule ===
[[File:Riouw.jpg|thumb|A painting of ''Riouw'', [[Dutch East Indies]], painted between 1859 and 1861]]
The expansion of [[Dutch colonialization]] into the eastern part of Sumatra caused the influence of the Siak Sultanate to wane, leading to the independence of the Deli Sultanate, the [[Asahan Sultanate]], the Langkat Sultanate, and the Inderagiri Sultanate.<ref>''History of the Royal Dutch'', Vol. 1, Brill Archive.</ref> Likewise in [[Johor]], where a sultan of the descendants of Tumenggung Johor was crowned, under British protection in Singapore.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cook |first=John Angus Bethune |title=Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Kt. LL. D, F.R.S., founder of Singapore, 1819 : and some of his friends and contemporaries |date=1854 |publisher=[Nabu Press] |isbn=1-177-19351-5 |oclc=801371783}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Trocki |first=Carl A. |author-link=Carl A. Trocki |date=1980 |title=Prince of Pirates: The Temenggongs and the Development of Johor and Singapore, 1784-1885 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1860676 |journal=The American Historical Review |volume=85 |issue=2 |pages=448 |doi=10.2307/1860676 |jstor=1860676 |issn=0002-8762|url-access=subscription }}</ref> While the Dutch restored the position of the ''Yang Dipertuan Muda'' on [[Penyengat Island]], and later established the [[Riau-Lingga Sultanate]] on [[Lingga Island]]. In addition, the [[Netherlands]] also reduced the territory of Siak, by establishing the Residency of Riouw ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]: ''Residentie Riouw'') which was part of the [[Dutch East Indies]] government based in [[Tanjung Pinang]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Netscher |first=Elisa |title=Beschrijving van een gedeelte der residentie Riouw |publisher=Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg |year=2007 |location=Frankfurt am Main |oclc=955054210}}</ref><ref>Overeenkomsten met de zelfbesturen in de Residentie Riouw en Onderhoorigheden 1857–1909</ref><ref>''Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde'', 1997, Volume 153, Issues 3–4, Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, M. Nijhoff.</ref>

British control of the Straits of Malacca, prompted the Sultan of Siak in 1840 to accept the offer of a new treaty to replace the agreement they had made earlier in 1819. This agreement made the Siak Sultanate area smaller and sandwiched it between other small kingdoms which were protected by Britain.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Locher-Scholten |first=Elsbeth |title=Sumatran sultanate and colonial state : Jambi and the rise of Dutch imperialism, 1830-1907 |date=2003 |publisher=Southeast Asia Program Publications, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University |isbn=978-1-5017-1938-7 |location=[[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]], [[New York (state)|New York]] |oclc=607041585}}</ref> Likewise, the Dutch made the sultanate a protectorate of the Dutch East Indies,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Howard |first=Dick |title=Emergence of a National Economy An Economic History of Indonesia, 1800-2000 |collaboration=Vincent J. H. Houben, J. Thomas Lindblad |date=2014 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=978-1-74115-020-9 |location=Sydney |oclc=957227643}}</ref> after forcing the Sultan of Siak to sign an agreement on 1 February 1858.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=van Panhuys |first=Haro |title=International law in the Netherlands |date=1978–1980 |publisher=Sijthoff & Noordhoff |isbn=0-379-20393-6 |location=Alphen aan den Rijn |oclc=780990435}}</ref> From the agreement, the sultanate lost its sovereignty, then in the appointment of a new sultan, the sultanate must get approval from the Netherlands. Furthermore, under regional supervision, the Dutch established a military post in [[Bengkalis]] and banned the Sultan of Siak from making agreements with foreign parties without the approval of the Dutch East Indies government.<ref name=":5" />
[[File:KITLV - 114176 - Stafhell & Kleingrothe - Padang & Medan, Sumatra - Sultan Sharif Kasim Abdul Jalil Saifuddin of Siak - circa 1895.tif|left|thumb|Sultan [[Syarif Kasim II]] was the last sultan of the Siak Sultanate before being abolished. After Indonesia proclaimed independence, he ceded Siak Sultanate to be part of a united Indonesia.]]
Changes in the political map over the control of the Malacca Strait, the internal disputes of Siak and competition with Britain and the Netherlands, weakened the influence of the Siak Sultanate over the territories it had once conquered.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Milner |first=Anthony Crothers |author-link=Anthony Milner (historian) |date=1983 |title=Kerajaan. Malay Political Culture on the Eve of Colonial Rule. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2758820 |journal=Pacific Affairs |volume=56 |issue=1 |pages=194 |doi=10.2307/2758820 |jstor=2758820 |issn=0030-851X|url-access=subscription }}</ref> A tug of war between the interests of foreign forces caused the signing of the [[Anglo-Dutch Treaties of 1870–71]] between the British and the Dutch, put Siak in a weak bargaining position.<ref>http://www.fco.gov.uk [https://web.archive.org/web/20120927180810/http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/treaties/treaties-landing/records/08400/08422 Treaty] (accessed on 26 April 2012)</ref> Then based on the agreement on 26 July 1873, the Dutch East Indies government forced the Sultan of Siak to hand over the [[Bengkalis]] area to the Riouw Residency.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wolters |first=Oliver William |title=History, Culture, and Region in Southeast Asian Perspectives |publisher=Cornell University Press |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-5017-3260-7 |location=[[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]], [[New York (state)|New York]] |language=en |oclc=1316066871 |author-link=O. W. Wolters}}</ref> But in the midst of this pressure, the Siak Sultanate still remained until Indonesia's independence, even though during the Japanese occupation most of the military power of the Siak Sultanate was no longer significant.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Samin |first=Suwardi Mohammad |title=Sultan Syarif Kasim II : pahlawan nasional dari Riau |date=2002 |publisher=Yayasan Pusaka Riau |isbn=979-9339-65-0 |edition=1st |location=[[Pekanbaru]] |language=id |oclc=1128307559}}</ref>

At about the same time, the Indragiri Sultanate also began to be influenced by the Dutch, but only came under the control of [[Batavia, Dutch East Indies|Batavia]] in 1938. Dutch control of Siak later became the beginning of the outbreak of the [[Aceh War]].

On the coast, the Dutch moved quickly to abolish the sultanates that did not submit to the government in Batavia. The Dutch appointed a resident in Tanjung Pinang to supervise coastal areas, and the Dutch succeeded in toppling the [[Sultan of Riau-Lingga]], Sultan Abdul Rahman Muazzam Syah in February 1911.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 September 2013 |title=Penghapusan Kerajaan Riau-Lingga 1911-1913 |url=https://www.tanjungpinangpos.co.id/2013/09/78233/penghapusan-kerajaan-riau-lingga-1911-1913.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019164302/http://tanjungpinangpos.co.id/2013/09/78233/penghapusan-kerajaan-riau-lingga-1911-1913.html |archive-date=2013-10-19 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Tanjungpinang Pos}}</ref>

=== Japanese occupation ===
During the [[Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies]], Riau was one of the primary strategic targets. The [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese army]] occupied [[Rengat]] on 31 March 1942.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Sejarah Singkat Indragiri Hilir |url=https://www.inhilkab.go.id/index.php/Profil/sejarah-singkat-indragiri-hilir.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924035140/http://www.inhilkab.go.id/index.php/Profil/sejarah-singkat-indragiri-hilir.html |archive-date=2015-09-24 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=}}</ref> All of Riau was quickly occupied by the Japanese. A relic of the Japanese occupation is the 220&nbsp;km railway line that connects [[Muaro Sijunjung]] in [[West Sumatra]] and [[Pekanbaru]], also known as the [[Sumatra Railway|Pekanbaru Death Railway]] which is now abandoned. Hundreds of thousands of Riau people were forced to work by the Japanese to complete the project.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 August 2013 |title=Menyusuri Jejak Romusa Jepang Pembangunan Rel Kereta Api Di Kuansing-pekanbaru Rel Sudah Pupus, Penemuan Tengkorak Manusia Hal Biasa |url=http://www.riaupos.co/33305-berita-jejak-rel-sudah-pupus,-penemuan-tengkorak-manusia-hal-biasa.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517111038/http://www.riaupos.co/33305-berita-jejak-rel-sudah-pupus,-penemuan-tengkorak-manusia-hal-biasa.html |archive-date=2019-05-17 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Riau Pos}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Putra |first=Mayonal |date=10 June 2013 |title=Menyusuri Bentangan Rel Kereta Api di Riau |url=https://pekanbaru.tribunnews.com/2013/06/10/menyusuri-bentangan-rel-kereta-api-di-riau |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517111043/http://pekanbaru.tribunnews.com/2013/06/10/menyusuri-bentangan-rel-kereta-api-di-riau |archive-date=17 May 2019 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Tribun Pekanbaru |language=id-ID}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2009-11-06 |title=Lok Uap di Muaro, Sisa Jalur Kereta Api Maut Muaro Sijunjung - Pekanbaru |url=https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2009/11/06/1440205/~Plesir |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517111050/https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2009/11/06/1440205/lok.uap.di.muaro.sisa.jalur.kereta.api.maut.muaro.sijunjung.-.pekanbaru |archive-date=17 May 2019 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=KOMPAS.com |language=id}}</ref> Japan led the construction of the railroad using forced labor and prisoners of war. The construction took 15 months through mountains, swamps and fast-flowing rivers.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Sejarah perkeretaapian Indonesia |date=1997 |publisher=Angkasa |isbn=979-665-168-8 |edition=1st |location=Bandung |pages=146 |oclc=38139980}}</ref> As many as 6,500 Dutch (mostly [[Indo people|Indo-Europeans]]) and British prisoners of wars and more than 100,000 [[Rōmusha|romusha]] Indonesians (mostly [[Javanese people|Javanese]]) were mobilized by the Japanese military. When the project was completed in August 1945, almost one third of European prisoners of war and more than half of Indonesian workers died. The railroad was intended as a medium for transporting coal and soldiers from Pekanbaru to [[Muaro Sijunjung]] on the west of Sumatra. Construction of the railroad was completed on 15 August 1945, before the [[Surrender of Japan|Japanese surrendered]]. The railroad was used only once to transport prisoners of war out of the area. The line was then abandoned.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-08-15 |title=Memorial to Sumatra railway dead |language=en-GB |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1492191.stm |url-status=live |access-date=2023-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317230609/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1492191.stm |archive-date=17 March 2022}}</ref>

=== Independence and contemporary era ===
At the beginning of [[Proclamation of Indonesian Independence|Indonesia's independence]], the former Riau Residency was merged and incorporated into the Sumatra Province based in [[Bukittinggi]]. Along with the crackdown on [[Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia|PRRI]] sympathizers, Sumatra was divided into three provinces, [[North Sumatra]], [[Central Sumatra]], and [[South Sumatra]]. Central Sumatra became a stronghold of the PRRI, this caused the central government to breakup Central Sumatra in order to weaken the PRRI movement,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gusti |first=Asnan |title=Memikir ulang regionalisme : Sumatera Barat tahun 1950-an |date=2007 |publisher=Yayasan Obor Indonesia |isbn=978-979-461-640-6 |oclc=225671885}}</ref> in 1957, based on Emergency Law Number 19 of 1957,<ref>[http://www.hukumonline.com/pusatdata/detail/4116/node/538/undang-undang-darurat-no-19-tahun-1957-pembentukan-daerah-daerah-tingkat-i-sumatera-barat,-jambi-dan-riau "Undang-Undang Darurat Nomor 19 Tahun 1957"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517111111/https://www.hukumonline.com/pusatdata/detail/4116/node/538/undang-undang-darurat-no-19-tahun-1957-pembentukan-daerah-daerah-tingkat-i-sumatera-barat,-jambi-dan-riau/ |date=17 May 2019 }}. ''hukumonline.com'', diakses 23 Oktober 2013. Memerlukan pendaftaran.</ref> Central Sumatra was divided into three provinces, Riau, [[Jambi]] and [[West Sumatra]]. The newly formed Riau province was composed of the former territory of the Siak Sri Sultanate of Inderapura and the Riau Residency as well as the Kampar.

