Among all countries in the world, only twelve straddle the Equator. While among the countless cities within those twelve countries, only one sits right on this invisible line that separates the earth's southern from the northern hemisphere. Pontianak, capital of the province of West Kalimantan – formerly known as West Borneo - has the distinction of being the only city in the world that sits right on the Equator, a fact that needs no international approval nor agreement. This is the very reason why the Equatorial monument was built here, although Pontianak’s founder, Syarif Abdurrahman Alkadrie was not in the slightest aware of this fact.