Java

Java (Indonesian: Jawa; Javanese: ;

Sundanese: ) is an island of Indonesia,
bordered by the Indian Ocean on the
south and the Java Sea on the north.
With a population of over 141 million
(Java only) or 145 million (including the
inhabitants of its surrounding islands),
Java is the home to 56.7 percent of the
Indonesian population and is the world's
most populous island.[1] The Indonesian
capital city, Jakarta, is located on its
northwestern coast. Much of Indonesian
history took place on Java. It was the
centre of powerful Hindu-Buddhist
empires, the Islamic sultanates, and the
core of the colonial Dutch East Indies.
Java was also the center of the
Indonesian struggle for independence
during the 1930s and 1940s. Java
dominates Indonesia politically,
economically and culturally. Four of
Indonesia's eight UNESCO world heritage
sites are located in Java: Ujung Kulon
National Park, Borobudur Temple,
Prambanan Temple, and Sangiran Early
Man Site.
 Java
Jawa
  
(Indonesian)

  
(Javanese)

  
(Sundanese)

Topography of Java
 Geography
Location Southeast Asia

Coordinates 7°29′30″S 110°00′16″E

Archipelago Greater Sunda Islands

Area 138,793.6 km2
(53,588.5 sq mi)

Area rank 13th

Highest elevation 3,676 m (12,060 ft)

Highest point Semeru

Administration

Republic of Indonesia

Provinces Banten,
Special Capital Region of Jakarta,
West Java,
Central Java,
East Java,
Yogyakarta Special Region,
Madura Island
Largest settlement Jakarta (pop.
10,135,030)

Demographics

Population 145 million (2015)

Pop. density 1,121 /km2

(2,903 /sq mi)

Ethnic groups Javanese (inc.

Tenggerese, Osing,
Banyumasan,
Cirebonese),
Sundanese (inc.
Bantenese, Baduy),
Betawi, Madurese,
Chinese etc.
 This article contains letters from the
Javanese script. Without proper
rendering support, you may see
question marks, boxes, or other
symbols instead of Javanese
characters .

Formed mostly as the result of volcanic

eruptions from geologic subduction
between Sunda Plate and Australian
Plate, Java is the 13th largest island in
the world and the fifth largest in
Indonesia by landmass at about 138,800
square kilometres (53,600 sq mi). A
chain of volcanic mountains forms an
east–west spine along the island. Three
main languages are spoken on the island:
Javanese, Sundanese, and Madurese,
where Javanese is the most spoken; it is
the native language of about 60 million
Javanese people in Indonesia, most of
whom live on Java. Furthermore, most
residents are bilingual, speaking
Indonesian (the official language of
Indonesia) as their first or second
language. While the majority of the
people of Java are Muslim, Java's
population comprises people of diverse
religious beliefs, ethnicities, and cultures.

Java is divided into four administrative

provinces, West Java, Central Java, East
Java, and Banten, and two special
regions, Jakarta and Yogyakarta.
Etymology
The origins of the name "Java" are not
clear. One possibility is that the island
was named after the jáwa-wut plant,
which was said to be common in the
island during the time, and that prior to
Indianization the island had different
names.[2] There are other possible
sources: the word jaú and its variations
mean "beyond" or "distant".[3] And, in
Sanskrit yava means barley, a plant for
which the island was famous.[3]
"Yavadvipa" is mentioned in India's
earliest epic, the Ramayana. Sugriva, the
chief of Rama's army dispatched his men
to Yavadvipa, the island of Java, in
search of Sita.[4] It was hence referred to
in India by the Sanskrit name "yāvaka
dvīpa" (dvīpa = island). Java is mentioned
in the ancient Tamil text Manimekalai by
Chithalai Chathanar which states that
Java had a kingdom with a capital called
Nagapuram.[5][6][7] Another source states
that the word "Java" is derived from a
Proto-Austronesian root word, Iawa
meaning "home".[8] The great island of
Iabadiu or Jabadiu was mentioned in
Ptolemy's Geographia composed around
150 CE in the Roman Empire. Iabadiu is
said to mean "barley island", to be rich in
gold, and have a silver town called Argyra
at the west end. The name indicates
Java,[9] and seems to be derived from the
Sanskrit name Java-dvipa (Yavadvipa).

The annual news of Songshu and

Liangshu referred to Java as She-po (5th
century CE), He-ling (640–818), then
called it She-po again until the Yuan
dynasty (1271–1368), where they began
mentioning Zhao-Wa.[10] According to Ma
Huan's book (the Yingya Shenlan), the
Chinese called Java Chao-Wa, and the
island was called She-pó (She-bó) in the
past.[11] When John of Marignolli
returned from China to Avignon, he
stayed at the Kingdom of Saba for a few
months, which he said had many
elephants and was led by a queen; Saba
may be his interpretation of She-bó.[12]

Geography

Mount Bromo in East Java

Java lies between Sumatra to the west

and Bali to the east. Borneo lies to the
north and Christmas Island is to the
south. It is the world's 13th largest
island. Java is surrounded by the Java
Sea to the north, Sunda Strait to the west,
the Indian Ocean to the south and Bali
Strait and Madura Strait in the east.