As Riau was one of the areas influenced by the [[Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia]], the central government conducted Operation Tegas to quell the rebellion, under the leadership of [[Kaharuddin Nasution]], who later became governor of the province, succeeded in quelling the remnants of PRRI sympathizers.<ref>[http://www.kodam4.mil.id/poradvi/prri.html Sejarah Singkat Kodam IV/Diponegoro: KILAS BALIK PENGABDIAN KODAM IV/DIPONEGORO DARI MASA KE MASA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108154823/http://www.kodam4.mil.id/poradvi/prri.html |date=8 November 2013 }}. Situs resmi [[Kodam IV/Diponegoro]], diakses 23 Oktober 2013.</ref>

Afterwards, the central government began to consider moving the provincial capital from [[Tanjung Pinang]] to [[Pekanbaru]], which is more centrally located. The government established Pekanbaru as the new provincial capital on 20 January 1959 through Kepmendagri No. December 52 / I / 44–25.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Pekanbaru Kota Bertuah |url=http://www.rripekanbaru.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69:pekanbaru-kota-bertuah&catid=41:rotator-news |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104153747/http://www.rripekanbaru.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69:pekanbaru-kota-bertuah&catid=41:rotator-news |archive-date=2013-11-04 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Radio Republik Indonesia}}</ref>

After the [[Transition to the New Order|fall of the Old Order]], Riau became one of the pillars of the [[New Order (Indonesia)|New Order]]'s economic development.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Samad |first=Raja Syofyan |title=Negara dan masyarakat : studi penetrasi negara di Riau Kepulauan masa Orde Baru |date=2010 |publisher=Pustaka Pelajar |others=S.I.P. Zulkarnain |isbn=978-602-8764-72-8 |location=Yogyakarta |oclc=668406423}}</ref> In 1944, geologist Richard H. Hopper, Toru Oki and their team discovered the largest oil well in Southeast Asia, in Minas, [[Siak Regency|Siak]]. This well was originally named Minas No. 1. Minas is famous for its Sumatra Light Crude (SLC) oil which is good quality as it has low sulfur content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prijono |first=Agus |date=8 August 2013 |title=Geliat Industri Hulu Minyak Indonesia - Semua Halaman - National Geographic |url=https://nationalgeographic.grid.id/read/13284577/geliat-industri-hulu-minyak-indonesia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104042109/http://nationalgeographic.co.id/berita/2013/08/geliat-industri-hulu-minyak-indonesia |archive-date=4 November 2013 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=nationalgeographic.grid.id |language=id}}</ref> In the early 1950s, new oil wells were found in Minas, Duri, Bengkalis, Pantaicermin, and Petapahan. Petroleum extraction in Riau began in the Siak Block in September 1963, with the signing of a work contract with PT California Texas Indonesia (now [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron]] Pacific Indonesia).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Muhardi |first=Fazar |title=Perebutan Secuil Ladang di Negeri Kaya Minyak (bagian 1) |url=https://riau.antaranews.com/berita/25720/perebutan-secuil-ladang-di-negeri-kaya-minyak-bagian-1? |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331080246/http://www.antarariau.com/berita/25720/perebutan-secuil-ladang-di-negeri-kaya-minyak-(bagian-1).html |archive-date=31 March 2016 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Antara Riau|date=26 March 2013 }}</ref> This province contributed 70% of Indonesia's oil production in the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sumur Minyak di Riau Tinggal Sejarah |url=https://m.jpnn.com/news/sumur-minyak-di-riau-tinggal-sejarah |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305055518/http://www.jpnn.com/index.php?mib=berita.detail&id=92483 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=JPNN.com |language=id}}</ref>

Riau was also the main destination for the [[transmigration program]] launched by the Suharto administration. Many families from Java moved to the newly opened oil palm plantations in Riau, forming a separate community.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-05-03 |title=80% Petani Sawit di Riau Transmigran Asli Jawa |url=https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-1907819/80-petani-sawit-di-riau-transmigran-asli-jawa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211095953/http://finance.detik.com/read/2012/05/03/100547/1907819/4/80-petani-sawit-di-riau-transmigran-asli-jawa |archive-date=2014-12-11 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=detikfinance |language=id-ID}}</ref>

In 1999, [[Saleh Djasit]] was elected as the second native Riaunese (besides [[Arifin Achmad]]) and first elected by the Provincial House of Representatives as governor. His administration saw the separation of the [[Riau Archipelago]] to become [[Riau Islands|Riau Islands Province]] in 2002, leaving Riau with just the mainland territories. In 2003, former Regent of [[Indragiri Hilir Regency|Indragiri Hilir]], [[Rusli Zainal]], was elected governor, and was re-elected through direct elections by the people in 2008. Starting on 19 February 2014, Riau Province was officially led by the governor, [[Annas Maamun]], leading for 7 months, Annas Maamun was removed after he was arrested by the  [[Corruption Eradication Commission]] (KPK) in a case of land use change in [[Kuantan Singingi Regency]].

==Geography==
Geographically, Riau is located at position 02 ° 25 'LU-01 ° 15 ° LS and 100 ° 03'-104 ° 00' BT. The area is quite extensive and is located in the central part of [[Sumatra]]. Riau is directly adjacent to [[North Sumatra]] and the [[Strait of Malacca|Straits of Malacca]] in the north, [[Jambi]] to the south, [[West Sumatra]] to the west and the [[Riau Islands]] in the east. The province shares maritime borders with Singapore and [[Malaysia]].

In general, the geography of Riau consists of mountains, lowlands, and islands. The mountain area lies in the western part, namely the [[Barisan Mountains|Bukit Barisan]] Mountains, near the border of West Sumatra. The elevation decreases towards the east, making most of the central and eastern part of the province covered with lowlands. Off the eastern coast lies the [[Strait of Malacca]] where several island lies.

=== Climate ===
In general, Riau Province has a wet tropical climate that is influenced by two seasons, namely the rainy and dry seasons. The average rainfall received by Riau Province is between 2,000 – 3,000&nbsp;mm / year with an average annual rainfall of 160 days. The areas that received the most rain were [[Rokan Hulu Regency]] and [[Pekanbaru]] City. Meanwhile, the area that received the least rainfall was [[Siak Regency]].

The average air temperature of Riau is 25.9&nbsp;°C with maximum temperatures reaching 34.4&nbsp;°C and minimum temperatures reach 20.1&nbsp;°C. The highest temperature occurs in urban areas on the coast. On the contrary, the lowest temperature covers the high mountains and mountains. Air humidity can reach an average of 75%. Slightly different for the island region in the eastern region is also influenced by the characteristics of the sea climate.{{Weather box|location=Pekanbaru|metric first=Yes|single line=yes|Jan record high C=36|Feb record high C=37|Mar record high C=37|Apr record high C=38|May record high C=37|Jun record high C=40|Jul record high C=37|Aug record high C=38|Sep record high C=37|Oct record high C=37|Nov record high C=34|Dec record high C=38|Jan high C=31.0|Feb high C=31.6|Mar high C=32.1|Apr high C=32.5|May high C=32.6|Jun high C=32.2|Jul high C=32.0|Aug high C=32.0|Sep high C=31.9|Oct high C=32.0|Nov high C=31.7|Dec high C=31.2|year high C=31.9|Jan mean C=26.4|Feb mean C=26.7|Mar mean C=27.1|Apr mean C=27.5|May mean C=27.6|Jun mean C=27.2|Jul mean C=26.9|Aug mean C=26.9|Sep mean C=26.9|Oct mean C=27.0|Nov mean C=26.9|Dec mean C=26.6|year mean C=27.0|Jan low C=21.8|Feb low C=21.9|Mar low C=22.2|Apr low C=22.6|May low C=22.7|Jun low C=22.2|Jul low C=21.9|Aug low C=21.9|Sep low C=22.0|Oct low C=22.0|Nov low C=22.2|Dec low C=22.1|year low C=22.1|Jan record low C=18|Feb record low C=18|Mar record low C=21|Apr record low C=17|May record low C=21|Jun record low C=19|Jul record low C=16|Aug record low C=18|Sep record low C=20|Oct record low C=13|Nov record low C=21|Dec record low C=20|precipitation colour=green|Jan precipitation mm=240|Feb precipitation mm=199|Mar precipitation mm=262|Apr precipitation mm=257|May precipitation mm=203|Jun precipitation mm=133|Jul precipitation mm=123|Aug precipitation mm=177|Sep precipitation mm=224|Oct precipitation mm=280|Nov precipitation mm=312|Dec precipitation mm=286|source 1=Climate-Data.org (average temps and precip)<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/4036/ |title=Climate: Pekanbaru |publisher=AmbiWeb GmbH| access-date = 14 June 2016}}
</ref>|source 2=Weatherbase (extremes)<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=90169&units= |title=PAKANBARU, INDONESIA |publisher=Weatherbase| access-date = 14 June 2016}}
</ref>}}As in most other province of Indonesia, Riau has a [[tropical rainforest climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Af'') bordering on a tropical monsoon climate. The climate is very much dictated by the surrounding sea and the prevailing wind system. It has high average temperature and high average rainfall.

=== Ecology ===
[[File:Cagar Biosfer Giam Siak Kecil Bukit Batu Riau Indonesia.jpg|thumb|Giam Siak Kecil – Bukit Batu biosphere reserves]]Forest cover in Riau has declined from 78% in 1982 to only 33% in 2005.<ref>[http://www.wwf.or.id/attachments/pdf/EleventhHourRiau'sForests.pdf WWF:The Eleventh Hour for Riau's Forests] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232555/http://www.wwf.or.id/attachments/pdf/EleventhHourRiau%27sForests.pdf |date=14 June 2007}}</ref> This has been further reduced an average of 160,000 hectares on average per year, leaving 22%, or 2.45&nbsp;million hectares left as of 2009.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harahap |first=Rizal |date=16 May 2009 |title=Logging moratorium 'a must' to save Riau forests |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/05/16/logging-moratorium-a-must039-save-riau-forests.html |work=The Jakarta Post}}</ref> Fires associated with deforestation have contributed to serious haze over the province and cities to the East, such as Singapore and [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Hong |first=Carolyn |date=16 June 2012 |title='Indonesian'-made haze covers parts of KL, surrounding areas |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/06/16/indonesian-made-haze-covers-parts-kl-surrounding-areas.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619011724/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/06/16/indonesian-made-haze-covers-parts-kl-surrounding-areas.html |archive-date=19 June 2012 |work=The Jakarta Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=673630 |title=BERNAMA - Haze Still Unhealthy in Six Areas |access-date=17 June 2012 |archive-date=11 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111162844/http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=673630 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/world/20120615-Sumatra.html |title=NASA – Northern Sumatra |website=nasa.gov |access-date=21 May 2019}}</ref>

Giam Siak Kecil – [[Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve]], Indonesia, is a peatland area in Sumatra featuring sustainable timber production and two wildlife reserves, which are home to the [[Sumatran tiger]], [[Sumatran elephant]], [[Malayan tapir]], and [[Malayan sun bear]]. Research activities in the biosphere include the monitoring of flagship species and in-depth study on peatland ecology. Initial studies indicate a real potential for sustainable economic development using native flora and fauna for the economic benefit of local inhabitants.

Cagar Biosfer Giam Siak Kecil Bukit Batu (CB-GSK-BB) is one of seven Biosphere Reserves in Indonesia. They are located in two areas of Riau Province, [[Bengkalis]] and [[Siak Regency|Siak]]. CB-GSK-BB is a trial presented by Riau at the 21st Session of the International Coordinating Council of Man and the Biosphere (UNESCO) in [[Jeju City|Jeju]], South Korea, on 26 May 2009. CB-GSK-BB is one of 22 proposed locations in 17 countries accepted as reserves for the year. A Biosphere Reserve is the only internationally recognised concept of environmental conservation and cultivation. Thus the supervision and development of CB-GSK-BB is a worldwide concern at a regional level.

CB-GSK-BB is a unique type of Peat Swamp Forest in the [[Kampar Peninsula]] Peat Forest (with a small area of swamp). Another peculiarity is that the CB-GSK-BB was initiated by private parties in co-operation with the government through BBKSDA (The Center for the Conservation of Natural Resources), including the notorious conglomerate involved in forest destruction, [[Sinar Mas Group]], owning the largest paper and pulp company in Indonesia.

==Government==
[[File:Gedung_dprd_riau.webp|thumb|Riau's [[Riau Regional House of Representatives|parliament]] (DPRD) building]]
The Province of Riau is led by a governor who is elected directly with his representative for a 5-year term. In addition to being a regional government, the Governor also acts as a representative or extension of the central government in the province, whose authority is regulated in Law No. 32 of 2004 and Government Regulation number 19 of 2010.

While the relationship between the provincial government and the regency and city governments is not a sub-ordinate, each of these regional governments governs and manages government affairs according to the principle of autonomy and co-administration.

=== Administrative divisions ===
When the province of Riau was created on 10 August 1957 from the splitting of the former province of [[Central Sumatra]], it consisted of four regencies - [[Bengkalis Regency|'''Bengkalis''']], [[Riau Islands|'''Bintan''']] (covering the offshore archipelagoes now comprising the Riau Islands Province), [[Indragiri Hilir Regency|'''Indragiri''']] and [[Kampar Regency|'''Kampar''']] - together with the independent city of '''[[Pekanbaru]]'''. On 14 June 1965 the Indragiri Regency was divided into an '''[[Indragiri Hilir Regency]]''' and an '''[[Indragiri Hulu Regency]]'''. On 4 October 1999 four of these regencies were divided up in a wholesale reorganisation: Bengkalis Regency was split up into '''[[Rokan Hilir Regency]]''', '''[[Siak Regency]]''' and a new city of '''[[Dumai]]''', as well as a smaller Bengkalis Regency; a new '''[[Kuantan Singingi Regency]]''' was cut out of the Indragiri Hulu Regency, while '''[[Rokan Hulu Regency]]''' and '''[[Pelalawan Regency]]''' were cut out of Kampar Regency. Finally, on the same date, the Bintan Regency was split, with a new city of '''[[Batam]]''' and new regencies of '''[[Karimun Regency|Karimun]]''' and '''[[Natuna Regency|Natuna]]''' being split off; a further city of '''[[Tanjung Pinang]]''' was cut out of the residual part of Bintan Regency on 21 June 2001; however on 24 September 2002 the five Riau Islands administrations were split off from Riau Province to form a separate Riau Islands Province. Subsequently on 19 December 2008 a new '''[[Meranti Islands]] Regency''' was cut off the remaining Bengkalis Regency.

