Java (
Indonesian:
Jawa;
Javanese:
ꦗꦮ) is an
island of
Indonesia. The elongated volcano studded tropical island is noted for supporting a huge population, Java island itself is home to 57 percent of the Indonesian population (roughly 139 million in 2014, 143 million administratively which includes
Madura), it is the
most populous island on Earth, as an independent nation
it would rank ninth in the world by population, having overtaken the Russian Federation by 2015. Java is a cultural superpower; much of Indonesian history took place on the island, its cultural legacy spreads far beyond Indonesia. The Indonesian
capitaland megacity,
Jakarta, is located on western Java, as well as the nation's two other largest metropolises. Java was the center 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 and its
transmigrasi emigres dominate Indonesia
politically,
economically and
culturally, to the point where other Indonesian islands are overrun by immigrants from Java and the local cultures on those islands are becoming increasingly
Javan.
Java is the
13th largest island in the world and the fifth largest in Indonesia. A chain of volcanic mountains forms an east–west spine along the island. Three main languages are spoken on the island, with
Javanese and
Sundanese being the dominant; Javanese is the native language of about 80 million people in Indonesia, most of whom live on Java, although the invented
Bahasa Indonesia is the
lingua franca. Most residents are
bilingual, with
Indonesian as their first or second language. While the majority of the people of Java are
Muslim, Java has a diverse mixture of religious beliefs, ethnicities, and cultures.
Etymology[edit]
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.
[1] There are other possible sources: the word
jaú and its variations mean "beyond" or "distant".
[2] And, in
Sanskrit yavameans barley, a plant for which the island was famous.
[2] "Yawadvipa" is mentioned in
India's earliest epic, the
Ramayana.
Sugriva, the chief of
Rama's army dispatched his men to Yawadvipa, the island of Java, in search of
Sita.
[3] It was hence referred to in Indian by the Sanskrit name "yāvaka dvīpa" (dvīpa = island). Java is mentioned in the ancient Tamil text Manimekalai that states that Java had a kingdom with a capital called Nagapuram.
[4][5][6] Another source states that the "Java" word is derived from a
Proto-Austronesian root word, meaning 'home'.
[7] The great island of Iabadiu or Jabadiu was mentioned in
Ptolemy's Geographia composed around 150 CE
Roman Empire.
Iabadiu is said to means "barley island", to be rich in gold, and have a silver town called Argyra at the west end. The name indicate Java,
[8] and seems to be derived from Hindu name Java-dvipa (Yawadvipa).
Geography[edit]
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 m). The most active volcano in Java and also in Indonesia is
Mount Merapi (2,930 m).
See Volcanoes of Java.
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.
[9] 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.
The area of Java is approximately 150,000 km
2.
[10] 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.
[11] 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 to 29 °C; average humidity is 75%. The northern coastal plains are normally hotter, averaging 34 °C during the day in the
dry season. The south coast is generally cooler than the north, and highland areas inland are even cooler.
[12] 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 mm annually, while the north coast of East Java receives 900 mm annually.
Natural environment[edit]
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.
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.
Originally Javan wildlife supported a rich biodiversity, where numbers of
endemic species of flora and fauna flourished; such as the
Javan rhinoceros,
[13] Javan banteng,
Javan warty pig,
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.
[14] There are about 130 freshwater fish species in Java.
[15]
However, Java is also home to large numbers of humans. With an estimated population of 114,733,500 in 1995, Java contains well over half of Indonesia's population.
[16] 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 and
Alas Purwo.
Administrative division[edit]
The island as well as nearby islands are administratively jointly, divided into four
provinces:
and two special regions:
History[edit]
Mount Merbabu surrounded by rice fields. Java's volcanic topography and rich agricultural lands are the fundamental factors in its history.
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.
[18] 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. Subsequently, communication between Java's population was difficult.
[19]
Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms era[edit]
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.
[20]: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,
Singhasariand
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[20]: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.
[20]: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.
[20]:241
Spread of Islam and rise of Islamic sultanates[edit]
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[edit]
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.
[21] By the end of the 18th century the Dutch had extended their influence over the sultanates of the interior (see
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.
[22]
During
Napoleonic wars in Europe, the
Netherlands fell under
France Republic, and so did its colony in East Indies. During the short-lived
Daendels administration (as French proxy rule on Java), the construction of
Java Great Post Road was commenced in 1808. The road span from
Anyer in Western Java to Panarukan in East Java served as a military supply route to defend Java from incoming British invasion.
[23]
Japanese prepare to discuss surrender terms with British-allied forces in Java 1945
In 1815, there may have been five million people in Java.
[25] 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.
[26]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.
[27] Cholera claimed 100,000 lives in Java in 1820.
[28]
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.
[29] Ethnological factors are also thought to have contributed to the increase in population. In Java, there was no absolute preference for boy babies that was significant in Java where agriculture depends on the labour of both men and women. Furthermore, the age of first marriage dropped during the 19th century thus increasing a woman's child bearing years.
