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Kota Baubau adalah sebuah kota di Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara, Indonesia. Kota ini terletak di Pulau Buton, pulau terbesar di provinsi tersebut. Baubau memperoleh status kota pada tanggal 21 Juni 2001 berdasarkan UU No. 13 Tahun 2001. Luas kota ini 295,072 km² dengan jumlah penduduk 167.519 jiwa (2018).

Berdasarkan Perda No. 02 tahun 2010 tentang Penetapan Hari Jadi Kota Baubau dan Perubahan Penulisan Baubau, ditetapkan pada pasal 5 ayat 1 dan 2 bahwa nama penulisan nama Kota Bau-Bau menjadi Baubau, sesuai dengan Ejaan Yang Disempurnakan. Pada Perda tersebut juga ditetapkan bahwa hari jadi Kota Baubau pada tanggal 17 Oktober 1541. Pemilihan tahun 1541 karena tahun tersebut merupakan tahun bersejarah di bumi seribu benteng ini. Hal ini ditandai dengan terjadinya transformasi pemerintahan Kerajaan Buton menjadi Kesultanan Buton sebagai pembaruan, yang ditandai dengan dilantiknya Lakilaponto sebagai Sultan Buton I dengan Gelar Sultan Murhum Kaimuddin Khalifatul Khamis

Baubau menduduki peringkat ke-8 sebagai kota terbesar di Sulawesi berdasarkan jumlah populasi tahun 2010 atau urutan ke-2 untuk Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara. Hasil registrasi penduduk pada akhir tahun 2006 berjumlah 122.339 jiwa. Dari jumlah tersebut, terdapat jumlah penduduk laki-laki sebanyak 57.027 jiwa (46,61%) dan perempuan 65.312 jiwa (53,39%).

Berdasarkan sensus penduduk tahun 2010 jumlah penduduk Kota Baubau sebanyak 137.118 jiwa, dengan kepadatan sebesar 1.113 per km², dan pertumbuhan sebesar 2,975% per tahun.

The city's agriculture centers are Bungi, Sorawalio, and Lea-Lea districts, which between them have 59.6% of the city's registered agriculture business. In 2023, the city's most produced commodities were papaya and jackfruit, with the city producing 3,610 and 2,143 tonnes respectively, with high quantities of pineapple, tangerine, and dragon fruit also being produced. Around 1,300 hectares of the city were allocated for rice fields, however, many of these were underutilized and often abandoned by its farmers due to the soil being unsuitable for large-scale rice farming. The city also has significant seaweed farming output, exporting 4,914 tonnes in 2022, and fishing boats around the city catch decapterus fish, anchovies, mackerel tuna, and skipjack tuna. In addition, Baubau is a center of fish processing from nearby regions and processed around 10,000 tonnes of fish that were frozen and re-exported elsewhere in 2021. The city planned to establish a shrimp aquaculture industry within the city in 2023.

Sultan of Buton praying to a grave in Baubau As the city was the capital of the Buton Sultanate, it retains many of the old sultanate's events and ethnic processions. A mix of Islamic influences and local cultures can be seen in celebrations such as Haroana Maludhu, which celebrates Mawlid, led by the sultan in the royal palace complex and attended by Butonese people. The procession lasts around a month and ends with an event celebrated inside the Buton royal mosque. Another event, Haroana Rajabu, involves the Butonese people praying to their dead ancestors on the fourth Friday of the month of Rajab. Aside from Islam-related events, many other events and processions take place, several of which are related to the sea. These include Tuturangina Andala, to ward off bad weather or disaster while seaborne, Harona Andala, to wish for success while fishing, and Phalantoana Bhangka, to inaugurate newly built ships made by local workshops.

The city hosts several urban parks; one of the most prominent is Kotamara Park, which is located on the city's waterfront facing the sea. Built in 2010, the park was constructed on top of reclaimed land in Batupoaro district. Hutan Pinus Samparona, an urban forest in Sorawolio district, is also a popular location with locals for hangouts and selfies. It is managed jointly by the city government and private investors. Another park, Bukit Kaluku Park, was built in 2019 as part of a slum-upgrading project by the city. The park itself is located close to Kaluku Beach and has a direct view of Murhum Port. There is also another park located close to a different beach within the city called Kamali Park. A park located close to Wameo Market is used by vendors and hawkers in addition to its park function, while BRI Park near the city center was planned in 2022 to be a center for small businesses. In 2012, the city has total of 1,192 hectares of land classified as city parks.Walls of Wolio Fortress in Baubau

The most prominent historical site in the city is Buton Palace Fortress, sometimes known as Wolio Fortress, which contains a royal complex. It was constructed around the 16th century, starting during the reign of Sultan La Sangaji and ending under Sultan La Buke. In local folk legend, the fortress's construction was so time-consuming that subjects who took part were unable to work elsewhere, and the siolimbona, the sultanate's legislative body, threatened to impeach the sultan who insisted on continuing it. Due to the presence of this fortress and several others around the city, Baubau is nicknamed the "city of thousand fortresses". These fortresses, including Wolio, were all built using carved coral reefs and limestone and were used as the main defense infrastructure of the sultanate. Fortresses were so ubiquitous a part of the sultanate's infrastructure that the Wolio language word for "fortress" is synonymous with "city", and every single kadie (administrative division of Sultanate of Buton) had at least one fortress built on it. 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. It is also the largest fortress in the Indonesian archipelago by land area, at 22.8 hectares, and has a circumference of 2,740 meters. The fortress has a trench of around 1.5 kilometers in length which is divided into several parts for defensive purposes. Each part (baluara) of the fortress, is divided by internal walls and armed with cannons. It also has twelve gates (lawa) scattered around the fortress's outer layer. 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. Inside this part is the royal mosque, built in 1712. The fortress also contains a 21-meter wooden flagpole, traditionally called kasulana tombi, which was built that year and is thought by Indonesian historians to be the oldest flagpole in the world still standing. In 1871, the flagpole was struck by lightning, resulting in parts of it being replaced. 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.