Java is almost entirely of volcanic origin;

it contains thirty-eight mountains
forming an east–west spine that have at
one time or another been active
volcanoes. The highest volcano in Java
is Mount Semeru (3,676 metres
(12,060 ft)). The most active volcano in
Java and also in Indonesia is Mount
Merapi (2,930 metres (9,610 ft)). In total,
Java boast more than 150 mountains.

More mountains and highlands help to

split the interior into a series of relatively
isolated regions suitable for wet-rice
cultivation; the rice lands of Java are
among the richest in the world.[13] Java
was the first place where Indonesian
coffee was grown, starting in 1699.
Today, Coffea arabica is grown on the
Ijen Plateau by small-holders and larger
plantations.

Parahyangan highland near Buitenzorg, c. 1865–

1872

The area of Java is approximately

150,000 square kilometres
(58,000 sq mi).[13] It is about 1,000 km
(620 mi) long and up to 210 km (130 mi)
wide. The island's longest river is the
600 km long Solo River.[14] The river rises
from its source in central Java at the
Lawu volcano, then flows north and
eastward to its mouth in the Java Sea
near the city of Surabaya. Other major
rivers are Brantas, Citarum, Cimanuk and
Serayu.

The average temperature ranges from

22 °C (72 °F) to 29 °C (84 °F); average
humidity is 75%. The northern coastal
plains are normally hotter, averaging
34 °C (93 °F) during the day in the dry
season. The south coast is generally
cooler than the north, and highland areas
inland are even cooler.[15] The wet
season begins in November and ends in
April. During that rain falls mostly in the
afternoons and intermittently during
other parts of the year. The wettest
months are January and February.

West Java is wetter than East Java and

mountainous regions receive much
higher rainfall. The Parahyangan
highlands of West Java receive over
4,000 millimetres (160 in) annually, while
the north coast of East Java receives 900
millimetres (35 in) annually.

Natural environment
Banteng at Alas Purwo, eastern edge of Java

The natural environment of Java is

tropical rainforest, with ecosystems
ranging from coastal mangrove forests
on the north coast, rocky coastal cliffs on
the southern coast, and low-lying tropical
forests to high altitude rainforests on the
slopes of mountainous volcanic regions
in the interior. The Javan environment
and climate gradually alters from west to
east; from wet and humid dense
rainforest in western parts, to a dry
savanna environment in the east,
corresponding to the climate and rainfall
in these regions.

Male Javan rhino shot in 1934 in West Java. Today

only small numbers of Javan rhino survive in Ujung
Kulon; it is the world's rarest rhino.

Originally Javan wildlife supported a rich

biodiversity, where numbers of endemic
species of flora and fauna flourished;
such as the Javan rhinoceros,[16] Javan
banteng, Javan warty pig, (tiger), Javan
hawk-eagle, Javan peafowl, Javan silvery
gibbon, Javan lutung, Java mouse-deer,
Javan rusa, and Javan leopard. With over
450 species of birds and 37 endemic
species, Java is a birdwatcher's
paradise.[17] There are about 130
freshwater fish species in Java.[18] There
are also several endemic amphibian
species in Java, including 5 species of
tree frogs.

Since ancient times, people have opened

the rainforest, altered the ecosystem,
shaped the landscapes and created rice
paddy and terraces to support the
growing population. Javan rice terraces
have existed for more than a millennium,
and had supported ancient agricultural
kingdoms. The growing human
population has put severe pressure on
Java's wildlife, as rainforests were
diminished and confined to highland
slopes or isolated peninsulas. Some of
Java's endemic species are now critically
endangered, with some already extinct;
Java used to have Javan tigers and
Javan elephants, but both have been
rendered extinct. Today, several national
parks exist in Java that protect the
remnants of its fragile wildlife, such as
Ujung Kulon, Mount Halimun-Salak, Gede
Pangrango, Baluran, Meru Betiri, Bromo
Tengger Semeru and Alas Purwo.

Administration
Java transport network

Java is divided into four provinces and

two special regions:

Banten, capital: Serang

West Java, capital: Bandung
Central Java, capital: Semarang
East Java, capital: Surabaya
Special Capital Region of Jakarta
Special Region of Yogyakarta

History
Mount Sumbing surrounded by rice fields. Java's
volcanic topography and rich agricultural lands are
the fundamental factors in its history.

