Jakarta Validation
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Jakarta (; , Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
and an autonomous region at the provincial level. Lying on the northwest coast of
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
, the world's most populous island, Jakarta is the largest metropole in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
and serves as the diplomatic capital of
ASEAN The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...
. The Special Region has a status equivalent to that of a
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
and is bordered by two other provinces:
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
to the south and east; and
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
to the west. Its coastline faces the
Java Sea The Java Sea (, ) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its northwest links it to the South Ch ...
to the north, and it shares a maritime border with
Lampung Lampung, officially the Province of Lampung (; ), is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southern tip of the island of Sumatra. It has a short border with the province of Bengkulu to the northwest, and a longer border with the provi ...
to the west. Jakarta's metropolitan area is ASEAN's second largest economy after
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
. In 2023, the city's GDP PPP was estimated at US$724.010 billion. Jakarta is the economic, cultural, and political centre of Indonesia. Although Jakarta extends over only and thus has the smallest area of any Indonesian province, its
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
covers , which includes the satellite cities of
Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.
, Depok,
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
, South Tangerang, and
Bekasi Bekasi (, ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of West Java, Indonesia, located on the eastern border of Jakarta. It serves as a commuter town, commuter city within the Jakarta m ...
, and has an estimated population of 32.6 million , making it the largest urban area in Indonesia and the second-largest in the world (after
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
). Jakarta ranks first among the Indonesian provinces in the
human development index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistical composite index of life expectancy, Education Index, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income i ...
. Jakarta's business and employment opportunities, along with its ability to offer a potentially higher
standard of living Standard of living is the level of income, comforts and services available to an individual, community or society. A contributing factor to an individual's quality of life, standard of living is generally concerned with objective metrics outsid ...
compared to other parts of the country, have attracted migrants from across the Indonesian
archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Example archipelagos include the Aegean Islands (the o ...
, making it a melting pot of numerous cultures. Jakarta is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Southeast Asia. Established in the fourth century as
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
, the city became an important trading port for the
Sunda Kingdom The Sunda Kingdom ( , ) was a Sundanese people, Sundanese Hindu kingdom located in the western portion of the island of Java from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Lampung, and the western part of ...
. At one time, it was the ''de facto'' capital of the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
, when it was known as Batavia. Jakarta was officially a city within
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
until 1960 when its official status was changed to a
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
with special capital region distinction. As a province, its government consists of five administrative cities and one administrative regency. Jakarta is an alpha world city and the ASEAN secretariat's seat. Financial institutions such as the Bank of Indonesia,
Indonesia Stock Exchange Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) ( (BEI)) is a stock exchange based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was previously known as the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) before its name changed in 2007 after merging with the Surabaya Stock Exchange (SSX). In rece ...
, and corporate headquarters of numerous Indonesian companies and
multinational corporation A multinational corporation (MNC; also called a multinational enterprise (MNE), transnational enterprise (TNE), transnational corporation (TNC), international corporation, or stateless corporation, is a corporate organization that owns and cont ...
s are located in the city. Jakarta, as Indonesia’s largest Muslim-majority city, is known for its tradition of religious tolerance and pluralism. The Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, stands as a symbol of the city’s commitment to interfaith harmony. Jakarta's main challenges include rapid urban growth, ecological breakdown, air pollution, gridlocked traffic, congestion, and
flooding A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant concern in agriculture, civi ...
due to subsidence and water extraction (sea level rise is relative, not absolute). Part of North Jakarta is sinking up to 17 cm (6.7 inches) annually, meanwhile the southern part is relatively safe. This has made the northern part of the city more prone to flooding and one of the fastest-sinking capitals in the world. In response to these challenges, in August 2019, President
Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), often known mononymously as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician, engineer, and businessman who served as the seventh president of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024. Previously a member of the Indonesian Democratic ...
announced plans to move the capital from Jakarta to the planned city of Nusantara, in the province of
East Kalimantan East Kalimantan (Indonesian language, Indonesian: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. Its territory comprises the eastern portion of Borneo/Kalimantan. It had a population of about 3.03 million at the 2010 census (within the cu ...
on the island of
Borneo Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...
. The MPR approved the move on 18 January 2022. The Indonesian government is not abandoning Jakarta after announcing plans to move the country's capital, its planning minister said, pledging to spend US$40 billion, which is more than the cost to build Nusantara, to save the city in the next decade.


