Palembang is a city in the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and is the capital of the province of South Sumatra.

The city was once the capital of the ancient, partly Hindu partly Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya that controlled a large part of what is now Malaysia and Indonesia. Following a 1025 raid by the Chola Empire of southern India it began to gradually decline in importance. Srivijaya's capital eventually moved northward to Jambi. Palembang is also the origin of Parameswara, the ruler of Malacca (a state in Malaysia) which established the most important empire in Malaysian history.

The architectural legacy of Dutch colonization is still visible in the city. Deep-water port facilities are built along the Musi River, which flows through the city.

The naval Battle of Palembang was fought near the city during the Second World War between February 13-February 15, 1942.

Palembang's economy has been developed significantly since it became a host for National Sporting Event in 2004. The city government has set a revenue target of IDR 3.5 billion from advertising alone. Palembang is also one of hosts of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

This city is famous in Indonesia for its "Pempek" fish cakes.

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