Fossilised remains of Homo erectus,

popularly known as the "Java Man",
dating back 1.7 million years were found
along the banks of the Bengawan Solo
River.[19]

The island's exceptional fertility and

rainfall allowed the development of wet-
field rice cultivation, which required
sophisticated levels of cooperation
between villages. Out of these village
alliances, small kingdoms developed.
The chain of volcanic mountains and
associated highlands running the length
of Java kept its interior regions and
peoples separate and relatively
isolated.[20] Before the advent of Islamic
states and European colonialism, the
rivers provided the main means of
communication, although Java's many
rivers are mostly short. Only the Brantas
and Sala rivers could provide long-
distance communication, and this way
their valleys supported the centres of
major kingdoms. A system of roads,
permanent bridges and toll gates is
thought to have been established in Java
by at least the mid-17th century. Local
powers could disrupt the routes as could
the wet season and road use was highly
dependent on constant maintenance.
Consequently, communication between
Java's population was difficult.[21]

Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms era

Prambanan Hindu temple

The 9th century Borobudur Buddhist stupa in Central
Java

The Taruma and Sunda kingdoms of

western Java appeared in the 4th and 7th
centuries respectively, while the Kalingga
Kingdom sent embassies to China
starting in 640.[22]:53,79 However, the first
major principality was the Medang
Kingdom that was founded in central
Java at the beginning of the 8th century.
Medang's religion centred on the Hindu
god Shiva, and the kingdom produced
some of Java's earliest Hindu temples on
the Dieng Plateau. Around the 8th
century the Sailendra dynasty rose in
Kedu Plain and become the patron of
Mahayana Buddhism. This ancient
kingdom built monuments such as the
9th century Borobudur and Prambanan in
central Java.

Around the 10th century the centre of

power shifted from central to eastern
Java. The eastern Javanese kingdoms of
Kediri, Singhasari and Majapahit were
mainly dependent on rice agriculture, yet
also pursued trade within the Indonesian
archipelago, and with China and India.

Majapahit was established by

Wijaya[22]:201 and by the end of the reign
of Hayam Wuruk (r. 1350–89) it claimed
sovereignty over the entire Indonesian
archipelago, although control was likely
limited to Java, Bali and Madura. Hayam
Wuruk's prime minister, Gajah Mada, led
many of the kingdom's territorial
conquests.[22]:234 Previous Javanese
kingdoms had their power based in
agriculture, however, Majapahit took
control of ports and shipping lanes and
became Java's first commercial empire.
With the death of Hayam Wuruk and the
coming of Islam to Indonesia, Majapahit
went into decline.[22]:241

Spread of Islam and rise of Islamic

sultanates

Islam became the dominant religion in

Java at the end of the 16th century.
During this era, the Islamic kingdoms of
Demak, Cirebon, and Banten were
ascendant. The Mataram Sultanate
became the dominant power of central
and eastern Java at the end of the 16th
century. The principalities of Surabaya
and Cirebon were eventually subjugated
such that only Mataram and Banten were
left to face the Dutch in the 17th century.

Colonial periods

Tea plantation in Java during Dutch colonial period,

in or before 1926
Java's contact with the European colonial
powers began in 1522 with a treaty
between the Sunda kingdom and the
Portuguese in Malacca. After its failure,
the Portuguese presence was confined
to Malacca, and to the eastern islands. In
1596, a four-ship expedition led by
Cornelis de Houtman was the first Dutch
contact with Indonesia.[23] By the end of
the 18th century the Dutch had extended
their influence over the sultanates of the
interior through the Dutch East India
Company in Indonesia. Internal conflict
prevented the Javanese from forming
effective alliances against the Dutch.
Remnants of the Mataram survived as
the Surakarta (Solo) and Yogyakarta
principalities. Javanese kings claimed to
rule with divine authority and the Dutch
helped them to preserve remnants of a
Javanese aristocracy by confirming them
as regents or district officials within the
colonial administration.

Java's major role during the early part of

the colonial period was as a producer of
rice. In spice producing islands like
Banda, rice was regularly imported from
Java, to supply the deficiency in means
of subsistence.[24]

During the Napoleonic wars in Europe,

the Netherlands fell to France, as did its
colony in the East Indies. During the
short-lived Daendels administration, as
French proxy rule on Java, the
construction of the Java Great Post Road
was commenced in 1808. The road,
spanning from Anyer in Western Java to
Panarukan in East Java, served as a
military supply route and was used in
defending Java from British invasion.[25]

In 1811, Java was captured by the British,

becoming a possession of the British
Empire, and Sir Stamford Raffles was
appointed as the island's Governor. In
1814, Java was returned to the Dutch
under the terms of the Treaty of Paris.[26]
Japanese prepare to discuss surrender terms with