Riau Province is thus subdivided into ten [[Regency (Indonesia)|regencies]] (''kabupaten'') and two autonomous [[Cities of Indonesia|cities]] (''kota''), listed below with their areas and their populations at the 2010<ref name="Biro Pusat Statistik 2011">Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.</ref> and 2020<ref name="Badan Pusat Statistik 2021">Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.</ref> Censuses, and according to the official estimates as at mid 2024.<ref name="Badan Pusat Statistik 2025">Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Provinsi Riau Dalam Angka 2025'' (sum of returns in city and regency Katalogs)</ref>
{{Riau Labelled Map}}
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Kode<br>Wilayah || Name of <br>City or<br>Regency|| Area <br>in<br>km<sup>2</sup> || Pop'n<br />census<br />2010 || Pop'n<br />census<br />2020<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sensus.bps.go.id/topik/tabular/sp2020/1/5/0 |title=Jumlah Penduduk menurut Wilayah dan Jenis Kelamin, Provinsi RIAU, Tahun 2020 |access-date=2 February 2024 |language=id}}</ref> || Pop'n<br />estimate<br />mid 2024 || Capital ||[[Human Development Index|HDI]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bappenas.go.id/download.php?id=8975 |title=Indeks-Pembangunan-Manusia-2014 |access-date=13 February 2017 |archive-date=10 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110235217/http://bappenas.go.id/download.php?id=8975 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />2014 estimates
|-
| 14.01 || [[Kampar Regency]]|| align="right" |11,289.28|| align="right" |688,204|| align="right" |841,332|| align="right" |898,973||[[Bangkinang]]|| 0.707 ({{fontcolor|green|High}})
|-
| 14.02 || [[Indragiri Hulu Regency]]|| align="right" |8,198.71|| align="right" |363,442|| align="right" |444,548|| align="right" |487,039||[[Rengat]]|| 0.671 ({{fontcolor|#fc0|Medium}})
|-
| 14.03 || [[Bengkalis Regency]]|| align="right" |8,612.56|| align="right" |498,336|| align="right" |565,569|| align="right" |591,800||[[Bengkalis]]|| 0.708 ({{fontcolor|green|High}})
|-
| 14.04 || [[Indragiri Hilir Regency]]|| align="right" |13,136.14|| align="right" |661,779|| align="right" |654,909|| align="right" |729,147||[[Tembilahan]]|| 0.638 ({{fontcolor|#fc0|Medium}})
|-
| 14.05 || [[Pelalawan Regency]]|| align="right" |13,408.72|| align="right" |301,829|| align="right" |390,046|| align="right" |434,590||[[Pangkalan Kerinci]]|| 0.686 ({{fontcolor|#fc0|Medium}})
|-
| 14.06 || [[Rokan Hulu Regency]]|| align="right" |7,588.13|| align="right" |474,843|| align="right" |561,385|| align="right" |586,994||[[Pasir Pengaraian]]|| 0.670 ({{fontcolor|#fc0|Medium}})
|-
| 14.07 || [[Rokan Hilir Regency]]|| align="right" |9,068.63|| align="right" |553,216|| align="right" |637,161|| align="right" |688,073||[[Bagansiapiapi]]|| 0.662 ({{fontcolor|#fc0|Medium}})
|-
| 14.08 || [[Siak Regency]]|| align="right" |8,556.09|| align="right" |376,742|| align="right" |457,940|| align="right" |495,760||[[Siak Sri Indrapura]]|| 0.714 ({{fontcolor|green|High}})
|-
| 14.09 || [[Kuantan Singingi Regency]]|| align="right" |7,656.03|| align="right" |292,116|| align="right" |334,943|| align="right" |365,989||[[Teluk Kuantan]]|| 0.674 ({{fontcolor|#fc0|Medium}})
|-
| 14.10 || [[Meranti Islands Regency]]|| align="right" |3,144.18|| align="right" |176,290|| align="right" |206,116|| align="right" |212,000||[[Selat Panjang]]|| 0.629 ({{fontcolor|#fc0|Medium}})
|-
| 14.71 || [[Pekanbaru|Pekanbaru City]]|| align="right" |632.26|| align="right" |897,767|| align="right" |983,356|| align="right" |1,167,599||[[Pekanbaru]]|| 0.784 ({{fontcolor|green|High}})
|-
| 14.72 || [[Dumai|Dumai City]]|| align="right" |2,065.59|| align="right" |253,803|| align="right" |316,782|| align="right" |349,389|| Dumai|| 0.718 ({{fontcolor|green|High}})
|-
| || ''Totals'' || align="right" | ''93,356.32'' || align="right" | ''5,538,367'' || align="right" | ''6,394,087'' || align="right" | ''7,007,353'' || || 
|}

The province comprises two of Indonesia's 84 national electoral districts to elect members to the [[Indonesian Parliament|People's Representative Council]]. The '''Riau I Electoral District''' consists of 5 of the regencies in the province (Siak, Bengkalis, Meranti Islands, Rokan Hilir and Rokan Hulu), together with the cities of Pekanbaru and Dumai, and elects 7 members to the People's Representative Council.  The '''Riau II Electoral District''' consists of the remaining 5 regencies (Kuantan Singingi, Indragiri Hulu, Indragiri Hilir, Pelalawan and Kampar), and elects 6 members to the People's Representative Council.<ref>Law No. 7/2017 (''UU No. 7 Tahun 2017'') as amended by Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 1/2022 and Regulation of General Elections Commission No. 6/2023.</ref>

==Demographics==
The total population of Riau spread over ten regencies and two cities as at mid 2024 reached 7,007,353 people.<ref name="Badan Pusat Statistik 2025">Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Provinsi Riau Dalam Angka 2025'' (sum of returns in city and regency Katalogs)</ref> Based on the population per regency/city in 2022, the largest population was in [[Pekanbaru]] City with 506,231 male population and 501,309 female, while the smallest population was in the [[Kepulauan Meranti Regency]] where about 110,100 people were male and 103,400 were female. Overall males constituted 51.13% of the population and females 48.87% in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.riau.go.id/home/content/67/sosial-budaya |title=Sosial Budaya |last=Riau |first=Pemerintah Provinsi |website=riau.go.id |access-date=21 May 2019 |archive-date=3 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203083102/https://www.riau.go.id/home/content/67/sosial-budaya |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Pelamin Melayu Riau.jpg|thumb|A traditional Malay wedding replica in Museum Sang Nila Utama, Pekanbaru. [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malays]] form the largest ethnic group in the province, with 45% of the population in 2010.]]

=== Ethnic groups ===
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Ethnic Groups in Riau (census 2010)<ref name="ethnicity">{{cite book |author1=Aris Ananta |author2=Evi Nurvidya Arifin |author3=M. Sairi Hasbullah |author4=Nur Budi Handayani |author5=Agus Pramono |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies dan BPS – Statistics Indonesia |title=Demography of Indonesia's Ethnicity |year=2015}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Malay Indonesian|Malay]]
|value1 = 45
|color1 = Brown
|label2 = [[Javanese people|Javanese]]
|value2 = 25
|color2 = Violet
|label3 = [[Batak people|Batak]]
|value3 = 12
|color3 = DarkBlue
|label4 = [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]]
|value4 = 8
|color4 = lightgreen
|label5 = Others
|value5 = 10
|color5 = Black
}}
Riau is considered a very ethnically diverse province. As of 2010, the ethnic groups in Riau consist of [[Malay Indonesian|Malays]] (43%), [[Javanese people|Javanese]] (25%), [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] (8%), [[Batak]] (12%), [[Banjar people|Banjar]] (4%), [[Chinese Indonesians|Chinese]] (2%), and [[Bugis]] (2%).<ref name="ethnicity"/> The [[Malay Indonesian|Malays]] are the largest ethnic group with a composition of 45% of the entire population of the province. They generally come from coastal areas in [[Rokan Hilir Regency|Rokan Hilir]], [[Dumai]], [[Bengkalis]], [[Pulau Meranti]], up to [[Pelalawan Regency|Pelalawan]], [[Siak Regency|Siak]], [[Indragiri Hulu Regency|Inderagiri Hulu]] and [[Indragiri Hilir Regency|Inderagiri Hilir]]. Riau was once the seat of great Malay sultanates, such as the [[Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura]], the Pelalawan Sultanate and the Indragiri Sultanate.

There is also a sizable population of [[Minangkabau people]] living in Riau Province, mostly in the areas bordering [[West Sumatra]], such as [[Rokan Hulu Regency|Rokan Hulu]], [[Kampar Regency|Kampar]], [[Kuantan Singingi Regency|Kuantan Singingi]], and part of [[Indragiri Hulu Regency|Inderagiri Hulu]]. [[Pekanbaru]], the capital of Riau Province, has a Minangkabau majority, since it was once one of the Minangkabau ''rantau'' (migration) area. Many Minangkabau in Pekanbaru have lived there for generations and has since assimilated into the Malay community.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Andaya |first=Barbara Watson |date=1997 |title=The Unity of Southeast Asia: Historical Approaches and Questions |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022463400015228 |journal=Journal of Southeast Asian Studies |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=161–171 |doi=10.1017/s0022463400015228 |s2cid=163231621 |issn=0022-4634|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Most Minangkabau in Riau generally work as merchants and live in urban areas such as Pekanbaru, [[Bangkinang]], Duri, and [[Dumai]].

There are many other ethnic groups migrating from other provinces of Indonesia, such as the [[Mandailing people|Batak Mandailing people]] who mostly lives in areas bordering [[North Sumatra]], such as [[Rokan Hulu Regency|Rokan Hulu]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/204928-sejarah-masuknya-suku-mandailing-ke-kabu.pdf |title=Sejarah masuknya Suku Mandailing ke Kabupaten Rokan Hulu tahun 1935–1945 |last1=Andri |first1=Andri |last2=Melay |first2=Ridwan |last3=Kamaruddin |first3=Kamaruddin |publisher=University of Riau |year=2017 |location=Pekanbaru |pages=4–5}}</ref> Most of the Mandailing people now identify themselves as [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]] rather than as [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] or [[Batak]]. In the 19th century, the [[Banjar people|Banjarese]] of [[South Kalimantan]] and the [[Buginese people|Bugis]] of [[South Sulawesi]] also began arriving in Riau to seek better lives. Most of them settled in the [[Indragiri Hilir Regency|Indragiri Hilir]] areas, especially around [[Tembilahan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sophian |first=Akham |date=18 November 2015 |title=Sejarah Pilu Perjalanan Orang Banjar Menapakkan Kaki di Indragiri Hilir |url=https://www.potretnews.com/artikel/potret-riau/2015/11/18/sejarah-pilu-perjalanan-orang-banjar-menapakkan-kaki-di-indragiri-hilir/ |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=PotretNews.com |language=id}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kompasiana.com/islamrasional79.blogspot.com/55008994a333113772511306/diaspora-orang-luwu-di-negeri-melayu |title=Diaspora Orang Luwu di Negeri Melayu |last=Sastrawat |first=Indra |publisher=Kompasiana.com |website=KOMPASIANA |date=24 February 2011 |language=id |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> The opening of Caltex oil mining company in the 1940s in [[Rumbai]], encouraged people from throughout the country to migrate to Riau.

There are sizeable [[Javanese people|Javanese]] and [[Sundanese people|Sundanese]] population in Riau Province. Javanese forms the second-largest ethnic group in the province, forming 25.05% of the total population. Most of them migrated to Riau due to the [[transmigration program]] dating from the [[Dutch East Indies]] and continued during the [[New Order (Indonesia)|Soeharto administration]]. The majority of them lives in transmigration communities spread throughout the region.

Likewise, the [[Chinese Indonesians|Chinese people]] are generally similar to the [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] as many of them also work as merchants. Many Riau Chinese lives in the capital [[Pekanbaru]], and many can also found in coastal areas in the east, such as [[Bagansiapiapi]], [[Selat Panjang|Selatpanjang]], [[Rupat]], and [[Bengkalis]]. Most of the Chinese people in Riau are [[Hoklo people]], whose ancestors migrated from [[Quanzhou]] in modern-day [[Fujian]] from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century. Some of the Riau Chinese has migrated to other parts of Indonesia, such as [[Medan]] and [[Jakarta]], to seek better life opportunities, while some have also migrated to other countries such as Singapore and [[Taiwan]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VwNeusDwx9wC&q=hokkien+in+riau&pg=PA125 |title=Chinese Indonesians Reassessed: History, Religion and Belonging |last1=Sai |first1=Siew-Min |last2=Hoon |first2=Chang-Yau |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9780415608015 |language=en}}</ref>

There are also some groups of indigenous people who live in rural areas and riverbanks, such as the [[Sakai people (Indonesia)|Orang Sakai]], Petalangan, Bonai, Akit, Talang Mamak, [[Anak Rawa people|Anak Rawa]], [[Orang Duano]], and [[Orang Laut]]. Some of them still leading the [[nomadic]] and [[Hunter-gatherer]] lifestyle in the remote interior of Riau, while most settled into major cities and towns in with the rise of industrialisation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 August 2014 |title=Mengenal Lebih Dekat Tentang Keunikan Suku Asli di Riau |url=https://metroterkini.com/news/detail/8710/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809154609/http://metroterkini.com/berita-8710-mengenal-lebih-dekat--tentang-keunikan-suku-asli-di-riau.html |archive-date=9 August 2019 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=metroterkini.com |language=id}}</ref>