Name

Jakarta has been home to multiple settlements. Below is the list of names used during its existence: * Buni people (400 BC–500 AD) * Sundapura (358–669) *
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
(669–1527) * Jayakarta (1527–1619) * Batavia (1619–1949) * Djakarta (1942–1972) * Jakarta (1972–present) The Buni people is a prehistoric
clay pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...
culture that flourished in coastal northern
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
, Jakarta, and
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
around 400 BC to 100 AD and survived until 500 AD. Sundapura is the name mentioned in the Tugu inscription from
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
, a kingdom in coastal West Java. The strategic geographical position of coastal West Java, which corresponds to today modern Jakarta, is a commanding region that controls the Sunda Strait. This location is strategic in regard to
Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
and also its connection to Asian continent of
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
and
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. After the fall of the Tarumanagara, the name of city was changed to 'Sunda Kelapa' or 'Coconut of Sunda,' growing to be the main harbour for the
Sunda Kingdom The Sunda Kingdom ( , ) was a Sundanese people, Sundanese Hindu kingdom located in the western portion of the island of Java from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Lampung, and the western part of ...
due to its desirable location. The name 'Jakarta' is derived from the word ''Jayakarta'' (
Devanagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental systems: alphabets, writing system), based on the ancient ''Brāhmī script, Brā ...
: जयकर्त), which is ultimately derived from the
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
जय ''jaya'' (victorious), and कृत ''krta'' (accomplished, acquired), thus ''Jayakarta'' translates as 'victorious deed', 'complete act', or 'complete victory'. It was named for the Muslim troops of
Fatahillah Fatahillah, Fadhillah Khan, or Falatehan (Portuguese writing) was a commander of the Demak Sultanate, Sultanate of Demak who is known for leading the conquest of Sunda Kelapa in 1527 and changing its name to Jakarta, Jayakarta. The conquest of Sun ...
which successfully defeated and drove the Portuguese away from the city in 1527, eventually renaming it 'Jayakarta.' Tomé Pires, a Portuguese apothecary, wrote the name of the city in his
magnum opus A masterpiece, , or ; ; ) is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, skill, profundity, or workmanship. Historically, ...
as ''Jacatra'' or ''Jacarta'' during his journey to the
East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies) is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The ''Indies'' broadly referred to various lands in Eastern world, the East or the Eastern Hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainl ...
. After the Dutch East India Company took over the area in 1619, they renamed it 'Batavia,' after the Batavi, a Germanic tribe who were seen as the ancestors of the Dutch. The city was then also known as (Queen of the Orient), a name that was given for the urban beauty of downtown Batavia's canals, mansions and ordered city layout. After expanding to the south in the 19th century, this nickname came to be more associated with the suburbs (e.g.
Menteng Menteng is a district () in the administrative city of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Menteng is surrounded by the districts of Senen and Matraman to the east, Tebet and Setiabudi to the south, Tanah Abang to the west, and Gambir to the north. ...
and the area around Merdeka Square), with their wide lanes, green spaces and villas. During the Japanese occupation, the city was renamed as . After the Japanese surrender, the name was changed to 'Jakarta.'