British-allied forces in Java 1945

In 1815, there may have been five million

people in Java.[27] In the second half of
the 18th century, population spurts
began in districts along the north-central
coast of Java, and in the 19th century
population grew rapidly across the
island. Factors for the great population
growth include the impact of Dutch
colonial rule including the imposed end
to civil war in Java, the increase in the
area under rice cultivation, and the
introduction of food plants such as
casava and maize that could sustain
populations that could not afford rice.[28]
Others attribute the growth to the
taxation burdens and increased
expansion of employment under the
Cultivation System to which couples
responded by having more children in the
hope of increasing their families' ability
to pay tax and buy goods.[29] Cholera
claimed 100,000 lives in Java in 1820.[30]

The advent of trucks and railways where

there had previously only been buffalo
and carts, telegraph systems, and more
coordinated distribution systems under
the colonial government all contributed
to famine elimination in Java, and in turn,
population growth. There were no
significant famines in Java from the
1840s through to the Japanese
occupation in the 1940s.[31] However,
other sources claimed the Dutch's
Cultivation system is linked to famines
and epidemics in the 1840s, firstly in
Cirebon and then Central Java, as cash
crops such as indigo and sugar had to be
grown instead of rice. Furthermore, the
age of first marriage dropped during the
19th century thus increasing a woman's
child-bearing years.[31]

Independence
Indonesian nationalism first took hold in
Java in the early 20th century, and the
struggle to secure the country's
independence following World War II was
centered in Java. In 1949, Indonesia
became independent and the island has
dominated Indonesian social, political
and economic life, which has been the
source of resentment of those residents
in other islands.

Demography
Demographic profile
Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia

Year Pop. ±%
1971 76,086,320 —    
1980 91,269,528 +20.0%
1990 107,581,306 +17.9%
2000 121,352,608 +12.8%
2010 136,610,590 +12.6%
2015 145,013,583 +6.2%
sources:[32][33] refers to the administrative region

Java has been traditionally dominated by

an elite class, while the people in the
lower classes were often involved in
agriculture and fishing. The elite class in
Java has evolved over the course of
history, as cultural wave after cultural
wave immigrated to the island. There is
evidence that South Asian emigres were
among this elite, as well as Arabian and
Persian immigrants during the Islamic
eras. More recently, Chinese immigrants
have also become part of the economic
elite of Java. Although politically the
Chinese generally remain sidelined, there
are notable exceptions, such as the
former governor of Jakarta, Basuki
Tjahaja Purnama. Though Java is
increasingly becoming more modern and
urban, only 75% of the island has
electricity. Villages and their rice paddies
are still a common sight. Unlike the rest
of Java, the population growth in Central
Java remains low. Central Java however
has a younger population than the
national average.[34] The slow population
growth can in part be attributed to the
choice by many people to leave the more
rural Central Java for better opportunities
and higher incomes in the bigger
cities.[35] Java's population continues to
rapidly increase despite many Javanese
leaving the island. This is somewhat due
to the fact that Java is the business,
academic, and cultural hub of Indonesia,
which attracts millions of non-Javanese
people to its cities. The population
growth is most intense in the regions
surrounding Jakarta and Bandung, which
is reflected through the demographic
diversity in those areas.

Population development

With a combined population of 145

million in the 2015 census (including
Madura's 3.7 million),[36] which is
estimated for 2014 at 143.1 million
(including 3.7 million for Madura), Java is
the most populous island in the world
and is home to 57% of Indonesia's
population.[36] At over 1,100 people per
km² in 2014, it is also one of the most
densely populated parts of the world, on
par with Bangladesh. Every region of the
island has numerous volcanoes, with the
people left to share the remaining flatter
land. Because of this, many coasts are
heavily populated and cities ring around
the valleys surrounding volcanic peaks.

The population growth rate more than

doubled in economically depressed
Central Java in the latest 2010–2015
period vs 2000–2010, indicative of
migration or other issues; there were
significant volcanic eruptions during the
earlier period. Approximately 45% of the
population of Indonesia is ethnically
Javanese,[37] while Sundanese make a
large portion of Java's population as well.
The western third of the island (West
Java, Banten, and DKI Jakarta) has an
even higher population density, of nearly
1,500 per square kilometer and accounts
for the lion's share of the population
growth of Java.[36] It is home to three
metropolitan areas, Greater Jakarta (with
outlying areas of Greater Serang and
Greater Sukabumi), Greater Bandung, and
Greater Cirebon.
Province or Population Population Population Popu
Area Area
Special Capital census of census of 2015 census dens
km² % [38] [38] [1]
Region 2000 2010 (prelim.) 20

