Map - Palu (Kota Palu)

Palu, which is officially known as the City of Palu (Indonesian: Kota Palu), is the capital and largest city of Central Sulawesi. Palu is located on the northwestern coast of Sulawesi and borders Donggala Regency to the north and west, Parigi Moutong Regency to the east, and Sigi Regency to the south. The city boundaries encompass a land area of 395.06 km2. According to the 2020 Indonesian census, Palu has a population of 373,218, making it the third-most populous city on the island after Makassar and Manado; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 377,030. Palu is the center of finance, government, and education in Central Sulawesi, as well as one of several major cities on the island. The city hosts the province's main port, its biggest airport, and most of its public universities.

Palu is located in Palu Bay; it was initially a small agricultural town until it was selected to become the capital of the newly created province of Central Sulawesi in 1953. Palu is sited on the Palu-Koro Fault and is frequently struck by earthquakes, the most notable being a magnitude 7.5 event in 2018. According to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, the 2018 earthquake caused "the largest natural soil liquefaction phenomenon in the world". Much of the city's infrastructure was destroyed and large swathes of land were rendered uninhabitable, prompting the local government to plan to relocate the city to a safer location instead of rebuilding in the same place.

Palu city is relatively new. It was founded as an agricultural town and had been less significant than the then-bigger town of Donggala around 35 km away. The creation of Palu was initiated by people from several villages around Ulayo Mountain. There are different accounts of the origin of the city's name; according to one explanation, it came from the word topalu'e, which means "raised land"; another version states it was derived from the word volo, the name of local bamboo plants.