=== Language ===
[[File:Ade Irma Suryani St.JPG|thumb|Street signs in [[Pekanbaru]], written in both [[Latin script|Latin]] and [[Jawi alphabet|Jawi]] script]]
The people of Riau generally uses the local dialect of [[Malay language|Malay]] and [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], the official language of Indonesia. Malay is commonly used in coastal areas such as [[Rokan Hilir Regency|Rokan Hilir]], [[Bengkalis]], [[Dumai]], [[Pelalawan Regency|Pelalawan]], [[Siak Regency|Siak]], [[Indragiri Hulu Regency|Indragiri Hulu]], [[Indragiri Hilir Regency|Indragiri Hilir]] and around the islands off the coast of Riau.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Saidat |first1=Dahlan |title=Geografi dialek bahasa Melayu Riau Kepualauan |last2=Ramli |first2=Bustami |last3=Martono |first3=Sugiyo Hadi |last4=Sulaiman |first4=Abubakar |date=1989 |publisher=Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan |isbn=979-459-050-9 |location=[[Pekanbaru]] |language=id |oclc=614854132}}</ref>
{{stack}}The dialect of Malay spoken in Riau is considered by linguists to have one of the least complex grammars among the languages of the world, apart from [[creole language|creoles]], possessing neither noun declensions, temporal distinctions, subject/object distinctions, nor singular/plural distinction. For example, the phrase ''Ayam makan'' ({{lit|chicken eat}}) can mean, in context, anything from 'the chicken is eating', to 'I ate some chicken', 'the chicken that is eating' and 'when we were eating chicken'. A possible reason for this is that Riau Malay has been used as a ''[[lingua franca]]'' for communication between different people in this area during its history, and extensive foreign-language speaker use of this kind tends to simplify the grammar of a language used.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McWhorter |first=John Hamilton |author-link=John McWhorter |date=2001-01-17 |title=The worlds simplest grammars are creole grammars |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/lity.2001.001 |journal=Linguistic Typology |language=en |publisher=[[Walter de Gruyter]] |volume=5 |issue=2–3 |pages=125–166 |doi=10.1515/lity.2001.001 |s2cid=16297093 |issn=1430-0532|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The traditional script in Riau is [[Jawi script|Jawi]] (locally known in Indonesia as "Arab-Melayu"), an Arabic-based writing in the [[Malay language]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Gil |first=David |title=Language Complexity |chapter-url=https://benjamins.com/catalog/slcs.94.08gil |chapter=How complex are isolating languages? |publisher=Benjamins |year=2008 |editor1-last=Miestamo |editor1-first=Matti |series=Language complexity: Typology, contact, change (Studies in Language Companion Series 94) |volume=94 |location=Amsterdam |pages=109–131 |doi=10.1075/slcs.94.08gil |isbn=978-90-272-3104-8 |editor2-last=Sinnemäki |editor2-first=Kaius |editor3-last=Karlsson |editor3-first=Fred}}</ref> It is sometimes supposed that Riau Malay is the basis for the modern national language, [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]. However, it is instead based on [[History of the Malay language|Classical Malay]], the court language of [[Riau Sultanate|Johor-Riau Sultanate]], based primarily from the one used in the [[Riau Archipelago]] and the state of [[Johor]], [[Malaysia]], which is distinct from the local mainland Riau dialect.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sneddon |first=James Neil |title=The Indonesian language : its history and role in modern society |date=2003 |publisher=UNSW Press |isbn=0-86840-598-1 |location=[[Sydney]] |pages=70 |oclc=54106302 |author-link=James Sneddon}}</ref> Non-mainstream varieties in Riau include [[Sakai people (Indonesia)|Orang Sakai]], [[Orang Duano]], Orang Akit, and [[Orang Laut]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eva.mpg.de/linguistics/research/jakarta-field-station/linguistic-field-work-in-riau-province-indonesia.html |title=Dept. of Linguistics &#124; Linguistic Field Work in Riau Province, Indonesia |publisher=Eva.mpg.de |access-date=23 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225132/http://www.eva.mpg.de/linguistics/research/jakarta-field-station/linguistic-field-work-in-riau-province-indonesia.html |archive-date=2 December 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Riau Malay can be divided into two sub-dialects, namely the inland dialect and the coastal dialect.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Saidat |first=Dahlan |title=Hubungan bahasa dan dialek Melayu Kabupaten Kampar Bagian Timur dengan bahasa di daerah bekas Kerajaan Siak |date=1983 |publisher=Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan |location=[[Jakarta]] |language=id |oclc=14195597}}</ref> The inland dialect has phonological features that are similar to [[Minangkabau language|Minangkabau]], while coastal dialect has phonological features that are close to Malay in the regions of [[Selangor]], Johor and [[Kuala Lumpur]] in [[Malaysia]] (because other Malaysian regions have very different dialects).<ref name=":2" /> In addition to various other characteristics, the two subdialects are marked with words which in [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] are words that end with vowels /a/; the inland dialect is pronounced with vowel /o/, while in coastal dialect is pronounced with the weak vowel /e/ . Some examples include: /bila/, /tiga/ and /kata/ in Indonesian (if, three and word in English respectively) will be pronounced in inland dialect as /bilo/, /tigo/ and /kato/ respectively. While in the coastal dialect it will be pronounced as /bile/, /tige/ and /kate/ respectively.<ref name=":2" />

The [[Minangkabau language]] is widely used by the [[Minangkabau people]] in Riau, especially in the areas bordering [[West Sumatra]], such as [[Kampar Regency|Kampar]], [[Kuantan Singingi Regency|Kuantan Singingi]], and [[Rokan Hulu Regency|Rokan Hulu]], which are culturally allied to Minang as well as migrants from West Sumatra.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moeliono |first=Anton Moedardo |title=Kajian serba linguistik : untuk Anton Moeliono, pereksa bahasa |date=2000 |publisher=Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya |others=In honour of Anton Moedardo Moeliono |isbn=979-687-004-5 |location=Jakarta |oclc=833839479}}</ref> It is also currently being the ''lingua franca'' of [[Pekanbaru]], the capital city in addition to Indonesian. The pronunciation of Riau Minangkabau is similar to the [[Payakumbuh]]–[[Batusangkar]] dialect, even differs from that of other dialects varieties of West Sumatra. Historically, Minangkabau language used in the [[Pagaruyung]] highlands is now spoken in the lower [[Siak River]] basin following the waves of migration from [[West Sumatra]].

In addition, [[Hokkien]] is also still widely used among the [[Chinese Indonesians|Chinese community]], especially those living in [[Pekanbaru]], [[Selat Panjang|Selatpanjang]], [[Bengkalis]], and [[Bagansiapiapi]]. The Hokkien spoken in Riau is known as [[Southern Peninsular Malaysian Hokkien|Riau Hokkien]], which is [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually intelligible]] to the Hokkien spoken by the [[Malaysian Chinese]] in Johor, southern [[Malaysia]] and [[Singapore]]. They are both derived from the [[Quanzhou dialect]] of Hokkien that originated from the city of [[Quanzhou]] in Fujian. Riau Hokkien is slightly mutually unintelligible with [[Medan Hokkien]] spoken in [[Medan]] since the latter is derived from the [[Zhangzhou dialect]] of Hokkien that originated from [[Zhangzhou]], also in Fujian. Presently, Riau Hokkien has incorporated many words from the local language such as Malay and [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]].

[[Javanese language|Javanese]] is spoken by the [[Javanese people]] who migrated to the province. While several [[Batak languages|varieties of Batak]] is spoken by Batak immigrants from [[North Sumatra]].

===Religion===
[[File:Masjid Jamik Air Tiris Minang.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jami Mosque of Air Tiris]] in [[Kampar Regency]].]]
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Riau (2022)<ref name="RELIGION">{{cite web|url=https://satudata.kemenag.go.id/dataset/detail/jumlah-penduduk-menurut-agama|title=Jumlah Penduduk Menurut Agama|publisher=[[Ministry of Religious Affairs (Indonesia)|Ministry of Religious Affairs]]|date=31 August 2022|access-date=29 October 2023|language=id|archive-date=9 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709113430/https://satudata.kemenag.go.id/dataset/detail/jumlah-penduduk-menurut-agama|url-status=live}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Islam]]
|value1 = 87.05
|color1 = DarkGreen
|label2 = [[Protestantism]]
|value2 = 9.78
|color2 = Blue
|label4 = [[Roman Catholic]]
|value4 = 1.08
|color4 = Purple
|label3 = [[Buddhism]]
|value3 = 2.03
|color3 = Gold
|label7 = [[Hinduism]]
|value7 = 0.01
|color7 = DarkOrange
|label5 = [[Confucianism]]
|value5 = 0.03
|color5 = Ref
|label6 = [[Folk religion]]
|value6 = 0.02
|color6 = Black
}}
Based on the composition of the population of Riau which is full of diversity with different socio-cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds, it is basically an asset for the Riau region itself. The religions embraced by the inhabitants of this province are very diverse, including [[Islam]], [[Protestantism]], [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]], [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], and [[Confucianism]].

As of 2015, [[Islam]] is the dominant religion in the province, forming 86.87% of the total population. [[Islam]] is generally adhered by the ethnic [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malays]], [[Javanese people|Javanese]], [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]], [[Banjar people|Banjars]], [[Bugis]], [[Sundanese people|Sundanese]] and some [[Batak]] sub-group. [[Protestantism]] forms the second-largest religion, forming as many as 9.74%, while Catholics forms as many as 1.02%, Most of the people who adhered to [[Protestantism]] and [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]] are from [[Batak]] ethnic groups (specifically [[Toba Batak people|Batak Toba]], [[Karo people (Indonesia)|Karo]] and [[Simalungun people|Simalungun]]), [[Nias people|Nias]], [[Chinese Indonesians|Chinese]] and residents from [[Eastern Indonesia]]. Then there is Buddhism which forms around 2.28% of the total population and Confucianism which forms around 0.07% of the total population. Most of the Buddhist and Confucianism are of ethnic Chinese origin. Lastly, about 0.01% of the total population embrace Hinduism, mostly are [[Balinese people|Balinese]] and [[Indian Indonesians|Indonesians of Indian descent]].

== Culture ==
As Riau is the homeland of the [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malays]], the customs and cultures of Riau is mostly based on Malay customs and cultures.

Every Malay family lives in their own house, except for new couples who usually prefer to stay at the wife's house until they have their first child. Therefore, their sedentary patterns can be said to be neat. The nuclear family they called genitals generally built a house in the neighborhood where the wife lived. The principle of lineage or kinship is more likely to be parental or bilateral.

Kinship is done with a typical local nicknames. The first child is called ''long'' or ''sulung'', the second child is ''ngah''/''ongah,'' below him is called ''cik'', the youngest is called ''cu''/''ucu''. Usually the nickname is added by mentioning the physical characteristics of the person, for example, if the person is dark-skinned and is a ''cik'' or a third child, he will be called ''cik itam''. Another example is when the particular person is a first-born and has a short characteristic. he/she will be called ''ngah undah''. But sometimes when greeting people who are unknown or new to them, they can simply greet them with ''abang'', ''akak'', ''dek'', or ''nak''.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Ciri Khas Budaya Melayu |url=https://lancangkuning.com/post/5346/ciri-khas-budaya-melayu.html |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=lancangkuning.com |language=ID}}</ref>

In the past, Malays also lived in groups according to their ancestral origin, which they called tribes. This group of descendants uses a [[Patrilineality|patrilineal]] kinship line. But the Riau Malays who lived on the mainland [[Sumatra]] partially embraced [[Matrilineality|matrilineal]] tribalism. There are also those who referthe tribe as a ''hinduk'' or a ''cikal bakal''. Each tribe is led by a leader. If the tribe lives in a village, then the head will be referred to as ''Datuk Penghulu Kampung'' or ''Kepala Kampung''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ricklefs |first=Merle Calvin |title=A history of modern Indonesia since c. 1200 |date=2008 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-0-230-54686-8 |location=London |pages=173 |oclc=1075783482 |author-link=M. C. Ricklefs}}</ref> Each leader is also assisted by several figures such as ''batin'', ''jenang'', ''tua-tua'' dan ''monti''. Religious field leaders in the village are known as {{lang|id|[[imam]] dan khotib}}.

=== Traditional dress ===
[[File:About indonesian culture.jpg|thumb|Typical dress of a Riau Malay couple while enjoying the traditional [[Gambus]]. ]]
In Malay culture, clothes and textiles are very important and it signify beauty and power. The ''Hikayat-Hikayat Melayu'' mentioned the importance of textile in Malay culture.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Maznah |first=Mohamad |title=The Malay handloom weavers : a study of the rise and decline of traditional manufacture |date=1996 |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |isbn=981-3016-99-X |location=Singapore |pages=2 & 9 |oclc=611745370}}</ref> The history of the Malay woven industry can be traced back to the 13th century when trade routes in the East are rapidly expanding under the role of the [[Song dynasty]]. The description of locally made textiles and the development of the embroidery industry in the [[Malay Peninsula]] is expressed in several Chinese and Indian records.<ref name=":6" /> Among the famous Malay textiles that still exist today are ''[[Songket]]'' and ''[[Batik]]''.

The earliest Malay traditional dress was concise, the woman wearing a ''[[sarong]]'' that covered the lower body to the chest while the man dressed in short, sleeveless or shorts, with shorts down to the knee level. However, when trade with the outside world flourishes, the way in which the Malay dress begins to gain external influence and becomes more sophisticated. The 15th-century is the peak of the power of the [[Malacca Sultanate]]. As told in the [[Malay Annals]], this is where traditional ''[[Baju Melayu]]'' clothing is created. The strong Islamic influence has transformed the way of dressing the Malays later on features that are matching with Islamic laws. The classic Malay general attire for men consists of shirts, small sacks, ''sarongs'' worn at the waist, and a ''tanjak'' or ''[[tengkolok]]'' worn on the head. It is common for a Malay warrior to have a ''[[Kris|keris]]'' tucked into the front fold of sarong. The Malay version of the early women's clothing is also more loose and long. However, it was subsequently renewed and popularized by [[Abu Bakar of Johor|Sultan Abu Bakar]] of Johor in the late 19th century, into the form of ''[[Baju Kurung]]'' used today.

However, Riau also has some traditional dress that cannot be found in other parts of the Malay world. The Riau traditional dress is not only used for certain occasions. But some of these traditional clothes are functioned as everyday clothes, one of which is daily clothing for children. The children's daily wear used is divided into two types, namely clothes for boys and clothes for girls. For boys' clothes in the customs of the Riau people, they are called ''baju monyet'' (Monkey clothes). This outfit is combined with the type of trousers that are responsible, and complete with a ''[[Songkok|kopiah]]'' or rectangular shaped cloth as a head covering. While for everyday clothes for girls is ''[[Baju Kurung]]'' with floral motifs. This outfit is combined with a wide skirt with a ''[[hijab]]'' or ''[[tudong]]''. The daily clothes of Riau people are commonly used for reciting or for studying.

For the people of Riau who are adults, they wear distinctive clothing and are also very close to religious and cultural values. For males, they use clothing called ''Baju Kurung Cekak Musang''. Namely, clothes like Muslim clothing are combined with loose trousers. This shirt is used together with ''[[sarong]]'' and ''[[Songkok|kopiah]]''.

For Malay women, they can wear 3 different types of clothing, namely the ''Baju [[Kebaya]] Pendek'', ''Baju Kurung Laboh'', and ''Baju Kurung Tulang Belut''. The different clothes are used in conjunction with a shawl cloth that is used as a head covering. In addition, women's clothing can also be combined with a ''[[hijab]]'' or ''[[tudong]]''.