Banten Serang 9,662.92 7.1 8,098,277 10,632,166 11,934,373

DKI Jakarta – 664.01 0.5 8,361,079 9,607,787 10,154,134 1

West Java Bandung 35,377.76 27.1 35,724,093 43,053,732 46,668,224

Western Java
(3 areas 45,704.69 34.7 52,183,449 63,293,685 68,756,731
above)

Central Java Semarang 32,800.69 25.3 31,223,258 32,382,657 33,753,023

Yogyakarta Yogyakarta 3,133.15 2.4 3,121,045 3,457,491 3,675,768

Central Java
Region
35,933.84 27.7 34,344,303 35,840,148 37,428,791
(2 areas
above)

East Java Surabaya 47,799.75 37.3 34,765,993 37,476,757 38,828,061

Region
Administered Jakarta 129,438.28 100% 121,293,745 136,610,590 145,013,583
as Java

Madura
Island of – 5,025.30 3.3 3,230,300 3,622,763 3,724,545**
East Java

Java
– 124,412.98 96.7 118,063,445 132,987,827 141,300,000** 1
Island1)

1) Other islands are included in this figure, but are very

small in population and area, Nusa Barung 100 km²,

Bawean 196 km², Karimunjawa 78 km², Kambangan

121 km², Panaitan 170 km², Thousand Islands 8.7 km²

– with a combined population of roughly 90,000.

2) Land area of provinces updated in 2010 Census

figures, areas may be different than past results.

3) 2015 Census prelim data released only first level

administrations only, where not available 2014 Min.

Health[33] estimates are used in their place.

From the 1970s to the fall of the Suharto

regime in 1998, the Indonesian
government ran transmigration programs
aimed at resettling the population of
Java on other less-populated islands of
Indonesia. This program has met with
mixed results, sometimes causing
conflicts between the locals and the
recently arrived settlers. Nevertheless, it
has caused Java's share of the nation's
population to progressively decline.
Jakarta and its outskirts, being the
dominant metropolis, is also home to
people from all over the nation. East Java
is also home to ethnic Balinese, as well
as large numbers of Madurans due to
their historic poverty.

Ethnicity and culture

A teenager in Java wearing traditional Javanese

attire: blangkon headgear, batik sarong and kris as
accessory. 1913
 y

Despite its large population and in

contrast to the other larger islands of
Indonesia, Java is comparatively
homogeneous in ethnic composition.
Only two ethnic groups are native to the
island—the Javanese and Sundanese. A
third group is the Madurese, who inhabit
the island of Madura off the north east
coast of Java, and have immigrated to
East Java in large numbers since the
18th century.[39] The Javanese comprise
about two-thirds of the island's
population, while the Sundanese and
Madurese account for 20% and 10%
respectively.[39] The fourth group is the
Betawi people that speak a dialect of
Malay, they are the descendants of the
people living around Batavia from around
the 17th century. Betawis are creole
people, mostly descended from various
Indonesian archipelago ethnic groups
such as Malay, Sundanese, Javanese,
Balinese, Minang, Bugis, Makassar,
Ambonese, mixed with foreign ethnic
groups such as Portuguese, Dutch, Arab,
Chinese and Indian brought to or
attracted to Batavia to meet labour
needs. They have a culture and language
distinct from the surrounding Sundanese
and Javanese.
Sundanese Gamelan players

The Javanese kakawin Tantu Pagelaran

explained the mythical origin of the
island and its volcanic nature. Four major
cultural areas exist on the island: the
kejawen or Javanese heartland, the north
coast of the pasisir region, the Sunda
lands of West Java, and the eastern
salient, also known as Blambangan.
Madura makes up a fifth area having
close cultural ties with coastal Java.[39]
The kejawen Javanese culture is the
island's most dominant. Java's remaining
aristocracy are based here, and it is the
region from where the majority of
Indonesia's army, business, and political
elite originate. Its language, arts, and
etiquette are regarded as the island's
most refined and exemplary.[39] The
territory from Banyumas in the west
through to Blitar in the east and
encompasses Indonesia's most fertile
and densely populated agricultural
land.[39]
Lakshmana, Rama and Shinta in Ramayana ballet at
Prambanan, Java.

In the southwestern part of Central Java,

which is usually named the Banyumasan
region, a cultural mingling occurred;
bringing together Javanese culture and
Sundanese culture to create the
Banyumasan culture. In the central
Javanese court cities of Yogyakarta and
Surakarta, contemporary kings trace their
lineages back to the pre-colonial Islamic
kingdoms that ruled the region, making
those places especially strong
repositories of classical Javanese
culture. Classic arts of Java include
gamelan music and wayang puppet
shows.