[29]
Independence[edit]
Demography[edit]
| Historical population |
|---|
| 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% |
|---|
| 2014 | 143,173,263 | +4.8% |
|---|
| sources:[31][32] |
Demographic Profile[edit]
Java has been traditionally demographically dominated by an elite class, while the masses remained agriculturally and fishing bound and thus were sustained by high birthrates. This elite class has changed over the course of history, as cultural waves after waves lapped 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 have become part of the economic elite of Java, although politically they generally remain sidelined, there are notable exceptions such as the governor of Jakarta,
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. Today, Java is increasingly urban, modern culture has arrived in Java, yet only 75% of the island is electrified, villages and their rice paddies still are a common sight, as well as well as a youthful population. Central Java unlike the rest of the island registers very slow population growth, yet it maintains a more youthful population than the national average,
[33] this is explained by heavy outflows from the countryside or from lesser cities in search of larger incomes as the region remains economically depressed.
[34] Java's population continues relentlessly increase despite masses of Javans leaving, the island is the business academic and cultural hub of the nation and therefore attracts millions of non-Javans to its cities, the inflows are most intense in regions surrounding
Jakarta and
Bandung and diversity of demographics reflect this in those areas. Complete demographic profiles are not yet available; ethnic profile or age profile are lacking, Java despite being the core of the nation, Jakarta let alone Java still has a long way to go to complete its profile and tracking of citizens, this is reflected in the painfully slow rollout of universal
Indonesian identity card registration coverage.
Population Development[edit]
With a combined population of 136.5 million in the 2010 census (including Madura's 3.6 million),
[35] 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.
[35] 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. Thus the
physiological density of Java is exceptionally high, even by Asian standards.
Though little population growth is registered in Central Java, East Java, and Yogyakarta, these regions have higher birth rates than one would assume due to mass emigration to the Western side of Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua. Approximately 45% of the population of Indonesia is ethnically Javanese,
[36] 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.
[35] It is home to three metropolitan areas,
Greater Jakarta (with outlying areas of Greater
Serang and Greater
Sukabumi),
Greater Bandung, and Greater
Cirebon.
|
| Banten | Serang | 9,662.92 | 7.1 | 8,098,277 | 10,632,166 | 11,834,087 | 1,224 |
| DKI Jakarta | - | 664.01 | 0.5 | 8,361,079 | 9,607,787 | 10,135,030 | 15,263 |
| West Java | Bandung | 35,377.76 | 27.1 | 35,724,093 | 43,053,732 | 46,300,543 | 1,309 |
Western Java
(3 areas above) | | 45,704.69 | 34.7 | 52,183,449 | 63,293,685 | 68,269,660 | 1,494 |
| Central Java | Semarang | 32,800.69 | 25.3 | 31,223,258 | 32,382,657 | 32,779,832 | 999 |
| Yogyakarta | Yogyakarta | 3,133.15 | 2.4 | 3,121,045 | 3,457,491 | 3,594,290 | 1,147 |
| East Java | Surabaya | 47,799.75 | 37.3 | 34,765,993 | 37,476,757 | 38,529,481 | 806 |
| Region Administered as Java | Jakarta | 129,438.28 | 100% | 121,293,745 | 136,610,590 | 143,173,263 | 1,106 |
- Madura Island of East Java
| - | 5,025.30 | 3.3 | 3,230,300 | 3,622,763 | 3,724,545 | 741 |
- Java Island1)
| - | 124,412.98 | 96.7 | 118,063,445 | 132,987,827 | 139,448,718 | 1,121 |
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.
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[edit]
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
Maduraoff the north east coast of Java, and have immigrated to
East Java in large numbers since the 18th century.
[38] The Javanese comprise about two-thirds of the island's population, while the Sundanese and Madurese account for 20% and 10% respectively.
[38] 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.
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.
[38] 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.
[38] The territory from
Banyumas in the west through to
Blitar in the east and encompasses Indonesia's most fertile and densely populated agricultural land.
[38]
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.
[citation needed] 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,
[39] 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[edit]
Languages spoken in Java (Javanese is shown in white). "Malay" refers to
Betawi, the local dialect as one of Malay creole dialect.
Religion[edit]
Mosque in Pati, Central Java during
colonial period. The mosque combined traditional Javanese style (multi-tiered roof) with European architecture.
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.
[41]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.
[41] 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.
Islam, which came after Hinduism, 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.
[41]
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.
[41] 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.
[41]
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.
[41] 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.
[42]
Economy[edit]
Initially the economy of Java relied heavily on
rice agriculture. Ancient kingdoms such as the
Tarumanagara,
Mataram, and
Majapahitwere 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 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
Malukuspice from ancient times in the Majapahit era, until well into the
VOC era.
Dutch East India Company set their foothold on
Batavia in the 17th century and was succeeded by
Netherlands East Indies in the 18th 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.
Java transportation network
Java is the most developed island in Indonesia since the era of Netherlands East Indies to 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. The Java Great Post Road become 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 the
industry, business and trade, also 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 become the centre of art, culture and tourism in Java. Industrial estates 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
Suharto era until now, 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 which's released by Badan Pusat Statistik, Java Island itself contributes at least 57.51% of Indonesia's Gross Domestic Product or equivalent to 504 billions US$.