Tangerang

Lore & Background

According to VOC archives, the Banten Sultanate established a settlement west of the Cisadane River, displacing local inhabitants. In 1668, the Sultan appointed local leaders to govern the area, but they were later removed on suspicion of rebellion. After conflict with Banten, Kyai Soeradilaga sought VOC protection and was granted the honorary title Raden Aria Suryamanggala. His son became the first Regent of Tangerang, with territory between the Angke and Cisadane Rivers. An agreement in 1684 (likely the Treaty of Banten) ceded some territories to the VOC, though Tangerang's status as VOC territory was complex; a fort was built to guard against Bantenese attacks, leading to Tangerang being known as 'the Citadel.' The fort fell into neglect after 1812.

During the Indonesian revolution, the Laskar Hitam militia operated in Tangerang in late 1945, though its exact founding date and aim to create an Islamic nation are not widely established in standard sources. On 31 October 1945, they kidnapped Otto Iskandardinata, the Minister of State, who was presumed murdered at Mauk beach on 20 December 1945. Tangerang became an autonomous city on 27 February 1993, separating from Tangerang Regency. In 2007, the city passed an anti-prostitution law that allowed arrest of women perceived as provocatively dressed, leading some to wear the hijab to avoid prosecution. In 2021, a prison fire killed at least 41 inmates and injured 80. In September 2024, Alice Guo was arrested in Tangerang and returned to the Philippines.

Reader's Guide

Tangerang's significance lies in its dual role as both a dormitory city for Jakarta and a self-contained industrial and commercial center. With over 1,000 factories, it is a key manufacturing hub on Java, while its satellite cities—such as BSD City, Alam Sutera, and Lippo Village—attract property developers and host prominent universities like Bina Nusantara, Bunda Mulia, and Monash University's Indonesia campus. The city's population grew from 1,798,601 in 2010 to an estimated 1,927,815 in 2024, making it the eighth most populated suburb in the world at the 2020 Census. Its history under VOC control, marked by the construction of a fort that gave Tangerang the nickname 'Citadel,' and its role in the Indonesian revolution through the Laskar Hitam militia, add layers to its identity. Recent developments, including the first IKEA in Indonesia and ongoing toll road expansions, underscore its continued economic growth. The city's governance, led by Mayor Arief Rachadiono Wismansyah since 2013, has also addressed social issues through legislation like the 2007 anti-prostitution law.

Did You Know?

• Tangerang is home to Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, the primary airport for the Jakarta metropolitan area.
• The city was formed as an autonomous city on 27 February 1993, previously being an administrative city within Tangerang Regency.
• In 2021, a fire at Tangerang prison killed at least 41 inmates and injured 80 people.
• The first IKEA in Indonesia operates in Tangerang.