Java was the site of many influential

kingdoms in the Southeast Asian
region,[40] and as a result, many literary
works have been written by Javanese
authors. These include Ken Arok and Ken
Dedes, the story of the orphan who
usurped his king, and married the queen
of the ancient Javanese kingdom; and
translations of Ramayana and
Mahabharata. Pramoedya Ananta Toer is
a famous contemporary Indonesian
author, who has written many stories
based on his own experiences of having
grown up in Java, and takes many
elements from Javanese folklore and
historical legends.

Languages

Languages spoken in Java (Javanese is shown in

white). "Malay" refers to Betawi, the local dialect as
one of Malay creole dialect.

The three major languages spoken on

Java are Javanese, Sundanese and
Madurese. Other languages spoken
include Betawi (a Malay dialect local to
the Jakarta region), Osing, Banyumasan,
and Tenggerese (closely related to
Javanese), Baduy (closely related to
Sundanese), Kangeanese (closely related
to Madurese), and Balinese.[41] The vast
majority of the population also speaks
Indonesian, often as a second language.

Religion

Java has been a melting pot of religions

and cultures, which has created a broad
range of religious belief.

Indian influences came first with

Shaivism and Buddhism penetrating
deeply into society, blending with
indigenous tradition and culture.[42] One
conduit for this were the ascetics, called
resi, who taught mystical practices. A resi
lived surrounded by students, who took
care of their master's daily needs. Resi's
authorities were merely ceremonial. At
the courts, Brahmin clerics and
pudjangga (sacred literati) legitimised
rulers and linked Hindu cosmology to
their political needs.[42] Small Hindu
enclaves are scattered throughout Java,
but there is a large Hindu population
along the eastern coast nearest Bali,
especially around the town of
Banyuwangi.

The coming of Islam, strengthened the

status structure of this traditional
religious pattern. More than 90 percent
of the people of Java are Muslims, on a
broad continuum between abangan
(more traditional) and santri (more
modernist). The Muslim scholar of the
writ (Kyai) became the new religious elite
as Hindu influences receded. Islam
recognises no hierarchy of religious
leaders nor a formal priesthood, but the
Dutch colonial government established
an elaborate rank order for mosque and
other Islamic preaching schools. In
Javanese pesantren (Islamic schools),
The Kyai perpetuated the tradition of the
resi. Students around him provided his
needs, even peasants around the
school.[42]
A Hindu shrine dedicated to King Siliwangi
in Pura Parahyangan Agung Jagatkarta,
Bogor.

Mendut Vihara, a Buddhist monastery near

Mendut temple, Magelang.
 Masjid Gedhe Kauman in Yogyakarta, build
in traditional Javanese multi-tiered roof.

Ganjuran Church in Bantul, built in

traditional Javanese architecture.

Pre-Islamic Javan traditions have

encouraged Islam in a mystical direction.
There emerged in Java a loosely
structured society of religious leadership,
revolving around kyais, possessing
various degrees of proficiency in pre-
Islamic and Islamic lore, belief and
practice.[42] The kyais are the principal
intermediaries between the villages
masses and the realm of the
supernatural. However, this very
looseneess of kyai leadership structure
has promoted schism. There were often
sharp divisions between orthodox kyais,
who merely instructed in Islamic law,
with those who taught mysticism and
those who sought reformed Islam with
modern scientific concepts. As a result,
there is a division between santri, who
believe that they are more orthodox in
their Islamic belief and practice, with
abangan, who have mixed pre-Islamic
animistic and Hindu-Indian concepts with
a superficial acceptance of Islamic
belief.[42]

There are also Christian communities,

mostly in the larger cities, though some
rural areas of south-central Java are
strongly Roman Catholic. Buddhist
communities also exist in the major
cities, primarily among the Chinese
Indonesian. The Indonesian constitution
recognises six official religions.

A wider effect of this division is the

number of sects. In the middle of 1956,
the Department of Religious Affairs in
Yogyakarta reported 63 religious sects in
Java other than the official Indonesian
religions. Of these, 35 were in Central
Java, 22 in West Java and six in East
Java.[42] These include Kejawen,
Sumarah, Subud, etc. Their total
membership is difficult to estimate as
many of their adherents identify
themselves with one of the official
religions.[43]

Economy

Water buffalo ploughing rice fields near Salatiga,

Central Java
Central Java

Initially the economy of Java relied

heavily on rice agriculture. Ancient
kingdoms such as the Tarumanagara,
Mataram, and Majapahit were dependent
on rice yields and tax. Java was famous
for rice surpluses and rice export since
ancient times, and rice agriculture
contributed to the population growth of
the island. Trade with other parts of Asia
such as ancient India and China
flourished as early as the 4th century, as
evidenced by Chinese ceramics found on
the island dated to that period. Java also
took part in the global trade of Maluku
spice from ancient times in the
Majapahit era, until well into the Dutch
East India Company (VOC) era.

