Java
World's most populous island, center of Indonesian history and culture.
Java, one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia, is the world’s most populous island, with an estimated 159.2 million residents—roughly 56 percent of the nation’s population—despite covering only seven percent of Indonesia’s land area. The capital, Jakarta, lies on its northwestern coast. The island was formed by volcanic activity driven by the subduction of the Australian Plate beneath the Sunda Plate, and a chain of volcanic mountains runs east–west along its spine. It is the 13th largest island globally and the fifth largest in Indonesia by landmass, including Madura and smaller offshore islands. Java is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean, to the north. Four main languages are spoken: Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, and Betawi, with Javanese and Sundanese being the most widespread. The Javanese people inhabit the central and eastern parts, the Sundanese the west, while the Madurese in the eastern salient are migrants from Madura Island, and the Betawi in Jakarta are a hybrid of various Indonesian ethnic groups. Most residents are bilingual, using Indonesian as a first or second language. Although the majority are Muslim, the population is diverse in religion, ethnicity, and culture. Java is divided into four provinces—Banten, West Java, Central Java, and East Java—and two special regions, Jakarta and Yogyakarta. The island has been the center of powerful Hindu-Buddhist empires, Islamic sultanates, the colonial Dutch East Indies, and the Indonesian independence struggle of the 1930s and 1940s, dominating Indonesia politically, economically, and culturally. Four of Indonesia’s eight UNESCO World Heritage sites are located here: Ujung Kulon National Park, Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, and the Sangiran Early Man Site.
- Location
- Southeast Asia, Indonesia
- Number of active volcanoes
- 35
- Major languages
- Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, Betawi
- Capital city
- Jakarta
Quick Facts
- Native Name
- id · Jawa / jv · ꦗꦮ / su · ᮏᮝ / bew · Jawè
- Location
- Southeast Asia
- Archipelago
- Indonesian Archipelago / ---- / Greater Sunda Islands
- Area Km2
- 132644.29
- Rank
- 13th
- Highest Mount
- Semeru
- Elevation M
- 3678
- Country
- Indonesia
- Country Admin Divisions Title
- Provinces
- Country Admin Divisions
- Banten · Jakarta · West Java · Central Java · Special Region of Yogyakarta · East Java
- Country Largest City
- Jakarta (pop.10,678,000)
- Population
- 158,079,100
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Java is the world’s 13th largest island and the fifth largest in Indonesia by landmass. It lies between Sumatra to the west and Bali to the east, bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. The island was formed by volcanic activity resulting from the subduction of the Australian Plate beneath the Sunda Plate. A chain of volcanic mountains runs east–west across the island; there are 38 mountains that have been active volcanoes at some point, with 112 volcanoes in total, 35 of which remain active. The highest peak is Mount Semeru, while the most active volcano on Java and in all of Indonesia is Mount Merapi. These mountains and highlands divide the interior into relatively isolated regions ideal for wet-rice cultivation, and the rice lands of Java are among the richest in the world. Java is also the place where Indonesian coffee was first grown, beginning in 1699; today, coffea arabica is cultivated on the Ijen Plateau by both small-holders and larger plantations. The island’s longest river is the Solo River, which rises from the Lawu volcano in central Java and flows north and east to the Java Sea near Surabaya. Other major rivers include the Brantas, Citarum, Cimanuk, and Serayu. The average temperature ranges from 22°C to 29°C, with high humidity.
Reader's Guide
Java's significance lies in its role as the demographic and historical core of Indonesia. It holds about 56% of the Indonesian population on only 7% of the country's land area. Four of Indonesia's eight UNESCO world heritage sites are located on Java: Ujung Kulon National Park, Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, and Sangiran Early Man Site. The island is divided into four provinces (Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java) and two special regions (Jakarta and Yogyakarta). Its natural environment ranges from tropical rainforest in the west to dry savanna in the east, supporting endemic species such as the Javan rhinoceros, Javan banteng, and Javan leopard, though some like the Javan tiger and Javan elephant are now extinct. The name 'Java' likely derives from the jawa (foxtail millet) plant, though other theories exist. The toponym appears in ancient Sanskrit, Tamil, Pāli, Greek, and Chinese sources, reflecting its long historical importance.
Did You Know?
- The island's name may derive from the jawa (foxtail millet) plant, from Proto-Austronesian *zawa.
- The Javan tiger and Javan elephant are now extinct.
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