Another theory suggests that it came from "bau", a Malay word meaning "to smell", since it was a busy port town with unpleasant-smelling fish markets around the area.

[7] According to local legends, the city's history started when four groups of Malay merchants in the late 13th century landed on Buton Island.

Sitamanjo and Sijawangkati followed, landing on the northern coast and eventually moving inland, establishing the area now known as Wolio Fortress, which became the center of governance.

[6] Islam spread to the region after a visiting scholar from Johor in the 16th century converted the ruling royals and eventually turned the kingdom into a sultanate with its own constitution called "Murtabat Tujuh".

During much of its existence, the political position of the Buton Sultanate was mainpulated by more powerful entities such as Makassar, Ternate, and the Dutch East India Company.

[6] As a result, the city grew in administrative importance and received modern infrastructure such as sealed roads, telephones, and military installments.

[9] The development of the city's infrastructure was modeled after Sibolga and was tailored to help fight the spread of malaria due to the region's swampy nature.

The asphalt was then used to construct inland roads to an economically important part of the island where there were coconut plantations and harvesting of forest goods such as rattan.

[6][10] Baubau's economic importance declined following Indonesian independence, as the country's political power shifted from the sultanate to local figures and politicians.

A local parliament was formed, with an election taking place in 1955, in which Masyumi and the Indonesian National Party gained the most seats (six and five respectively).

The local parliament had already met in an ethnic Chinese school building in the city on 21 July 1953 and consisted of members appointed prior to the election.

[6] When Southeast Sulawesi province formed, Kendari replaced Baubau as the capital, resulting in the latter becoming less relevant economically and politically.

[10] Baubau was granted city status in 2001 following the fall of Suharto and consequent decentralization across Indonesia, separating itself from Buton Regency.

[14][15][16] Geographically, Baubau lies between latitude 5.21°S and 5.33°S and longitude 122.30°E and 122.47°E, and is located in the southern part of Southeast Sulawesi province.

Long hills stretch above the surrounding terrain with the variation of altitude between 0 and 100 meters above mean sea level.

Wilayah district (kecamatan) in km2 Census 2010 Census 2020 Estimate mid 2023 centre of villages codes 93724 & 93725 93725 - 93727 93717 93716, 93719 As with all Indonesian cities, Baubau is a second-level administrative division run by a mayor and vice mayor together with the city parliament, and has a status equivalent to a regency.

The city's most densely populated district is Batupoaro with 16,161 people per square kilometre, followed by Murhum (3,403/km2), Wolio (1,283/km2), Kokalukuna (1,244/km2), Betoambari (644/km2), Lea-lea (277/km2), Bungi (149/km2), and Sorawolio (82/km2).

[28] Out of Baubau's total population of 161,280 in 2023, 84,185 were classified as economically active, with the city's unemployment rate that year being 2.17%, according to Statistics Indonesia.

The religious demography of the city is dominated by Muslims with 96.65%, followed by Hindu as the second largest religion with 1.64%, Protestantism with 0.99%, Catholicism with 0.37%, and Buddhism with 0.05%, according to data from late 2021.

[42] Most of the city's inhabitants are Butonese, with a minority of Buginese, Moluccans, Javanese, and Sundanese migrants from other parts of Indonesia.

[47] Another event, Haroana Rajabu, involves the Butonese people praying to their dead ancestors on the fourth Friday of the month of Rajab.

[48] Hutan Pinus Samparona, an urban forest in Sorawolio district, is also a popular location with locals for hangouts and selfies.

[56] These fortresses, including Wolio, were all built using carved coral reefs and limestone and were used as the main defense infrastructure of the sultanate.

[56] The fortress itself and the complex inside of it were declared to be cultural heritage by Indonesia's Ministry of Education, who granted it legal protection.

The inner part of the fortress is an old settlement complex said to have been founded by migrants from Johor and divided into limbo, each of which had administrative functions and a royal official.

In 2020, due to its old age and to prevent further damage, the flagpole was reinforced by the city government with additional supports and a protective structure made of iron.

[56] Certain parts of the city, especially around Balai Kota Street, contain colonial-era buildings, with their design resembling Art Deco style.

Other colonial-era buildings included several palaces and residences constructed by the Dutch for the Buton sultans and royal family members.

[58] In total, there are 51 historical objects dating back to this era noted; most are managed or protected by the city's Culture and Tourism Department, though others lack documentation.

[62] The Islamic Center of Baubau is located in Wameo subdistrict in Murhum district and is often visited by religious tourists.