Palopo

Palopo or Kota Palopo (Palopo city) is a city located in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the second-largest city in the province. Until it acquired its city autonomy on 10 April 2002, Palopo was the capital of Luwu Regency. The area of the city is 247.52 km2, and it had a population of 148,033 at the 2010 Census and 184,681 at the 2020 Census, comprising 92,444 males and 92,237 females. The official estimate as at mid 2022 was 190,867 (comprising 95,562 males and 95,305 females), but the mid-2023 official estimate showed a sizeable reduction to 177,526 (comprising 88,693 males and 88,833 females).

== History == thumb|left|17th-century Palopo Old Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Indonesia. Palopo was founded c. 1620, probably under the second Muslim ruler of Luwu Kingdom, Sultan Abdullah Muhiddin, who is buried at Malangke, the former palace centre of Luwu. His momental grave, which was carved with Majapahit-style floral decorations, was destroyed by Kahar Muzakkar rebels in the 1950s: nothing today remains except the location. The advantage of Palopo over the former palace centre was the potential for trade with the Toraja-speaking Seko-Rongkong valleys. The town sits at the foot of a steep, winding pass which leads into the highland regions. In the late 19th century this trade consisted primarily of coffee and slaves. Gold panned from upland rivers may also have been an attraction. Dammar was an important export in the later period.