The VOC set their foothold on Batavia in

the 17th century and was succeeded by
the Dutch East Indies in the 19th century.
During these colonial times, the Dutch
introduced the cultivation of commercial
plants in Java, such as sugarcane,
rubber, coffee, tea, and quinine. In the
19th and early 20th century, Javanese
coffee gained global popularity. Thus, the
name "Java" today has become a
synonym for coffee.
Central Jakarta

Java has been Indonesia's most

developed island since the Dutch East
Indies era and continues to be so today
in the modern Republic of Indonesia. The
road transportation networks that have
existed since ancient times were
connected and perfected with the
construction of Java Great Post Road by
Daendels in the early 19th century. It
became the backbone of Java's road
infrastructure and laid the base of Java
North Coast Road (Indonesian: Jalan
Pantura, abbreviation from "Pantai Utara").
The need to transport commercial
produces such as coffee from
plantations in the interior of the island to
the harbour on the coast spurred the
construction of railway networks in Java.
Today, industry, business, trade and
services flourished in major cities of
Java, such as Jakarta, Surabaya,
Semarang, and Bandung; while some
traditional Sultanate cities such as
Yogyakarta, Surakarta, and Cirebon
preserved its royal legacy and has
become the centre of art, culture and
tourism. Industrial estates are also
growing in towns on northern coast of
Java, especially around Cilegon,
Tangerang, Bekasi, Karawang, Gresik and
Sidoarjo. The toll road highway networks
was built and expanded since the New
Order until the present day, connecting
major urban centres and surrounding
areas, such as in and around Jakarta and
Bandung; also the ones in Cirebon,
Semarang and Surabaya. In addition to
these motorways, Java has 16 national
highways.

Based on the statistical data by the year

of 2012 released by Statistics Indonesia
(Badan Pusat Statistik), Java alone
contributes at least 57.51% of
Indonesia's GDP or equivalent to
US$504 billion.
See also
History of Indonesia
List of monarchs of Java

