Surabaya

Surabaya serves as the capital and largest city of East Java province, ranking as Indonesia’s second-largest city after Jakarta. It sits on the northeastern tip of Java island along the Madura Strait, and it is counted among Southeast Asia’s earliest port cities. The National Development Planning Agency classifies Surabaya as one of Indonesia’s four main central cities, the others being Jakarta, Medan, and Makassar. The city proper spans 334.50 square kilometers. At the 2020 census, its population stood at 2,874,314; by mid-2025, official estimates put the figure at 3,003,860—1,487,077 males and 1,516,783 females. The broader Surabaya metropolitan area, home to over 10 million people, is Indonesia’s second-largest metropolitan region. This metro area also holds the sixth-largest economy in ASEAN, ahead of Hanoi. In 2023, the city’s gross regional product at purchasing power parity was estimated at US$150.294 billion. Settlement in the area dates to the 10th century under the Kingdom of Janggala, one of two Javanese kingdoms formed in 1045 when Airlangga abdicated in favor of his two sons (the other being Kediri). By the late 15th and 16th centuries, Surabaya had grown into a duchy—a major political and military power and an eastern Java port, likely under the Majapahit empire. Its location on the Brantas River delta and along the trade route linking Malacca to the Spice Islands via the Java Sea made it a key trading port. During Majapahit’s decline, Surabaya’s lord resisted the rising Demak Sultanate, only submitting to its rule in 1530. After Sultan Trenggana of Demak died in 1546, Surabaya regained independence. From the 18th century through the mid-20th century, Surabaya was the Dutch East Indies’ largest city and the archipelago’s primary trading hub, rivaling Shanghai and Hong Kong. The port has long been one of Asia’s busiest, with principal exports including sugar, tobacco, and coffee. This trading heritage fostered a strong financial infrastructure—banks, insurance firms, and export-import companies. Recent growth in international industries and the completion of the Suramadu Bridge have further shaped the economy. The city hosts a major shipyard and numerous specialized naval schools. Bank of Indonesia has also designated Surabaya as a candidate for the country’s Islamic financial center. **Name**

The name Surabaya comes from the Javanese phrase “sura ing baya,” meaning “bravely facing danger.” Its roots lie in the Pali words “sura” (referring to the figure Asura from Buddhist beliefs) and “bhaya” (fear, perils, or danger). This name connects to a prophecy by Jayabaya, a 12th-century psychic king of Kediri whose own name—from Pali “jaya” or “vijaya” (victory or conqueror) and “bhaya”—means “conquering fear or perils.” Jayabaya foretold a battle between a giant white shark and a giant white crocodile in the region. Some interpret this as predicting the Mongol invasion of Java—a major conflict between Kublai Khan’s forces and Raden Wijaya’s Majapahit on 31 May 1293, now considered the city’s founding date. The two animals appear as the city’s symbol, facing and circling each other, depicted in a statue near the entrance to the city zoo. Others see Jayabaya’s prophecy as referring to the great war between native Surabayan people and foreign invaders at the start of the 1945 war of independence. Another story tells of two heroes, Sura and Baya, who fought each other to become king of the city. These folk etymologies, though embraced by residents and city leaders, remain unverifiable. Surabaya was formerly spelled Soerabaja under the van Ophuijsen spelling system, an older Indonesian orthography. **History**

**Early history** The Kingdom of Janggala emerged in 1045 when Airlangga abdicated the throne of Kahuripan in favor of his two sons. The earliest historical record of Surabaya appears in the 1225 book *Zhu Fan Zhi* by Zhao Rukuo, where it is called Zhòng Jiā Lú (重迦庐). The name Janggala derives from the Old Javanese Hujung Galuh (meaning “Cape Diamond” or “Cape Gemstone”), located on the Brantas River estuary, now part of modern Surabaya and Sidoarjo Regency. By the 14th and 15th centuries, Surabaya was one of Majapahit’s ports or coastal settlements, alongside Tuban, Gresik, and Hujung Galuh. Ma Huan documented the early 15th-century visit of Zheng He’s treasure ships in his 1433 book *Yingya Shenglan*:

“After travelling south for more than 20 li, the ship reached Sulumayi, whose foreign name is Surabaya. At the estuary, the outflowing water is fresh.”

Ma Huan visited Java during Zheng He’s fourth expedition in 1413, during the reign of Majapahit king Wikramawardhana. He describes traveling to the Majapahit capital: first arriving at the port of Tupan (Tuban), where he saw many Chinese settlers from Guangdong and Zhangzhou; then sailing east to the thriving new trading town of Koerhhsi (Gresik) and Supaerhya (Surabaya); then taking a smaller boat inland southwest along the river to the Brantas port of Changku (Canggu); and finally traveling by land southwest to ManchepoI (Majapahit), where the Javanese king resided. **Pre-colonial era** The Surabaya area once served as the main sea gateway to the Majapahit capital, at the mouth of the Kali Mas river.