Introduction to Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia, a country with a population of about 240 million scattered across over 18000 islands. Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta covers an area of 662 square kilometres (255 sq mi) with a population of 9.6 million. Jakarta is the most populous city in Southeast Asia and the tenth-largest city in the world. The greater urban area, called Jabodetabek, an abbreviation of Jakarta and its satellite cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi, has a population of about 28 million, and is the second largest urban area in the world.
The city’s name is derived from the Old Javanese word “Jayakarta” which translates as “victorious well-being.” Jakarta began as a trading port in the fourth century Kingdom of Sunda. Under the Dutch East Indies Company, it grew as the capital of the colonial Dutch East Indies. It became the capital of Indonesia after independence following several years of Japanese occupation during World War II. It has been called Sunda Kelapa (397–1527), Jayakarta (1527–1619), Batavia (1619–1942), and Djakarta (1942–1972).
Jakarta is technically not a city, but a province with the special status as the capital of Indonesia, and it has a governor instead of a mayor. The province is further divided into five cities, each with their own mayors and administrations. In addition, a sixth regency includes Pulau Seribu, or Thousand Islands, situated offshore from Jakarta, covering an area of 6,977 square km (2695 sq mi). There are about 100 islands in this part of Jakarta, and some of them are still simple fishing villages with no electricity.
City Landmarks
Jakarta’s notable landmarks include the National Monument, Istiqlal Mosque and adjacent Jakarta Cathedral, the National Museum and many historic buildings from the colonial period. Jakarta is served by the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, and Tanjung Priok Harbour. There are intercity and commuter railways, and commuter bus lines running on reserved busways.
The Jakarta population is made up of Indonesians representing many diverse ethnic groups from the thousands of islands spread over the width and breadth of this huge country. All of them speak the national language, Bahasa Indonesia, but many also speak a regional language or dialect from their home areas, since there are hundreds of regional and tribal languages found in this diverse population. About 6% of Jakarta is made up of ethnic Chinese who have also been part of the ethnic fabric for centuries.