History


Precolonial era

The north coast area of western Java including Jakarta was the location of prehistoric Buni culture that flourished from 400 BC to 100 AD. The area in and around modern Jakarta was part of the 4th-century Sundanese kingdom of
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
, one of the oldest
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
kingdoms in Indonesia. The area of North Jakarta around Tugu became a populated settlement in the early 5th century. The Tugu inscription (probably written around 417 AD) discovered in Batutumbuh hamlet, Tugu village, Koja, North Jakarta, mentions that King
Purnawarman Purnawarman or Purnavarman was the 5th-century king of Tarumanagara, a Hindu Indianized kingdom, located in modern-day West Java, Jakarta and Banten provinces, Indonesia. Purnawarman reigned during the 5th century, and during his reign he c ...
of Tarumanagara undertook hydraulic projects; the irrigation and water drainage project of the Chandrabhaga river and the Gomati river near his capital. Following the decline of
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
, its territories, including the Jakarta area, became part of the Hindu Kingdom of Sunda. From the 7th to the early 13th century, the port of Sunda was under the
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
maritime empire. According to the Chinese source, '' Chu-fan-chi'', written circa 1225, Chou Ju-kua reported in the early 13th century that Srivijaya still ruled Sumatra, the Malay peninsula, and western Java ( Sunda). The source says the port of Sunda was strategic and thriving, mentioning pepper from Sunda as among the best in quality. The people worked in agriculture, and their houses were built on wooden piles. The harbour area became known as
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
( Sundanese: ) and by the 14th century, it was an important trading port for the Sunda Kingdom. The first European fleet, four Portuguese ships from
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
, arrived in 1513 while looking for a route to obtain spices. The Sunda Kingdom made an alliance treaty with the Portuguese by allowing them to build a port in 1522 to defend against the rising power of the Demak Sultanate from central Java. In 1527,
Fatahillah Fatahillah, Fadhillah Khan, or Falatehan (Portuguese writing) was a commander of the Demak Sultanate, Sultanate of Demak who is known for leading the conquest of Sunda Kelapa in 1527 and changing its name to Jakarta, Jayakarta. The conquest of Sun ...
, a Pasai-born military commander of Demak attacked and conquered Sunda Kelapa, driving out the Portuguese. Sunda Kelapa was renamed Jayakarta, and became a fiefdom of the
Banten Sultanate The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese people, Bantenese Islamic trading sultanate, kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Bantam (city), Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both w ...
, which became a major Southeast Asian trading centre. Through the relationship with Prince Jayawikarta of the Banten Sultanate, Dutch ships arrived in 1596. In 1602, an English
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
(EIC) voyage led by Sir James Lancaster arrived in
Aceh Aceh ( , ; , Jawi script, Jawoë: ; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, Old Spelling: ''Atjeh'') is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern end of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capit ...
and sailed on to
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
, where they were allowed to build a trading post. This site became the centre of English trade in the Indonesian archipelago until 1682. Jayawikarta is thought to have made trading connections with the English merchants, who were rivals with the Dutch, by allowing them to build houses directly across from the Dutch buildings in 1615.


Colonial era

When relations between Prince Jayawikarta and the Dutch deteriorated, his soldiers attacked the Dutch fortress. His army and their EIC allies, however, were defeated by the Dutch, in part owing to the timely arrival of Jan Pieterszoon Coen. The Dutch burned the EIC trading post and forced them to retreat to their ships. The victory consolidated Dutch power, and they renamed the city ''Batavia'' in 1619. Commercial opportunities in the city attracted native and especially Chinese and Arab immigrants. This sudden population increase created burdens on the city. Tensions grew as the colonial government tried to restrict Chinese migration through deportations. Following a revolt, 5,000 Chinese were massacred by the Dutch and natives on 9 October 1740, and the following year, Chinese inhabitants were moved to Glodok outside the city walls. At the beginning of the 19th century, around 400 Arabs and Moors lived in Batavia, a number that changed little during the following decades. Among the commodities traded were fabrics, mainly imported cotton, ''
batik Batik is a dyeing technique using wax Resist dyeing, resist. The term is also used to describe patterned textiles created with that technique. Batik is made by drawing or stamping wax on a cloth to prevent colour absorption during the dyein ...
'' and clothing worn by Arab communities. The city began to expand further south as epidemics in 1835 and 1870 forced residents to move away from the port. The ''Koningsplein'', now Merdeka Square was completed in 1818, the housing park of
Menteng Menteng is a district () in the administrative city of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Menteng is surrounded by the districts of Senen and Matraman to the east, Tebet and Setiabudi to the south, Tanah Abang to the west, and Gambir to the north. ...
was started in 1913, and
Kebayoran Baru Kebayoran Baru is a List of districts of Jakarta, district () in the administrative city of South Jakarta, Indonesia. The name was derived from a planned satellite city of the same name which was developed in the Aftermath of World War II, post-wa ...
was the last Dutch-built residential area. By 1930, Batavia had more than 500,000 inhabitants, including 37,067 Europeans. The city was expanded in 1935 through the annexation of the town of Meester Cornelis, modern
Jatinegara Jatinegara (originally known as Meester Cornelis or Meester/Mester for short) is one of the districts () of the administrative city of East Jakarta, Indonesia. The name also refers to the larger, historic area of the colonial town of Meester Corn ...
. On 5 March 1942, the Japanese captured Batavia from Dutch control, and the city was named Jakarta (, under the special status that was assigned to the city). After the war, the Dutch name Batavia was internationally recognised until full Indonesian independence on 27 December 1949. The city, now renamed Jakarta, was officially proclaimed the national capital of Indonesia.