Certain parts of the city, especially around Balai Kota Street, contain colonial-era buildings, with their design resembling Art Deco style. A former colonial resident office building, a former house of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army officer, a colonial-era post office, and the town square (today called Merdeka Square) are located along this street. According to the Dutch administration, the spatial planning around this area with a central town square was a common feature of indigenous Muslim towns; the area was then reinforced for better surveillance and management of the natives' activities. The Dutch also constructed a garden, called Keboen Raja, with a fountain at the intersection of Kartini Street and Sudirman Street. Today, only the fountain is left; the rest of the garden was converted into a landfill. Other colonial-era buildings included several palaces and residences constructed by the Dutch for the Buton sultans and royal family members. In addition to buildings built by the Dutch administration, the city also has a Chinatown area consisting of shophouses and old commercial buildings built by ethnic Chinese who immigrated during the 19th and 20th centuries.

The area's more recent historical buildings, dating back to the early independence era in 1950s, include a housing complex for new civil servants dating to 1952. Baubau also includes the Galangi Monument, a monument of a figure wearing galangi, Butonese traditional wear, with their hand pointing to the port. 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.

Baubau has one stadium, called Betoambari Stadium, mainly for association football and large ceremonies. In 2021, the stadium was renovated with FIFA-standard grass. The city is home to Persibau Baubau, an Indonesian football club playing in Liga 3. The city also has other sports venues such as GOR Badminton Baubau for badminton, and several futsal fields, basketball, and volleyball courts, such as those in Murhum district, and the Lowu-Lowu Public Swimming Pool. The Islamic Center of Baubau is located in Wameo subdistrict in Murhum district and is often visited by religious tourists.

Pada awalnya, Baubau merupakan pusat Kerajaan Buton (Wolio) yang berdiri pada awal abad ke-15 (1401–1499). Buton mulai dikenal dalam Sejarah Indonesia karena telah tercatat dalam naskah Nagarakretagama karya Prapanca pada Tahun 1365 Masehi dengan menyebut Buton atau Butuni sebagai Negeri (Desa) Keresian atau tempat tinggal para resi di mana terbentang taman dan didirikan lingga serta saluran air dengan rajanya bergelar Yang Mulia Mahaguru. Cikal bakal negeri Buton untuk menjadi sebuah Kerajaan pertama kali dirintis oleh kelompok Mia Patamiana (si empat orang) yaitu Sipanjonga, Simalui, Sitamanajo dan Sijawangkati yang oleh sumber lisan di Buton mereka berasal dari Semenanjung Tanah Melayu pada akhir abad ke-13.

Kejayaan masa Kerajaan Buton (Wolio) sampai Kesultanan Buton sejak berdiri pada tahun 1332 sampai dengan 1960 telah banyak meninggalkan warisan masa lalu yang gemilang. Sampai saat ini masih dapat disaksikan berupa peninggalan sejarah, budaya seperti naskah kuno yg tersimapan pada garis keturunan Laode dan Waode di pulau buton, sedangkan naskah lain masih banyak yg dibawa ke belanda oleh bangsa belanda sendiri pada saat penjajahan mereka dan arkeologi seperti kuburan raja dan sultan, benteng pertahanan keraton, pintu gerbang yg disebut lawa, meriam tua dan masih banyak lagi yang lainnya. Saat ini wilayah bekas Kesultanan Buton telah berdiri beberapa kabupaten dan kota, yaitu Kabupaten Buton, Kabupaten Muna, Kabupaten Wakatobi, Kabupaten Bombana, Kabupaten Buton Utara, Kabupaten Muna Barat, Kabupaten Buton Tengah, Kabupaten Buton Selatan, dan Kota Baubau.

Secara geografis terletak di bagian selatan garis khatulistiwa di antara 5.21° – 5.33° Lintang Selatan dan di antara 122.30° – 122.47° Bujur Timur atau terletak di sebelah Selatan Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara.

Kota Baubau pada umumnya memiliki permukaan yang bergunung, bergelombang dan berbukit-bukit. Di antara gunung dan bukit-bukit terbentang dataran yang merupakan daerah-daerah potensial untuk mengembangkan sektor pertanian.

Kota Baubau memiliki pula sungai yang besar, yaitu sungai Baubau yang membatasi Wolio dan Betoambari serta membelah ibu kota Baubau. Sungai tersebut umumnya memiliki potensi yang dapat dijadikan sebagai sumber tenaga, irigasi dan kebutuhan rumah tangga.

Kota Baubau beriklim muson tropis (Am) dengan dua musim yang dipengaruhi oleh pergerakan angin muson, yaitu musim hujan dan musim kemarau dengan suhu udara berkisar 21 °C–33 °C. Musim hujan berlangsung cukup panjang yakni pada bulan November dan Mei, pada bulan–bulan tersebut angin barat yang bertiup dari Asia dan Samudera Pasifik mengandung banyak uap air, musim kemarau terjadi mulai bulan Juni sampai bulan Oktober, pada bulan-bulan ini angin timur yang bertiup dari Australia kurang mengandung uap air.