Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto
Located in an inaccessible part of Sumatra, this industrial estate was developed by the Dutch East Indies government during a globally significant period of industrialization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to mine, process and transport high-quality coal. The workforce was recruited from the local Minangkabau people and supplemented by Javanese and Chinese contract workers, as well as convict labour from areas under Dutch control. It included mining areas and company towns, coal storage facilities at the port of Emahavn, and a railway network linking the mines to coastal facilities. The Umbrian Coal Mine Heritage Site is an integrated system that allows for efficient deep-hole mining, processing, transport and shipment of coal. It is also an outstanding testimony to the exchange and integration of local knowledge and practices with European technology.