Independence

After
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
ended, Indonesian nationalists declared independence on 17 August 1945, and the government of Jakarta City was changed into the Jakarta National Administration in the following month. During the
Indonesian National Revolution The Indonesian National Revolution (), also known as the Indonesian War of Independence (, ), was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during A ...
, Indonesian republicans withdrew from Allied-occupied Jakarta and established their capital in
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
. After securing full independence, Jakarta again became the national capital in 1950. With Jakarta selected to host the
1962 Asian Games The 1962 Asian Games () also known as the 4th Asian Games, IV Asiad, and Jakarta 1962, were the fourth edition of pan-Asian multi-sport event sanctioned by the Asian Games Federation (AGF). The games were held from 24 August to 4 September 1962, ...
,
Sukarno Sukarno (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independenc ...
, envisaging Jakarta as a great international city, instigated large government-funded projects with openly nationalistic and
modernist architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural architectural movement, movement and architectural style, style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco Architectu ...
. Projects included a cloverleaf interchange, a major boulevard ( Jalan MH Thamrin-Sudirman), monuments such as The National Monument,
Hotel Indonesia The Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta is one of the oldest and best-known hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia. Located in Central Jakarta, it was one of the first 5-star hotels in Southeast Asia and remains a major landmark of Jakarta. Its fame is often ...
, a shopping centre, and a new building intended to be the headquarters of CONEFO. In October 1965, Jakarta was the site of an abortive coup attempt in which six top generals were killed, precipitating a violent anti-communist purge which killed at least 500,000 people, including some ethnic Chinese. The event marked the beginning of Suharto's New Order. The first government was led by a mayor until the end of 1960 when the office was changed to that of a governor. The last mayor of Jakarta was Soediro until he was replaced by Soemarno Sosroatmodjo as governor. In 1966, Jakarta was declared a 'special capital region' (), with a status equivalent to that of a province separated from
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
. Based on law No. 5 of 1974 relating to regional governments, the Jakarta Special Capital Region was confirmed as the capital of Indonesia and one of the country's then 26 provinces. Lieutenant General Ali Sadikin served as governor from 1966 to 1977; he rehabilitated roads and bridges, encouraged the arts, and built hospitals and a large number of schools. He cleared out slum dwellers for new development projects — some for the benefit of the Suharto family,— and attempted to eliminate rickshaws and ban street vendors. He began control of migration to the city to stem overcrowding and poverty. Foreign investment contributed to a real estate boom that transformed the face of Jakarta. The boom ended with the
1997 Asian financial crisis The 1997 Asian financial crisis gripped much of East Asia, East and Southeast Asia during the late 1990s. The crisis began in Thailand in July 1997 before spreading to several other countries with a ripple effect, raising fears of a worldwide eco ...
, putting Jakarta at the centre of violence, protest, and political manoeuvring. After three decades in power, support for President
Suharto Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician, and dictator, who was the second and longest serving president of Indonesia, serving from 1967 to 1998. His 32 years rule, cha ...
began to wane. Tensions peaked when four students were shot dead at Trisakti University by security forces. Four days of riots and violence in 1998 ensued that killed an estimated 1,200, and destroyed or damaged 6,000 buildings, forcing Suharto to resign. Much of the rioting targeted Chinese Indonesians. In the post-Suharto era, Jakarta has remained the focal point of democratic change in Indonesia. Jemaah Islamiyah-connected bombings occurred almost annually in the city between 2000 and 2005, with another in 2009. In August 2007, Jakarta held its first-ever election to choose a governor as part of a nationwide decentralisation program that allows direct local elections in several areas. Previously, governors were elected by the city's legislative body. During the Jokowi presidency, the Government adopted a plan to move Indonesia's capital to Nusantara after 17 August 2024, but this has not occurred due to delays. Between
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
and
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
, a series of terrorist attacks rocked Jakarta with scenes of multiple suicide bombings and gunfire.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri (28 July 1971 – 27 October 2019), commonly known by his ''nom de guerre'' Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was an Iraqi militant leader who was the founder and first leader of the Islamic State (IS), who proclaimed hims ...
claimed responsibility for the attacks on behalf of
Islamic State The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...
.