=== Traditional house ===
[[File:TMII Riau Pavilion Malay House 03.jpg|thumb|''Rumah Melayu Lipat Kajang'' in [[Taman Mini Indonesia Indah]], [[Jakarta]]]]
In traditional Malay societies, the house is an intimate building that can be used as a family dwelling, a place of worship, a heritage site, and a shelter for anyone in need. Therefore, traditional Malay houses are generally large. In addition to the large size, the Malay house is also always in the form of a ''rumah panggung'' or stage house, facing the sunrise. The types of Malay houses include residential houses, offices, place of worship and warehouses. The naming of the houses is tailored to the function of each building. In general, there are five types of Riau Malay traditional houses, namely the {{lang|id|Balai Salaso Jatuh, Rumah Melayu Atap Lontik, Rumah Adat Salaso Jatuh Kembar, Rumah Melayu Lipat Kajang}} and {{lang|id|Rumah Melayu Atap Limas Potong}}.

The ''Balai Salaso Jatuh is'' usually used for consensus decision-making and other activities. It is rarely used for private homes. In accordance with the functions of the ''Balai Salaso Jatuh'', this building has other local names such as ''balai panobatan'', ''balirung sari'', ''balai karapatan'', etc. Presently, the function of this building has been replaced by a house or a mosque. The building has an alignment, and has a lower floor than the middle room. In addition, ''Balai Salaso Jatuh'' is also decorated with various carvings in the form of plants or animals. Each carving in this building has its own designation.
[[File:Rumah Lontiok.jpg|left|thumb|''Lontiok House'' in Kampar]]
''Rumah Melayu Atap Lontik'' or ''[[Lontiok House]]'' can usually be found in [[Kampar Regency]]''.''<ref name="Photo">{{cite web |url=http://www.riaudailyphoto.com/2011/12/rumah-lontiok.html |title=Rumah Lontiok |access-date=15 May 2014}}</ref> It is called so because this house has a decoration on the front wall of the house in the form of a boat.<ref name="Photo" /> When viewed from a distance, this house will look like boat houses that are usually made by the local residents. Besides being referred to as ''lancing'' and ''pancalang'', this traditional house is also called ''lontik'', since this house has a roof paring that is soaring upwards. This house is heavily influenced on the architecture of the [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] ''[[Rumah Gadang]],'' since [[Kampar Regency]] is directly adjacent to the province of [[West Sumatra]]. A unique feature of this traditional house is that it has five stairsteps. The reason they chose the number five was because this is based on the [[Five Pillars of Islam]].<ref name="bisnis">{{cite web |url=http://riaubisnis.com/index.php/industry-news/pariwisata-industry/6061-mengintip-keunikan-rumah-lontiok-di-desa-wisata-pulau-belimbing |title=Keunikan Rumah Lontiok |access-date=15 May 2014 |archive-date=17 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517124811/http://riaubisnis.com/index.php/industry-news/pariwisata-industry/6061-mengintip-keunikan-rumah-lontiok-di-desa-wisata-pulau-belimbing |url-status=dead}}</ref> The shape of the pillars in this house also varies, there are rectangles, hexagons, heptagon, octagon and triangles. Each type of pole contained in this traditional house has meaning believed by the people of Riau. A rectangular pole can be interpreted as four corners of the wind, just like an octagon, and the hexagon symbolizes the number of pillars of Islam.

''Rumah Salaso Jatuh Kembar'' was declared an icon and symbol of the province of Riau. The architecture of this house is similar to the ''Balai Salaso Jatuh'', but this house tends to be used for private homes. 
[[File:Balai Adat Tambusai Rokan Hulu - panoramio.jpg|thumb|''Balai Adat Tambisai'' in [[Rokan Hulu Regency]]]]
''Rumah Melayu Lipat Kajang'' can usually found in the [[Riau Islands]] and the coastal part of Riau. It is called ''Lipat Kajang''because the roof of this house has a shape resembling the shape of a boat. The top of this building is curved upwards and is often referred to ''lipat kejang'' or ''pohon jeramban'' by the locals. This traditional house is rarely or even no longer used by Riau residents. One reason for the loss of this culture is because of the increasing influence of western architecture, and people consider their building forms to be simpler and easier to build.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://budaya-indonesia.org/Rumah-Adat-bernama-Melayu-Lipat-Kajang |title=Rumah Adat bernama Melayu Lipat Kajang " Perpustakaan Digital Budaya Indonesia |website=budaya-indonesia.org |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref>

''Rumah Melayu Atap Limas Potong'' is a Malay traditional house that can usually be found in mainland Riau, but rarely in the Riau Islands. This house has a roof that is shaped like a cut pyramid. Like other Riau traditional houses, this house is also included in the ''rumah panggung'' group. The stage of this house has a height of about 1.5 meters above the ground. The size of the house depends on the ability and desires of the owner.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://budaya-indonesia.org/Rumah-Adat-Melayu-Atap-Limas-Potong |title=Rumah Adat Melayu Atap Limas Potong " Perpustakaan Digital Budaya Indonesia |website=budaya-indonesia.org |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref>

=== Traditional dance ===
Most of Riau traditional dances are influenced by Malay cultures, but there are also some dances that are only unique to Riau.

[[Mak yong|''Mak Yong'']] is a traditional theater art of Malay society that is often performed as a drama in an international forum. In the past, ''mak yong'' was held by villagers in the rice fields which had finished harvesting rice. The ''mak yong'' is performed by a group of professional dancers and musicians who combine

various elements of religious ceremonies, plays, dance, music with vocal or instrumental, and simple texts. The male and female main characters were both performed by female dancers. Other figures that appear in the story are comedians, gods, jinn, courtiers, and animals. ''mak yong'' performance is accompanied by musical instruments such as [[rebab]], [[Kendang|gendang]], and tetawak In [[Indonesia]], the ''mak yong'' was developed in [[Lingga Regency|Lingga]], which was once the center of the [[Riau Sultanate|Johor-Riau Sultanate]]. The difference with the ''mak yong'' performed in the [[Kelantan]]-[[Pattani Province|Pattani]] region is that they usually does not use masks, as ''mak yong'' in Riau uses masks for some of the King's female characters, princesses, criminals, demons, and spirits. At the end of the last century, ''mak yong'' not only became a daily show, but also as performance for the sultan.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mpss |first=Pudentia |title=The Mak Yong Tradition in Indonesia |url=https://www.academia.edu/5912394}}</ref>

The ''tari [[zapin]]'' is a Malay traditional dance originated from the [[Siak Regency]] that is entertaining and are full of religious and educational messages. This ''tari zapin'' has rules and regulations that cannot be changed. ''Tari zapin'' is usually accompanied by traditional Riau musical instruments namely ''[[Mirwas|marwas]]'' and ''[[Qanbūs|gambus]]''. This ''tari zapin'' shows footwork quickly following the pounding of punches on a small drum called ''[[Mirwas|marwas]]'' . The rhythmic harmony of the instrument is increasingly melodious with stringed instruments. Because of the influence of the Arabs, this dance does indeed feel educative without losing the entertainment side. There is an insert of a religious message in the song lyrics. Usually the dance is told about the daily lives of Malay people. Initially, ''tari zapin'' was only danced by male dancers but along with developments, female dancers were also shown. Sometimes, there are both male and female dancers performing. There is a form of ''tari zapin'' performed in [[Rupat Island|Pulau Rupat Utara]] in [[Bengkalis]] called [[Zapin Api|''tari'' ''zapin api'']]. The identifying characteristic of ''tari'' ''zapin api'' is the incorporation of fire and strong focus on the [[Malay folklore|mystical elements]]. The dance form was historically dormant and extinct for nearly 40 years before its revival in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Asal Muasal Seni Tari Zapin Api Rupat Utara – Wisata Budaya di Kabupaten Bengkalis |url=http://www.riaumagz.com/2017/08/asal-muasal-seni-tari-zapin-api-rupat.html |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=RiauMagz|date= 4 August 2017}}</ref>
[[File:Tari Persembahan Melayu, Riau.jpg|thumb|Riau dancers performing the ''tari persembahan'' during a welcoming ceremony]]
''Tarian makan sirih'' is accompanied by distinctive Malay music accompanied by a song titled ''Makan Sirih''. As for the costumes performed by dancers, they usually wore traditional Malay attire, such as pants, clothes, and ''[[Songkok|kopiah]]'' for men. Whereas the female dancers wear the clothes that are usually worn by the bride, namely traditional clothes called the ''[[Baju Kurung]] teluk belanga''. At the head, there is a crown equipped with flower-shaped decorations. Meanwhile, the lower part of the dancers' bodies was wrapped in brightly coloured ''[[songket]]'' cloth. ''Tarian makan sirih'' is performed by both men and women. The dancers are obliged to understand special terms in Malay dance, such as ''igal'' (emphasizing hand and body movements), ''liuk'' (movement of bowing or swinging body), ''lenggang'' (walking while moving hands), ''titi batang'' (walking in a line as if climbing the stem), ''gentam'' (dancing while stomping on the feet), ''cicing'' (dancing while jogging), ''legar'' (dancing while walking around 180 degrees), and so on. During the performance, one of the dancers in the offering dance will bring a box containing [[betel]]s. The box would then be opened and the guests who are considered the greatest are given the first opportunity to take it as a form of respect, then followed by other guests. Therefore, many people call this dance as t''arian makan sirih.''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://disbud.kepriprov.go.id/tari-persembahan-makan-sirih/ |title=TARI PERSEMBAHAN MAKAN SIRIH |date=24 November 2017 |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref>

=== Traditional music ===
There are several musical instruments in Riau that is used for ceremonial events. 
[[File:Gendang Melayu Riau.jpg|thumb|[[Kendang|Gendang]] (drum) from Riau]]
The traditional Malay [[accordion]] is almost the same as the accordion founded by [[Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann]] from (Germany). accordion includes a musical instrument that is quite difficult to play even though it looks easy. accordion produces diatonic scales that are very in accordance with the song lyrics in the form of rhymes. The accordion player holds the instrument with both hands, then plays the chord buttons with the fingers of the left hand, while the fingers of the right hand play the melody of the song that is being performed. Usually players who have been trained are very easy to change hands. When played, the accordion is pulled and pushed to adjust the air movement inside the instrument, the movement of the air coming out (to the tongue of the accordion) will produce sound. The sound can be adjusted using the player's fingers.

''[[Qanbūs|Gambus]]'' is a type of traditional Riau musical instrument that is played by picking. Formerly, ''Gambus'' was used for events related to spiritual matters. At this time ''Gambus'' switched functions to be an accompaniment for the ''tari zapin.'' ''Gambus Riau'' is played by individuals as entertainment for fishermen on boats who are looking for fish.

''Kompang'' is a type of traditional Riau musical instrument that is quite well known among [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malays]], ''Kompang'' is included in the group of traditional musical instruments which are played by being beaten. In general, ''kompang'' uses materials derived from the skin of livestock. Making ''kompang'' is more similar to making ''[[dhol]]'' or other musical instrument or other leather drum that uses animal skin such as buffalo, cattle, and others. ''Kompang'' a uses female goat ski on the part that is hit, but now uses a cow which is believed to be more elastic. To produce a loud sound, there is a technique to make the paired skin become very tight and not easily separated from the nail (which can be dangerous when played).

''[[Rebana]] ubi'' is a type of [[Tambourine]] that is played by being hit by hand. ''Rebana ubi'' is included in the drum group as well as percussion instruments. ''Rebana ubi'' has a larger size than ordinary tambourines because ''Rebana ubi'' has the smallest diameter of 70&nbsp;cm and a height of 1 meter. ''Rebana ubi'' can be hung horizontally or left on the floor to be played. In ancient times, ''Rebana ubi''was believed to be a tool to spread the news such as the wedding ceremony of local residents or the danger that came (such as strong winds). ''Rebana ubi'' is placed in the highlands and beaten with a certain rhythm depending on the information the player wants to convey.

=== Traditional weapons ===
''[[Klewang]]'' is a traditional weapon from Riau. ''klewang'' is a kind of machete with the tip of an enlarged blade. In the past, ''klewang'' was used by royal soldiers when in war. However, in the present, it is more widely used by farmers in their activities in rice fields or as agricultural tools. Because of this function, ''klewang'' has remained sustainable compared to other types of traditional Riau weapons.

''Beladau'' is a skewer type weapon found in the culture of Riau society. This weapon is a sharp dagger on one side. what makes this ''beladau'' different from the dagger in general is that ''beladau'' tends to have curvature at the base of the handle, so the handle is easier to hold and push when used. In accordance with its length of only 24&nbsp;cm, this traditional Riau weapon is often used as a means of self-protection from melee attacks.

''Pedang jenawi'' is a weapon that was often used by Malay royal warlords when facing their enemies. Its size is quite long, which is about 1 meter making it used in close-range warfare. At a glance, ''pedang jenawi'' looks like a typical Japanese [[katana]]. Therefore, many historians and cultural experts argue that this weapon originated from ancient Japanese culture which experienced acculturation with Malay culture. Apart from these opinions, what is clear at this time is that ''pedang jenawi'' has been regarded as the identity of the Riau Malay community.

''[[Kris]]'' is a heritage weapon that has been used for centuries. Not only in Riau, keris is generally used by nobles in Southeast Asia. ''Kris'' is a symbol of honor and self-defense. This weapon is used to stab at close range. The position of the ''kris'' in history as a symbol of honor is undeniable, that in the kingdom it was clearly seen as a form of self-protection, as well as pride. Even in modern history, the function continues to develop as an object of history, and can also be a determinant of history based on the period of manufacture and the type of material used. Up to now in Riau Malay customs and culture, always cooperating with kris in every dress as a complementary weapon from generation to generation. However, what is different in the form of ''kris'' from adat in [[Java]] is, if the use of ''kris'' in Java is tucked in the back of the waist, in Riau and the Malay people, in general, the use of ''kris'' is in front.

