Bangka island is located in east of Sumatra whose capital city is Pangkalpinang. Bangka is administratively a part of Bangka-Belitung province, with the population is about 1 million. Based on the history of this island, the name “Bangka” is derived from the word “Wangka” which means tin. It colloquially according to society of this island means "old or very old".
History reveals that Bangka was once inhabited by Hindus in the 7th century when was under the Sriwijaya empire. Bangka once was the nest of pirates because of lack of attention despite its strategic location. But then, Bangka was under the rule of Sultan Palembang until it was ceded to Britain in 1812. And based on Conversion in London on August 13, 1814 , Holland received Bangka as exchange for Cochin back from the UK.
Japanese occupied the Island from 1942 to 1945. Bangka island became part of independent Indonesia in 1949. The island, together with neighboring Belitung, was formerly part of South Sumatra (Sumatera Selatan) province, but the two island became the new province of Bang-Belitung in 2000.
Bangka is well known for its tin mine. Beside pepper, tin mine has been the source of livelihood for most people in Bangka Island. The first tin mine was founded around river Olin in 1709.
However, the tin mining has caused severe environmental damage on Bangka island. Today, the provincial government begin to promote Bangka Island as a tourist spot as a step to reduce the tin mining. The beauty of the beaches is expected to become a tourist magnet so that it could increase economic growth.