Geography

Jakarta covers , the smallest among any Indonesian provinces. However, its metropolitan area covers , which extends into the two bordering provinces of
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
and
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
. The
Greater Jakarta The Jakarta metropolitan area or Greater Jakarta, known locally as ''Jabodetabekpunjur'' (an acronym of Jakarta– Bogor– Depok– Tangerang– Bekasi further extended to include Puncak region of Bogor Regency and portions of Cianjur Regenc ...
area includes three bordering regencies (
Bekasi Regency Bekasi Regency () is a regency () of West Java Province, Indonesia. Its regency seat is in the district of Central Cikarang. It is bordered by Jakarta Special Region (the administrative cities of North Jakarta and East Jakarta) and by Bekasi ...
,
Tangerang Regency Tangerang Regency is a Regency (Indonesia), regency (''kabupaten'') of Banten Province, Indonesia. It is located in the northwest of the island of Java. Though commonly misunderstood as being a part of Jakarta, Tangerang is actually outside Jakart ...
and Bogor Regency) and five adjacent cities (
Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.
, Depok,
Bekasi Bekasi (, ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of West Java, Indonesia, located on the eastern border of Jakarta. It serves as a commuter town, commuter city within the Jakarta m ...
,
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
and South Tangerang). Jakarta is situated on the northwest coast of
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
, at the mouth of the Ciliwung River on Jakarta Bay, an inlet of the
Java Sea The Java Sea (, ) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its northwest links it to the South Ch ...
. It is strategically located near the
Sunda Strait The Sunda Strait () is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java island, Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of Ja ...
. The northern part of Jakarta is plain land, some areas of which are below sea level, and subject to frequent flooding. The southern parts of the city are hilly. It is one of only two Asian capital cities located in the southern hemisphere (along with
East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...
's
Dili Dili (Portuguese language, Portuguese and Tetum language, Tetum: ''Díli'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Timor-Leste. It lies on the northern coast of the island of Timor, in a small area of flat land hemmed in by mountai ...
). Officially, the area of the Jakarta Special District is of land area and of sea area. The Thousand Islands, which are administratively a part of Jakarta, are located in Jakarta Bay, north of the city. Jakarta lies in a low and flat
alluvial plain An alluvial plain is a plain (an essentially flat landform) created by the deposition of sediment over a long period by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A ''floodplain'' is part of the process, bei ...
, ranging from with an average elevation of
above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...
with historically extensive swampy areas. Some parts of the city have been constructed on reclaimed tidal flats that occur around the area. Thirteen rivers flow through Jakarta. They are Ciliwung River, Kalibaru, Pesanggrahan, Cipinang, Angke, Maja, Mookervart, Krukut, Buaran, West Tarum, Cakung, Petukangan, Sunter River and Grogol River. They flow from the Puncak highlands to the south of the city, then across the city northwards towards the Java Sea. The Ciliwung River divides the city into the western and eastern districts. These rivers, combined with the wet season rains and insufficient drainage due to clogging, make Jakarta prone to
flooding A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant concern in agriculture, civi ...
. Moreover, Jakarta is sinking about each year, and up to in the northern coastal areas. After a feasibility study, a ring dyke known as Giant Sea Wall Jakarta is under construction around Jakarta Bay to help cope with the threat from the sea. The dyke will be equipped with a pumping system and retention areas to defend against seawater and function as a toll road. The project is expected to be completed by 2025. In January 2014, the central government agreed to build two dams in Ciawi, Bogor and a tunnel from Ciliwung River to Cisadane River to ease flooding in the city. Nowadays, a , with capacity per second, underground water tunnel between Ciliwung River and the East Flood Canal is being worked on to ease the Ciliwung River overflows. In 2023, the
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
reported that in some places Jakarta is sinking up to 12 inches (30 cm) annually. Environmental advocates point out that subsidence is driven by the extraction of groundwater, much of it illegal. Furthermore, the government's lack of strict regulation amplifies the issue as many recently built high-rise buildings, corporations, and factories around Jakarta opt for illegally extracting groundwater. In fact, in a recent inspection of 80 buildings in Jalan Thamrin, a busy road lined with skyscrapers and shopping malls, 56 buildings had a groundwater pump, and 33 were pumping groundwater illegally. This could be halted by stopping extraction (as the city of Tokyo has done), increasing efficiency, and finding other sources for water use. Moreover, increasing regulation through higher taxes or limiting groundwater pumping has proven to help cities like Shanghai, Tokyo, and San Jose relieve their subsidence issue. The rivers of Jakarta are highly polluted and currently unsuitable for drinking water. Jakarta, faces significant
air pollution Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...
, particularly during the dry season from August to December. Dry air during this period allows pollutants to remain suspended in the atmosphere for extended periods, contributing to poor air quality.