== Economics ==
{{Pie chart
| caption=Riau GDP share by sector (2022)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://riau.bps.go.id/publication/2023/02/28/5fbd2cbd170f9bf8690c5447/provinsi-riau-dalam-angka-2023.html|title=Provinsi Riau Dalam Angka 2023|publisher=Statistics Indonesia|access-date=22 September 2023}}</ref>
| label1 = Agriculture
| value1 = 24.69
| color1 = Green
| label2 = Manufacturing
| value2 = 27.36
| color2 = DodgerBlue
| label3 = Other Industrial
| value3 = 8.66
| color3 = Yellow
| label4 = Mining and Quarrying
| value4 = 23.43
| color4 = Red
| label5 = Service
| value5 = 15.86
| color5 = #800080
}}
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gekapt bos in de Gomorroh-vallei voor de aanleg van de hydraulische buisleiding Singkep Tin Maatschappij Riouw TMnr 10007333.jpg|thumb|Timber industry in Riau has begun to grow since the colonial era]]
The economy of Riau expands faster (8.66% in 2006) than the Indonesian average (6.04% in 2006), and is largely a resource-based economy, including crude oil (600,000 bpd), [[palm oil]], [[Hevea brasiliensis|rubber trees]] and other [[forest product]]s. Local government income benefits from a greater share of tax revenue (mainly from crude oil) due to the decentralisation law of 2004.<ref>[http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2008/03/22/Editor/edit02.htm Riau, Provinsi yang Maju Pesat<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20080327113528/http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2008/03/22/Editor/edit02.htm |date=27 March 2008}}</ref> The province has natural resources, both riches contained in the bowels of the earth, in the form of oil and gas, as well as gold, as well as forest products and plantations. Along with the implementation of regional autonomy, gradually began to apply the system for results or financial balance between central and local. The new rules provide expressly limits the obligations of investors, resource utilization, and revenue-sharing with the surrounding environment.

Riau's economy in the first quarter of 2017 grew by 2.82 per cent, improving compared to the same period in the previous year which grew 2.74 per cent (year-over-year). This growth was supported by growth in almost all businesses, except mining and [[Excavation (archaeology)|excavation]] which contracted 6.72 per cent. The highest growth occurred in the Corporate Services Business Field at 9.56 per cent, followed by the processing Industry of 7.30 per cent, and government administration, defense and obligatory social security of 6.97 per cent. Riau's economy in the first quarter of 2017 contracted by 4.88 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2016. This contraction was influenced by seasonal factors in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Business Field (−5.04 per cent). In addition, contractions occur due to a decrease in several business fields, including: Mining and Excavation (−3.50 per cent); Processing Industry (−5.41 per cent); Large Trade and Retail, Car and Motorcycle Repair (−2.46 per cent); and Construction (−8.94 per cent).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.riau.go.id/home/content/62/ekonomi-dan-keuangan |title=Ekonomi Dan Keuangan |publisher=Pemerintah Provinsi Riau |website=riau.go.id |access-date=21 May 2019}}</ref>

=== Energy and natural resources ===
[[File:Pelabuhan Dumai (preview).jpg|thumb|right|Port of Dumai, the city is an important transport and trade centre, both regionally and internationally, especially to [[Malaysia]].
Dumai is rich in oil ([[petroleum]] and [[palm oil]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dds.bps.go.id/eng/aboutus.php?sp=0&kota=14 |title=Statistics Indonesia |publisher=Dds.bps.go.id |access-date=2012-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415055425/http://dds.bps.go.id/eng/aboutus.php?sp=0&kota=14 |archive-date=2012-04-15}}</ref>]]
The energy and mineral resources sector is one sector that plays a major role in the development of the province. The leading commodities in the energy and mineral resources sector in Riau include electricity and mining.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.riau.go.id/home/content/66/sumber-daya-alam |title=Sumber Daya Alam |publisher=Pemerintah Provinsi Riau |website=riau.go.id |access-date=21 May 2019}}</ref>

Electricity is an important commodity for human life at this time. Without electricity, almost certainly many construction sectors will be paralyzed. Most of the electricity in Riau Province is still supplied by the [[Perusahaan Listrik Negara]] (PLN).

From 2013 to 2015, the electricity capacity produced was 114 Kva/Kwh in hydropower, 94.6 Kva/Kwh in diesel power and 131.2 Kva/Kwh in the gas power. The amount of this electricity capacity does not increase or shrink as well as the number of power generating units. Throughout Riau Province there are 1 unit of hydroelectric power plants, 65 units of diesel power plants and 6 units of gas power plants.<ref name=":0" />

=== Farming ===
The agricultural sector is also one of the factors that play a role in the economic development of Riau. The main commodities of agriculture are rice, [[Maize|corn]] and [[soybean]]s. In addition, other agricultural products which are commodities of Riau Province are peanuts, [[green bean]]s, [[cassava]] and [[sweet potato]]es. In 2015, rice production in Riau reached 393,917 tons of milled dry grain. The production was calculated to increase by 2.2 per cent compared to production in 2014. The increase in production was influenced by the increase in the harvested area of 107,546 hectares which increased by around 1,509 hectares (1.42%) compared to the previous year. In addition, rice productivity also increased by around 0.26 quintal / hectare or around 0.71%.<ref name=":0" />

While the increase occurred in [[Maize|corn]] production, which amounted to 30,870 tons of dry shelled rice, this production increased by around 7.75 per cent or 2,219 tons of dry shelled rice. This increase can be affected because of an increase in the area of maize production by 368 hectares (3.1%) compared to the production area in 2014 of 12,057 hectares. The increase also occurred in corn productivity in 2015 amounting to 1.09 quintal / hectare from 2014 or around 4.59%.<ref name=":0" />

[[Soybean]] production also decreased in 2015 by 187 tons of [[Bean|dry beans]] (8.02%) from [[soybean]] production in 2014. The decrease in production was influenced by the harvested area of 1,516 hectares which decreased by around 514 hectares (25.32%). However, soybean productivity increased by 2.66 quintal / hectare or 23.15% compared to the previous year.

In 2015, peanut production was lower than in previous years. This production fell by 8.39 per cent compared to 2014 and 16.65 per cent compared to 2013. The decline in production was influenced by the declining area of peanut farming compared to 2013 and 2014, each of 18.41 per cent and 9.23 per cent .<ref name=":0" />

In 2015, [[Mung bean|green beans]] production was lower than in previous years. This production fell by 7.28 per cent compared to 2014 and 3.39 per cent compared to 2013. The decline in production was influenced by the decline in the area of green beans compared to 2013 and 2014, respectively 1.53 per cent and 3.67 per cent.<ref name=":0" />

In addition, [[cassava]] production also experienced a decline in 2015 of 11.89 per cent compared to 2014. Actually, cassava production had increased in 2014 by 14.08 per cent. This decrease in production was also influenced by the decline in cassava farming area by 11.61 compared to 2014.

In the last three years, [[sweet potato]] production in 2015 was the lowest. This yield fell by 5.36 per cent in 2014 and again fell by 18.05 per cent. As before, the decline in production was also influenced by the declining area of sweet potato farming by 4.96 per cent in 2014 and 18.83 per cent in 2015.<ref name=":0" />

=== Fishing ===
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Vissershaven in Bagan Siapi-api Oost-Sumatra TMnr 10008073.jpg|thumb|right|[[Bagansiapiapi]] fishing port, the town was one of world's busiest fishing port in 1900s]]
One of Riau's leading commodities is the fisheries sector. The geographical condition of Riau where 17.40% of the total area is an oceanic area and there are 15 rivers making the fisheries sector well developed. In addition, the vast extent of untapped land is a great potential for inland aquaculture to develop. In addition, the market demand for fishery products has increasingly made the catchment sector not enough so that fish farming activities such as cages, ponds, public fisheries and ponds are well developed.<ref name=":0" />

Riau fisheries production mostly comes from marine fisheries. In 2015, the data showed that marine fisheries were 106,233.1 tons or decreased 1 per cent from the previous year. In addition, the number of fishery households decreased to 14,610 households, an increase of 0.98 per cent. In addition, there was also a decline in the number of fishing vessels as many as 123 units.

The land fishery product processing industry can be divided into four types, namely floating nets, ponds, public fisheries and ponds. In 2015, fish production from floating nets was 5,378.56 tons or decreased by 82.52 per cent. This decrease was caused by a decrease in the number of floating nets as many as 157,638 units. Fish production in public fisheries also decreased by 3.9 per cent due to a decrease in the number of households. Fish pond production increased by 5,425.2 tons or 10.8 per cent. Temporary data on fish pond production showed a drastic decrease of 82.23 per cent even though the number of fish ponds increased by 89.15 hectares compared to 2014.<ref name=":0" />

=== Stockbreeding ===
Along with increasing public consumption needs for livestock products, both in terms of consumption of livestock meat and other livestock products, such as milk and eggs, the Riau provincial government through the Agriculture and Livestock Service Office continues to try to meet these needs. In addition to the commitment of Riau province to increase food self-sufficiency in 2020, the number of animal populations continues to be increased to meet consumption needs. This is reflected in the increase in some aspects of livestock in Riau in the last 3 years.<ref name=":0" />

=== Agriculture and plantation ===
[[File:Riau palm oil 2007.jpg|thumb|Palm oil construction in Riau, 2007]]
Plantation industry mainly centre around  [[oil palm]] and  rubber tree cultivation. They are either run by the state, big corporations  or by small holders. There are also citrus and coconut plantations to be found. For oil palm plantations, land  areas currently being cultivated in  Riau province are around   1:34 million hectares. In addition there have been about 116 palm oil mills (PKS) which operate and produce a total of 3.38 millions tons of crude palm oil (CPO) per year.

=== Industry ===
In this province there are several international companies engaged in the oil and gas as well as the processing of forest products and oil. In addition there is also a copra and rubber processing industry. Several major companies including Chevron Pacific Indonesia a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, PT. Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper Tbk in Perawang, and PT. Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper in Pangkalan Kerinci Riau provincial mining. Minerals are petroleum, gas, and coal.

=== Finance and banking ===
In the field of banking in the province is growing rapidly, this marked the number of private banks and rural banks, in addition to local government-owned banks such as Bank of Riau Kepri.

== Transportation ==
[[Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport]] in [[Pekanbaru]] is the largest airport in the province. It serves as the gateway to Pekanbaru and Riau in a whole. The airport serves flights to other major cities in Indonesia such as [[Jakarta]], [[Surabaya]], [[Bandung]] and [[Medan]]. Moreover, the airport also serves international flights to cities neighbouring countries such as Singapore, [[Malacca City|Malacca]] and [[Kuala Lumpur]] in Malaysia. Furthermore, the airport also was used for [[hajj]] embarkation to [[Jeddah]] and [[Medina]] in Saudi Arabia. On 16 July 2012, a Rp 2&nbsp;trillion ($212&nbsp;million) new terminal has been opened to accommodate 1.5&nbsp;million passengers a year.<ref>http://infopublik.kominfo.co.id//index.php?page=news&newsid=19508 {{Dead link|date=March 2022}}</ref> The new terminal spanning 17,000 square meters and a more spacious aircraft apron which can accommodate 10 wide-body aircraft, twice the capacity of the old apron. The new terminal is designed with a mix of Malay and modern architecture. The physical form of the building is inspired from the typical flying fauna form of Riau, Serindit birds. To meet the technical requirements of a world-class airport, the airport runway is extended from 2,200 meters to 2,600 meters and then to 3,000 meters.<ref name="thejakartapost2">{{cite web |last1=Harahap |first1=Rizal |last2=Suwarni |first2=Yuli Tri |date=9 June 2011 |title=Pekanbaru airport expansion almost complete |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/09/pekanbaru-airport-expansion-almost-complete.html |access-date=5 September 2015 |work=The Jakarta Post}}</ref> There are other smaller airports in Riau which mostly serves regional or charter flights, such as [[Pinang Kampai Airport]] in [[Dumai]], [[Tuanku Tambusai Airport]] in Pasir Pangaraian, [[Japura Airport]] in [[Rengat]], [[Sei Pakning Airport]] in [[Tembilahan]], [[Sei Pakning Airport]] in [[Sungai Pakning]] and [[Sultan Syarief Haroen II Airport]] in [[Pangkalan Kerinci]].
<gallery class="center" mode="packed" caption="Transportation in Riau">
File:Check in counter Sultan Syarif Kasim II Interantional Airport Pekanbaru.jpg|[[Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport]]
File:Pelabuhan Tj Buton Riau - panoramio.jpg|Tanjung Buton Ferry Harbor in Siak Regency
File:Jembatan Siak.jpg|Siak Bridge
File:Bangkinang, Kampar, Riau 10.jpg|Road conditions in [[Bangkinang]]
</gallery>

The [[Trans-Sumatran Highway]] runs along the length of the province. Riau serves as a junction of the highway, with [[North Sumatra]] to the north, [[Jambi]] to the south and [[West Sumatra]] to the west. Most of the roads have been paved, but there are some sections that is in poor condition. Road damage was allegedly due to the large number of trucks carrying palm oil crops passing from Riau to [[North Sumatra]] or vice versa.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://properti.kompas.com/read/2017/06/10/105603721/begini.kondisi.jalur.mudik.riau-sumatera.utara |title=Begini Kondisi Jalur Mudik Riau-Sumatera Utara |last=Pitoko |first=Ridwan Aji |editor-last=Alexander |editor-first=Hilda B. |location=[[Medan]] |publisher=Kompas Cyber Media |website=KOMPAS.com |date=10 June 2017 |language=id |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> As part of the [[Trans-Sumatra Toll Road]] program, the government is currently constructing the 131,48&nbsp;km long [[Pekanbaru–Dumai Toll Road]], which would connect [[Pekanbaru]], the provincial capital and the port city of [[Dumai]] on the [[Strait of Malacca]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |url=https://finance.detik.com/infrastruktur/d-4452953/progres-tol-pekanbaru-dumai-baru-3712 |title=Progres Tol Pekanbaru-Dumai Baru 37,12% |last=Hamdani |first=Trio |website=detikfinance |location=[[Jakarta]] |publisher=[[Detik.com|detikcom]] |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> The first section between Pekanbaru and Minas is expected to begin operation in December 2019 and the whole toll road is expected to begin operation in 2020.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Misgio |first=Syaiful |date=17 May 2019 |editor-last=Efivanias |editor-first=Hendra |title=Seksi 1 Tol Pekanbaru-Dumai Dioperasikan Desember 2019 |url=http://pekanbaru.tribunnews.com/2019/05/17/seksi-1-tol-pekanbaru-dumai-dioperasikan-desember-2019 |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=Tribun Pekanbaru |language=id-ID}}</ref> Another toll road connecting Pekanbaru and [[Padang]] in [[West Sumatra]] is also under the planning stage. Construction is expected to start on the Riau side due to land clearing issue on the West Sumatran side.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gunawan |first=Arif |date=8 November 2018 |title=Pembangunan Tol Pekanbaru-Padang Dialihkan ke Riau, Ini Pertimbangannya {{!}} Ekonomi |url=https://ekonomi.bisnis.com/read/20181108/45/857701/pembangunan-tol-pekanbaru-padang-dialihkan-ke-riau-ini-pertimbangannya |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=Bisnis.com}}</ref> The project would also include the construction of the construction of an 8.95&nbsp;km tunnel in the [[Payakumbuh]] area that will penetrate the [[Barisan Mountains|Bukit Barisan Mountains]], which would be the longest tunnel in Indonesia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://finance.detik.com/infrastruktur/d-3859512/akan-ada-terowongan-tembus-bukit-barisan-di-tol-padang-pekanbaru |title=Akan Ada Terowongan Tembus Bukit Barisan di Tol Padang-Pekanbaru |last=Sugianto |first=Danang |website=detikfinance |location=[[Padang]] |publisher=[[Detik.com|detikcom]] |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref>

The Port of Dumai is the largest port in the province. It serves both passengers and cargo. The port serves ferries to [[Batam]] and [[Tanjung Pinang]] in the [[Riau Islands]], as well as international destinations such as Singapore, Johor and [[Malacca]] in Malaysia. River transportation is also important in Riau, as the province is crossed by many large rivers.