References
1. Indonesia: Urban Population of
Cities Retrieved 22 December 2015.
2. Raffles, Thomas E.: History of Java.
Oxford University Press, 1965, p. 2.
3. Raffles, Thomas E.: History of Java.
Oxford University Press, 1965, p. 3.
4. History of Ancient India Kapur,
Kamlesh
5. Hindu culture in ancient India by
Sekharipuram Vaidyanatha
Viswanatha, p. 177.
 6. Tamil Literature by M. S.
Purnalingam Pillai, p. 46.
7. The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years
Ago by V. Kanakasabhai, p. 11.
8. Hatley, R., Schiller, J., Lucas, A.,
Martin-Schiller, B., (1984). "Mapping
cultural regions of Java" in: Other
Javas away from the kraton. pp. 1–
32.
9. J. Oliver Thomson (2013). History of
Ancient Geography . Cambridge
University Press. pp. 316–317.
ISBN 9781107689923.
10. Lombard, Denys (1990). The
Javanese Crossroads: Essay of
 global history. ISBN 978-
2713209499.
11. Mills, J.V.G. (1970). Ying-yai Sheng-
lan: The Overall Survey of the Ocean
Shores [1433]. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
12. Yule, Sir Henry (1913). Cathay and
the way thither: being a collection of
medieval notices of China vol. III.
London: The Hakluyt Society.
13. Ricklefs, M. C. (1990). A History of
Modern Indonesia since c.1300 (2
ed.). London: MacMillan. p. 15.
ISBN 978-0-333-57690-8.
14. Management of Bengawan Solo
River Area Archived 2007-10-11 at
 the Wayback Machine Jasa Tirta I
Corporation 2004. Retrieved 26 July
2006.
15. "Climate, Weather, and Temperature
of Java Indonesia" . Retrieved 1 April
2014.
16. "Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros
sondaicus)" . EDGE Evolutionarily
Distinct and Globally Endangered.
Retrieved 26 June 2012.
17. "Indonesia bird watching tour" .
wildlifenews.co.uk. Archived from
the original on 9 February 2012.
Retrieved 26 June 2012.
18. Nguyen, T. T. T., and S. S. De Silva
(2006). Freshwater finfish
 biodiversity and conservation: an
asian perspective. Biodiversity &
Conservation 15(11): 3543–3568.
19. Pope, G. G. (1988). "Recent
advances in far eastern
paleoanthropology". Annual Review
of Anthropology. 17: 43–77.
doi:10.1146/annurev.an.17.100188.0
00355 . cited in Whitten, T.;
Soeriaatmadja, R. E.; Suraya A. A.
(1996). The Ecology of Java and
Bali. Hong Kong: Periplus Editions
Ltd. pp. 309–312.; Pope, G. (15
August 1983). "Evidence on the Age
of the Asian Hominidae" .
Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences of the United
States of America. 80 (16): 4, 988–
4992.
doi:10.1073/pnas.80.16.4988 .
PMC 384173 . PMID 6410399 . cited
in Whitten, T.; Soeriaatmadja, R. E.;
Suraya A. A. (1996). The Ecology of
Java and Bali. Hong Kong: Periplus
Editions Ltd. p. 309.; de Vos, J. P.; P.
Y. Sondaar (9 December 1994).
"Dating hominid sites in Indonesia"
(PDF). Science Magazine. 266 (16):
4, 988–4992.
doi:10.1126/science.7992059 . cited
in Whitten, T; Soeriaatmadja, R. E.;
Suraya A. A. (1996). The Ecology of
Java and Bali. Hong Kong: Periplus
Editions Ltd. p. 309.
20. Ricklefs (1991), pp. 16–17.
21. Ricklefs (1991), p. 15.
22. Coedès, George (1968). Walter F.
Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of
Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown
Cowing. University of Hawaii Press.
ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
23. Ames, Glenn J. (2008). The Globe
Encompassed: The Age of European
Discovery, 1500–1700. p. 99.
24. St. John, Horace Stebbing Roscoe
(1853). The Indian Archipelago: its
history and present state, Volume 1 .
Longman, Brown, Green, and
Longmans. p. 137.
25. Ekspedisi Anjer-Panaroekan,
Laporan Jurnalistik Kompas. Pnerbit
Buku Kompas, PT Kompas Media
Nusantara, Jakarta Indonesia.
November 2008. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-
979-709-391-4.
26. Atkins, James (1889). The Coins And
Tokens of the Possessions And
Colonies of the British Empire.
London. p. 213.
27. Java (island, Indonesia) .
Encyclopædia Britannica.
28. Taylor (2003), p. 253.
29. Taylor (2003), pp. 253–254.
30. Byrne, Joseph Patrick (2008).
Encyclopedia of Pestilence,
 Pandemics, and Plagues: A-M . ABC-
CLIO. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-313-34102-
1.
31. Taylor (2003), p. 254.
32. "Statistics Indonesia" . Bps.go.id.
Archived from the original on 1 July
2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
33. "Estimasi Penduduk Menurut Umur
Tunggal Dan Jenis Kelamin 2014
Kementerian Kesehatan" (PDF).
Archived from the original (PDF) on
8 February 2014. Retrieved
20 February 2014.
34. Usia Kawin Pertama Rata-Rata
Wanita Menurut Provinsi: Sensus
Penduduk Tahun 1990, 2000 dan
 2010 Archived 2015-06-29 at the
Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16
August 2015.
35. Agus Maryono (30 March 2009).
"Central Java strives to alleviate
poverty" . The Jakarta Post.
Archived from the original on 8
September 2015. Retrieved
16 August 2015.
36. "Population growth 'good for
Papua' " . The Jakarta Post. 23
August 2010. Archived from the
original on 24 August 2010.
Retrieved 30 August 2010.
37. CIA factbook
38. "Indonesia (Urban City Population):
Provinces & Cities – Statistics &
Maps on City Population" .
Citypopulation.de. 2010-05-01.
Retrieved 2013-07-17.
39. Hefner, Robert (1997). Java.
Singapore: Periplus Editions. p. 58.
ISBN 978-962-593-244-6.
40. See Wallace Stevens's poem "Tea"
for an appreciative allusion to
Javanese culture.
41. Languages of Java and Bali
Archived 2017-02-16 at the
Wayback Machine. Other sources
may list some of these as dialects
rather than languages.
42. van der Kroef, Justus M. (1961).
"New Religious Sects in Java". Far
Eastern Survey. 30 (2): 18–25.
doi:10.1525/as.1961.30.2.01p1432
u . JSTOR 3024260 .
43. Beatty, Andrew, Varieties of
Javanese Religion: An
Anthropological Account, Cambridge
University Press 1999, ISBN 0-521-
62473-8

Sources
Taylor, Jean Gelman (2003). Indonesia:
Peoples and Histories. New Haven and
London: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-
300-10518-6.

Further reading
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for
Java.

Cribb, Robert (2000). Historical Atlas of

Indonesia . London and Honolulu:
RoutledgeCurzon Press, University of
Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2111-
1.
Padmo, Soegijanto (2000). Java and
The Making of The Nation. Humaniora
Journal , Gadjah Mada University.
https://media.neliti.com/media/public
ations/11597-java-and-the-making-op-
the-nation-2d30d285.pdf
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Java&oldid=916971938"

Last edited 11 days ago by Monkbot

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless

otherwise noted.