Bengkulu

Bengkulu City is a city on the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia.The city is the second largest city on the west coast of Sumatra Island after Padang. Previously this area is under the influence of the kingdom of Inderapura and the Sultanate of Banten. The city also became the exile of Soekarno during the period of 1939 - 1942. It had a population of 308,756 at the 2010 Census, the latest estimate is 328,827. The city is the capital and largest city of Bengkulu Province.HistoryThe British East India Company founded Bengkulu, in 1685, as their new commercial centre for the region. In the 17th century, the British East India Company controlled the spice trade in the Lampung region of southern Sumatra from a port in Banten, in the north west of the neighbouring island of Java. In 1682, a troop of the Dutch East India Company attacked Banten. The local crown prince submitted to the Dutch, who then recognised him as Sultan. The Dutch expelled all other Europeans present in Banten, leading the British to establish Bengkulu. In 1714, the British built Fort Marlborough at Bengkulu.