After the [[Pekanbaru Railway]] was abandoned at the end of [[World War II]], there is currently no active railway line in Riau. However, there has been a proposal of reactivating the Pekanbaru-West Sumatra railway to connect Pekanbaru and [[Padang]] on the western coast of [[Sumatra]], as well as building the Pekanbaru-Duri-[[Rantau Prapat]] railway which would connect Riau and the existing railway line in [[North Sumatra]], as well as building the Pekanbaru-[[Jambi]]-[[Betung]]-[[Palembang]] railway which would connect Riau with Jambi and th existing railway line in [[South Sumatra]]. Overall, this railway system would form the Trans-Sumatra Railway.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ekonomi.kompas.com/read/2018/10/04/221100126/terkendala-lahan-proyek-jalur-kereta-trans-sumatera-molor |title=Terkendala Lahan, Proyek Jalur Kereta Trans Sumatera Molor |last=Movanita |first=Ambaranie Nadia Kemala |editor-last=Djumena |editor-first=Erlangga |location=[[Jakarta]] |publisher=Kompas Cyber Media |website=KOMPAS.com |date=4 October 2018 |language=id |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref>

== Tourism ==
[[File:Kelompok gajah Balairaja.jpg|thumb|[[Sumatran elephant]]s in the Balai Raja Wildlife Reserve]]
The prime tourist attractions of Riau can be divided into natural environment, as well as the culture and history of the Riau [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay people]].

Tourist attractions in Riau are diverse, ranging from marine tourism, because of the location of Riau which is directly facing the [[Strait of Malacca]]. The province has a long history and is present throughout the province, thus making its historical and cultural tourism diverse and well-known. Each of the regencies in Riau has a tourist attraction within.

[[File:Danau Sipogas Rokan Hulu - panoramio.jpg|left|thumb|Lake Sipogas in [[Rokan Hulu Regency]]]]

The [[Indragiri Hilir Regency]] has a long history before the Dutch colonial period, with a series of power shifts starting from the Keritang Kingdom ({{circa|6th century AD}}), Kemuning Kingdom, Batin Enam Suku Kingdom to the Indragiri Kingdom. The Indragiri Hilir Regency also has a number of tourist attractions, and among them is Solop Beach which is a mainstay tourist attraction in Riau. As Indragiri Hilir was once the seat of the Indragiri Sultanate, there are many remnants from the sultanate than can be still found throughout the region, such as the Indragiri Kings Cemetery in [[Rengat]] and traditional houses with typical Malay architecture.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} Moreover, Indragiri Hilir is also known for its many waterfalls.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} Similar to Indragiri Hilir, the [[Indragiri Hulu Regency]] is filled of many tourism spots, such as waterfalls and remnants of ancient Malay kingdoms. Furthermore, Indragiri Hulu also serves as the gateway to the [[Bukit Tigapuluh National Park]].

The location of [[Kampar Regency]] which is directly adjacent with the province of [[West Sumatra]] allows its culture to be greatly influenced by the culture of the [[Minangkabau people]]. Kampar Regency also has some famous and historical attractions, such as the [[Muara Takus]] Buddhist Temple.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/riau/muara-takus.html |title=Muara Takus Temple |website=indonesia-tourism.com |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> There are also many spectacular waterfalls spread throughout Kampar. Moreover, there are also tombs of Malay and Minangkabau kings in Kampar. The city of [[Bangkinang]] has many tourist attractions that have nuances of nature, history, religion and culinary that cannot be found in any parts of Indonesia.
[[File:Festival Perahu Baganduang.jpg|thumb|People participate in parade of ornamental vessels called ''Perahu Baganduang'' in Lubuk Jambi, Kuantan Singingi, 2018]]

The [[Kepulauan Meranti Regency]] has a variety of marine tourism destinations. Therefore, making it one of the biggest contributors to tourist attractions in Riau that attract both domestic and international tourists each year. The capital [[Selat Panjang]] has a [[Chinese Indonesians|Chinese]]-majority population, making it one of the few cities to have this characteristic. This explains why the culture of Selat Panjang as well as the whole of Kepulauan Meranti is highly influenced by both Chinese and Malay culture. Moreover, there are several Chinese temples that can be found in Selat Panjang and the surrounding area, including the [[Hoo Ann Kiong Temple]], which is the oldest Chinese [[Taoist temple]] in [[Selat Panjang]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/willy-1818/article?mid=162&prev=188&next=-1 |script-title=zh:大伯公廟 |access-date=22 May 2019 |archive-date=5 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105122548/http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/willy-1818/article?mid=162&prev=188&next=-1 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2023}}

[[File:Kesenian Pacu Jalur dari Kuantan Singingi Riau.jpg|left|thumb|Performers in the [[Pacu Jalur]] Festival, [[Kuantan Singingi Regency]]]]

[[Kuantan Singingi Regency]], commonly known as Kuansing, is a ''rantau'' (migration) area for the [[Minangkabau people]] from [[West Sumatra]]. Therefore, the culture and customs of Kuansing is highly influenced by Minangkabau culture. On the other hand, Kuansing also contains many tourist destinations. Kuansing is known for its cultural festival that usually happens during the [[Eid al-Fitr]] and other holidays such as the Baganduang Boat Festival ({{langx|id|Festival Perahu Baganduang}}). The Baganduang Boat Festival was first held as a festival in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.riau.go.id/home/skpd/2017/06/27/2967-festival-perahu-baganduang |title=Festival Perahu Baganduang |access-date=22 May 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806185053/https://www.riau.go.id/home/skpd/2017/06/27/2967-festival-perahu-baganduang |url-status=dead }}</ref> These boats are then decorated with flags, coconut leaves, umbrellas, long cloths, pumpkins, photos of the president and vice president, and other objects that have traditional symbols. For example, rice symbolizes agricultural fertility and buffalo horns that symbolize livestock. In the festival, guests were presented with a variety of entertainment, including ''Rarak Calempong'', ''Panjek Pinang'', and ''Potang Tolugh''. The process of making a baganduang boat is usually blessed with a Malay ceremony. Another festival in Kuansing is the [[Pacu Jalur]] Festival. Pacu Jalur is the largest annual festival for the people of the [[Kuantan Singingi Regency]], especially in the capital, Taluk Kuantan, which is along the bank of the [[Indragiri River|Kuantan River]]. Originally, the festival was held to commemorate the Islamic holidays such as the [[Mawlid]], or the commemoration of the New Year's Eve. But after the [[Proclamation of Indonesian Independence|Indonesian independence]], Pacu Jalur is now usually held to celebrate the Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 August 2014 |title=Sejarah Pacu Jalur Kuansing Hingga Jadi Ivent Nasional |url=http://metroterkini.com/berita-8925-sejarah-pacu-jalur-kuansing-hingga-jadi-ivent-nasional.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603030841/http://metroterkini.com/berita-8925-sejarah-pacu-jalur-kuansing-hingga-jadi-ivent-nasional.html |archive-date=2019-06-03 |access-date=2023-03-19 |website=Metroterkini}}</ref> Pacu Jalur is a long rowing boat race, similar to the [[Dragon Boat Festival|Dragon Boat]] race in neighboring [[Malaysia]] and Singapore, which is a boat or canoe made of wood that can reach 25 to 40 meters in length. In the Taluk Kuantan area, the native people called the longboat used in the festival as ''Jalur''. The boat rower team ranges from 50 to 60 people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Widjanarko |first=Tulus |date=23 August 2017 |title=Festival Pacu Jalur di Kuansing Diikuti 120 Perahu |url=https://travel.tempo.co/read/902426/festival-pacu-jalur-di-kuansing-diikuti-120-perahu |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=Tempo}}</ref>

[[File:Pulang Merawai, Kepulauan Meranti, Meranti Bunting MG 7192.jpg|thumb|View of the sunset from a beach in the [[Kepulauan Meranti Regency]]]]

[[Pelalawan Regency]] has a long history, even as the name Pelalawan was taken from the name of the former Pelalawan Kingdom. And the Pelalawan Kingdom was once victorious in 1725 and was very famous with its Sultan Syed Abdurrahman Fachrudin. Apart from its history, Pelalawan also stores quite a lot of tourist attractions besides its history. Remnants of the old Pelalawan Kingdom can still be seen throughout the regency, such as Sayap Pelalawan palace where the former Sultan of Pelalawan reside. Inside the Pelalawan Wing Palace there are many relics, such as keris weapons, spears, and various other relics placed in the palace central room.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yulianti |first=Putri Rizki |date=10 June 2011 |title=Istana Pelalawan: Istana Sayap yang Menawan |url=https://travel.detik.com/dtravelers_stories/u-1512195/istana-pelalawan-istana-sayap-yang-menawan |website=detikTravel.com}}</ref> Another remnants is tomb of the [[sultan]]s of Pelalawan. Most of the tourist who frequented the tomb are usually pilgrims and certain days the tomb is quite crowded with pilgrims.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=13 November 2017 |title=Kompleks Makam Kerajaan Pelalawan III |url=https://kebudayaan.kemdikbud.go.id/bpcbsumbar/kompleks-makam-kerajaan-pelalawan-iii/ |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=Balai Pelestarian Cagar Budaya Sumatera Barat |publisher=Kemdikbud}}</ref> Moreover, Pelalawan serves as the gateway to the [[Tesso Nilo National Park]].

[[File:Festival bakar tongkang 2019 yang mendunia.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''Bakar Tongkang'' or Junk Burning Festival in [[Bagansiapiapi]], Rokan Hilir, 2019]]

[[Rokan Hilir Regency]] as one of the regencies in Riau which is directly facing the [[Strait of Malacca]], was once the largest fish producer in Indonesia. Since the Dutch colonial era, Rokan Hilir with its capital [[Bagansiapiapi]] has already become more advanced than other region especially in terms of trade. The tourism industry in Rokan Hilir is also quite well known both on a national and international scale. Rokan Hilir is known for its tourist spots and festival such as the Junk burning festival. Known in the local [[Southern Peninsular Malaysian Hokkien|Riau Hokkien]] as {{Transliteration|nan|Go Gek Cap Lak}},{{efn|{{lang-zh|c=五月十六日|p=wǔ yuè shíliù rì|poj=gō͘-go̍eh-cha̍p-la̍k-ji̍t}}.}} the [[Junk (ship)|Junk]] burning festival is an annual ritual of the community in Bagansiapiapi which has been well known overseas and is included in the Indonesian tourism tourist. Every year this ritual can attract tourists from [[Malaysia]], Singapore, [[Thailand]], [[Taiwan]] to [[Mainland China]]. Now this annual event is heavily promoted by the government of Rokan Hilir Regency as a source of tourism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joewono |first=Benny |date=2010-06-28 |title=Warga Sambut Ritual Bakar Tongkang |url=https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2010/06/28/08505476/~Regional~Sumatera |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711042847/http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2010/06/28/08505476/ |archive-date=11 July 2012 |access-date=2023-03-19 |website=KOMPAS.com |language=id}}</ref> The initial history of the festival was started by Chinese people who lived in Bagansiapiapi to commemorate their ancestors and also as a gesture of gratitude to the God Kie Ong Ya.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=7 July 2018 |title=Ritual Persembahan Dewa Kie Ong Ya |url=http://majalah.tempo.co/read/155752/ritual-persembahan-dewa-kie-ong-ya |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=Tempo}}</ref> Other than that, Bagansiapiapi and the surrounding area has many Chinese temples that can be visited.

