Pronunciation of Riau (Indonesia)

Riau (province on central Sumatra) is pronounced:

/riˈaʊ/ → "ree-OW" (two syllables, stress on second)

Breakdown

• Ri- → like "ree" (long e, as in see).
• -au → like "ow" in cow, now (diphthong /aʊ/).

Common Mispronunciations

• "RYE-ow" (wrong first vowel).
• "ree-AH-oo" (three syllables — Indonesian has no triphthong here).
• "REE-oh" (monophthongizing the diphthong).

Context

• Riau Province (capital Pekanbaru) — oil, gas, palm oil, pulp.
• Riau Islands Province (Kepri) — Batam, Bintan, Karimun (near Singapore) — same pronunciation.
• Malay/Indonesian orthography: Riau — au always /aʊ/.

Audio reference: Forvo, Google Translate, or YouTube "Riau pronunciation."