The [[Rokan Hulu Regency]] has the nickname ''Negeri Seribu Suluk''. The district is bordered by two provinces, namely [[North Sumatra]] and [[West Sumatra]]. It is certain that the acculturation of culture in Rokan Hulu Regency has become more diverse, starting from customs and traditions. Rokan Hulu contains many lakes, waterfalls and caves that is spread throughout the region. One of the historical assets that is still standing firmly in Rokan Hulu, is the [[Palace of Rokan Hulu]]. This palace, which is already 200 years old, is a relic of the Nagari Tuo Sultanate. Although there are some parts of the repair but the architecture is still intact and also the carvings on the wood are still clearly visible.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=16 November 2018 |title=Istana Rokan Riau |url=https://kebudayaan.kemdikbud.go.id/ditkma/istana-rokan-riau/ |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=Direktorat Kepercayaan Terhadap Tuhan Yang Maha Esa Dan Tradisi |publisher=Kemdikbud}}</ref>

[[Siak Regency]] is the number two richest district in Riau after [[Bengkalis Regency]]. The main export of Siak Regency is petroleum which finally can deliver it to become the second richest regency in the province. On the other hand, the regency is currently boosting the tourism sector to attract more visitors. As Siak was once the house of the [[Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura]], the regency contains remnants of the sultanate that is still well-preserved, such as the [[Siak Sri Indrapura Palace]]. The palace complex has an area of about 32,000 square meters consisting of 4 palaces namely Istana Siak, Istana Lima, Istana Padjang, and Istana Baru. Each of the palace including ''Siak Palace'' itself has an area of 1,000 square meters.<ref>{{cite news |last=Widodo |first=Wahyu Setyo |date=24 Jan 2017 |title=Megahnya Istana Siak yang Bikin Geleng-Geleng Kepala |newspaper=Detik |url=https://travel.detik.com/domestic-destination/d-3404212/megahnya-istana-siak-yang-bikin-geleng-geleng-kepala |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> The palace contains royal ceremonial objects, such as a gold-plated crown set with diamonds, a golden throne and personal objects of Sultan Syarif Qasyim and his wife, such as the ''Komet'', a multi-centennial musical instrument which is said to have been made only two copies in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.detik.com/berita/d-2852165/kisah-instrumen-musik-komet-di-istana-siak-yang-hanya-ada-2-di-dunia |title=Kisah Instrumen Musik 'Komet' di Istana Siak, yang Hanya Ada 2 di Dunia |website=detiknews |location=[[Siak Regency|Siak]] |publisher=[[Detik.com|detikcom]] |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> Presently, the ''komet'' is still functioning and is used to play works by composers such as [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]], [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]] and [[Richard Strauss|Strauss]]. Siak is also home to the tomb of [[Sultan Syarif Kasim II]], the last Sultan of Siak.

[[File:Soeman HS Library, Pekanbaru, Indonesia.jpg|thumb|[[Soeman Hs Library|Soeman H.S Library]], the largest provincial library in [[Sumatra Island|Sumatra]]]]
[[Dumai]] is a city located in Riau whose location is very strategic especially for international trade because of its location in the [[Strait of Malacca]]. In addition, Dumai was the largest city in Indonesia  during that old era. Dumai is home to many beaches and mangrove forests.

The capital of Riau, [[Pekanbaru]], contains several tourist attractions. The Idrus Tintin Art Building is named after an Indonesian artist named Idrus Tintin. Judging from the architecture of the Idrus Tintin Art Building almost looks like a Malay Royal Palace, even though this building functioned as an art performance venue. Various works by Indonesian artists are displayed in the building.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/riau/idrus_tintin.html |title=Idrus Tintin Art Building |website=indonesia-tourism.com |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> The [[An-Nur Great Mosque Pekanbaru|An-Nur Great Mosque]] is the pride of Pekanbaru. An-Nur Great Mosque is one of the grandest mosques in Indonesia. An-Nur Great Mosque was built in 1968 from the side of its architecture which is similar to the [[Taj Mahal]] in India. Therefore, many people Riau called the mosque as the "Taj Mahal of Riau".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://travel.detik.com/dtravelers_stories/u-2264778/masjid-agung-an-nur-taj-mahal-dari-riau |title=Masjid Agung An-Nur, 'Taj Mahal' dari Riau |last=Kasri |website=detikTravel |others=detikTravel Community |publisher=[[Detik.com|detikcom]] |language=id |access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> [[Soeman Hs Library|Soeman H.S Library]] is named after [[Soeman Hs|Soeman H.S]], a novelist from Riau and his name is immortalized as the name of the library in downtown Pekanbaru. The [[architectural style]] of the building is similar to open books or like a [[Rehal (book rest)|''rehal'']] (folding lecterns for the [[Quran|Qur'an]]). This tourist spot in Riau has quite a collection of books, and has even been the largest library in Asia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wardoyo |first=Kun |date=30 January 2019 |title=Makna Arsitektur Gedung Perpustakaan Soeman HS |url=http://dipersip.riau.go.id/post/makna-arsitektur-gedung-perpustakaan-soeman-hs |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=dipersip.riau.go.id}}</ref>

== Cuisine ==
{{Main|Malay cuisine}}

The cuisine of Riau is heavily influenced by [[Malay cuisine|Malay]] and [[Padang cuisine|Minangkabau]] cuisines, and also slightly influenced by [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]] and [[Javanese cuisine]]s. The cuisine in Riau is somewhat similar to the cuisine in the [[Malay Peninsula]] across the [[Strait of Malacca]].

Traditional Malay cuisine in Riau has much in common with other Malay cuisines in other part of the [[Malay world]] and Sumatran cuisine which generally uses spices and [[coconut milk]] to produce spicy, fatty and thick [[curry]].. Most dishes use basic ingredients of fish, from [[pangasius]], [[mystus]], [[anchovy]], [[Spanish mackerel]]s, [[Manta ray|rays]], and [[prawn]]s, and often uses [[Water buffalo|buffalo]] or ox meat. Additional ingredients commonly used are [[Shrimp paste|Belacan]]. Almost every Malay dish is served with white rice or with ''[[nasi lemak]]'' and is usually eaten using hands.

''Nasi Lemak'' is a typical Riau food in the form of rice cooked with coconut milk to provide a savory flavor and fragrant aroma. ''Nasi Lemak'' is generally served with side dishes such as eggs, fried anchovy, chili sauce, cucumber slices and other side dishes. This ''nasi lemak'' is easily found in stalls and restaurants in [[Pekanbaru]]. In archipelagic region like the [[Riau Islands]] province of [[Indonesia]], usually seafood are used to accompany nasi lemak, such as ''ikan bilis'' ([[anchovy]]), ''ikan tamban'' (''[[Sardinella longiceps]]''), ''ikan selar kuning'' (''[[Selaroides leptolepis]]''), ''sotong'' or ''cumi-cumi'' (squid) or small [[prawn]]s. The Riau islands traditional nasi lemak is quite similar to Malaysian version; it comes as a platter of coconut rice wrapped in banana leaf, with cucumber slices, small dried anchovies (''ikan bilis''), roasted peanuts, hard boiled egg, and hot spicy sauce (''sambal'').<ref name="Kepri">{{cite web |work=Wonderful Kepulauan Riau |title=Local Favorite Food |url=http://kepri.travel/local-favorite-food/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208105541/http://kepri.travel/local-favorite-food/ |archive-date=8 December 2015}}</ref> The Riau islands version however, comes with an addition of small fish locally known as ''ikan tamban'', usually fried with ''[[sambal]]'' chili paste and very crispy, the whole fish is edible.<ref>{{cite news |author=Aminuddin |date=28 May 2015 |title=Kedai Kopi Jalan Bintan Hadir dengan Konsep Berbeda |language=id |newspaper=Tribunnews |editor-last=Batubara |editor-first=Rio |url=http://batam.tribunnews.com/2015/05/28/kedai-kopi-jalan-bintan-hadir-dengan-konsep-berbeda |access-date=8 June 2015}}</ref> [[Prawn]]s and [[squid]]s are also commonly stir-fried in chili paste as ''sambal udang'' or ''sambal cumi''. In Indonesia, nasi lemak is often sprinkled with ''bawang goreng'' (crispy fried [[shallot]] granules). In [[Pekanbaru]] city in Sumatran province of Riau however, freshwater river fishes are commonly used as ''lauk'' to accompany nasi lemak. The freshwater fishes includes ''ikan selais'' (''[[Kryptopterus cryptopterus]]'') and ''ikan patin'' (''[[Pangasius]]''). Other fish such as ''ikan lomek'' (''[[Harpadon nehereus]]'') is also commonly used. These fishes are usually cooked in [[Padang food|Minang]] style ''lado ijo'' (green chili pepper), minced and fried as ''perkedel ikan'', or just plainly fried.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://melayuonline.com/ind/culture/dig/1147/nasi-lemak-pekanbaru |title=Nasi Lemak Pekanbaru |publisher=Melayu Online |access-date=22 May 2019 |archive-date=28 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328233239/http://melayuonline.com/ind/culture/dig/1147/nasi-lemak-pekanbaru |url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{Gallery |align=center |mode=packed |title=Cuisine of Riau
|File:Nasi Lemak Sambal Cumi in Indonesia 2.jpg|''[[Nasi lemak]]'' Riau
|File:Rotijala.jpg|Rolled up ''roti jala''
|File:Roti Cane Kari Kambing.jpg|''[[Roti cane]]'' with goat curry served in a Riau restaurant
|File:Gulai ayam.JPG|''[[Gulai]] ayam''
}}

The ''[[Gulai]] Ikan Patin'' ([[Catfish]] soup) has a very delicious and powerful taste and it can be easily be found around Pekanbaru. ''Gulai Ikan Patin'' is a typical Pekanbaru food that has a deep yellow sauce to soak the pieces of catfish. The people of Riaum especially Pekanbaru, generally also consume other ingredients other than the catfish. There are sidedishes accompanying the dish, such as boiled yams, leaf tops and more. ''Gulai Ikan Patin'' is usually cooked with the ''[[etlingera elatior]]'' to enhance the flavouring.

''[[Asam pedas]]'' (or ''Asam padeh'' in [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]]) is a Malay-Minangkabau dish that can be found in Riau and the surrounding area.. It is a type sour and spicy fish stew dish.<ref name="JP-Padang">{{cite news |author=Syofyan |first=Donny |date=24 November 2013 |title=By the way ... I just can't live without Padang food |newspaper=The Jakarta Post |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/24/by-way-i-just-can-t-live-without-padang-food.html}}</ref> The main ingredients in ''asam pedas'' are usually seafood or freshwater fish. They are cooked in ''asam'' ([[tamarind]]) fruit juice with [[Chili pepper|chilli]] and spices. The cooking process involves soaking the pulp of the tamarind fruit until it is soft and then squeezing out the juice for cooking the fish. ''Asam'' paste may be substituted for convenience. Vegetables such as ''terong'' or ''brinjals'' (Indian [[eggplant]]s), [[okra]] and tomatoes are added. Fish and seafood – such as [[mackerel]], [[Euthynnus affinis|mackerel tuna]], [[tuna]], [[skipjack tuna]], [[Red snapper (fish)|red snapper]], [[gourami]], [[pangasius]], [[hemibagrus]] or [[cuttlefish]] – either the whole body or sometimes only the [[Fish head curry|fish heads]] are added to make a spicy and tart [[fish stew]]. It is important that the fish remain intact for serving so generally the fish is added last.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tastefood.info/ikan-asam-pedas-hot-sour-fish/ |title=Asam Pedas |work=Tastefood |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103150454/http://tastefood.info/ikan-asam-pedas-hot-sour-fish/ |archive-date=3 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In the Riau region, the most common fish used in asam pedas is ''[[Euthynnus affinis|tongkol]]'' (mackerel tuna).

Aside from the main dish, typical Riau restaurant also serves local snacks. An example is the ''[[roti jala]]''. ''Roti jala'' typical Riau food which is influenced by [[Malay culture]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tee |first=Angie |date=24 February 2014 |title=How To Make Roti Jala |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-make-roti-jalanet_b_4840401 |access-date=22 May 2019 |website=HuffPost}}</ref> ''Roti jala'' is a dish that is generally present at large parties such as weddings. This food is made from the basic ingredients of flour which, after being cooked, will be served with a spill of durian sauce for those who like sweet foods. Aside from being served with sauce, ''roti jala'' is also commonly eaten with curry chicken, mutton or beef. ''Roti jala'' has a triangular shape that is produced from a mold. Although it is usually white in colour, some creative cooker also gives food colouring such as ''[[pandanus]]'' to make the ''roti jala'' green in colour. ''[[Roti canai|Roti cane]]'' is a typical Riau food. This bread has much in common with ''[[Roti prata|roti pratha]]'' in [[India]] and Singapore aside from the taste and eating method.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

==Sports==
[[File:Kaharuddin Nasution Stadium gate.JPG|thumb|[[Kaharudin Nasution Sport Center Rumbai Stadium|Kaharudin Nasution Stadium]].]]

Riau has a football team, [[PSPS Pekanbaru]], based in [[Rumbai Stadium|Kaharuddin Nasution Stadium]], Pekanbaru. It also has one of many other local football teams like [[PS Siak]]. In 2012, Riau hosted [[Pekan Olahraga Nasional]]. In 2021, Riau won a gold medal in fencing at the [[2021 Pekan Olahraga Nasional|Pekan Olahraga Nasional]] which was won by Nisa Afrawasih and her siblings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Si Bungsu Baru 16 Tahun, Tiga Bersaudara Asal Bengkalis Sumbang 4 Emas untuk Riau di PON 2021 Papua |url=https://pekanbaru.tribunnews.com/2021/10/10/si-bungsu-baru-16-tahuntiga-bersaudara-asal-bengkalis-sumbang-4-emas-untuk-riau-di-pon-2021-papua |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=Tribunpekanbaru.com |language=id-ID}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Zapin Api]], a type of performing arts from the shores of Riau
*[[List of people from Riau]]
*[[Deforestation in Indonesia]]
*[[2012 Pekan Olahraga Nasional]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Riau
|North     = [[Malacca Strait]]<br />{{flagicon|MAS}} [[Peninsular Malaysia]]
|Northeast = [[Malacca Strait]]<br />{{flagicon|MAS}} [[Peninsular Malaysia]]
|East      = [[Malacca Strait]]<br />{{flag|Riau Islands}}
|Southeast = {{flag|Jambi}}<br />[[Karimata Strait]]
|South     = {{flag|Jambi}}
|Southwest = {{flag|West Sumatra}}
|West      = {{flag|West Sumatra}}
|Northwest = {{flag|North Sumatra}}
}}

{{Riau}}
{{Provinces of Indonesia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Riau| ]]
[[Category:Strait of Malacca]]
[[Category:Provinces of Indonesia]]
[[Category:1957 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1957]]
[[Category:Indragiri basin]]
[[Category:Kampar basin]]
[[Category:Siak basin]]
[[Category:Rokan basin]]