Climate

Jakarta experiences a
tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Am'') as classified by the system. The city's
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
spans most of the year, from October to May. The
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
lasts from June to September, with each of these months receiving less than of rainfall on average. Situated in the western part of Java, Jakarta sees its highest rainfall in January and February, averaging per month, while the driest month is August, with an average rainfall of . Every year faces recurring issues, such as
floods A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...
and thunderstorms. A cyclonic vortex leads to moisture convergence over a large area, including western Java Island. Additionally, this vortex causes a mainly meridional monsoon flow, where near-surface winds blow almost perfectly from north to south over West Java. The impact of these predominant northerly winds hitting the rugged topography in southern West Java likely contributes to the increased convection that causes floods in Jakarta. Average temperatures are very high with moderate rainfall. During the day, the temperature usually hovers around but drops to about in the evening. These are average temperatures, and some days can be hotter. It's advisable to dress appropriately to handle the heat. January is the rainiest month, with over of precipitation, whereas August is the driest, with around of rainfall. The average temperature in the coldest month (February) is , and in the warmest month (October), it is . Sea temperatures range from in August to in March, April, November, and December. Record low temperatures in Jakarta recorded , while the highest record reached .


Cityscape

Most cityscape in Jakarta includes landmarks, monuments, and statues were begun in the 1960s during the
Sukarno Sukarno (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independenc ...
era, then completed in the
Suharto Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician, and dictator, who was the second and longest serving president of Indonesia, serving from 1967 to 1998. His 32 years rule, cha ...
era, while some date from the colonial period. Although many of the projects were completed after his presidency, Sukarno, who was an architect, is credited for planning Jakarta's monuments and landmarks, as he desired the city to be the beacon of a powerful new nation. Among the monumental projects that were built, initiated, and planned during his administration are the
National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...
, Istiqlal mosque, the Legislature Building, and the Gelora Bung Karno stadium. Sukarno also built many nationalistic monuments and statues in the capital city. The most famous landmark, which became the symbol of the city, is the obelisk of the
National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...
( or ''Monas'') in the centre of Merdeka Square. On its southwest corner stands a
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
-themed
Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...
Wijaya chariot statue and fountain. Further south through
Jalan M.H. Thamrin Jalan M.H. Thamrin or Jalan Thamrin (M.H. Thamrin Avenue or Thamrin Avenue) is a major thoroughfare in Jakarta, Indonesia. The road is located at the center of Jakarta, running from the north end of Jalan Jenderal Sudirman at West Flood Canal at ...
, one of the main avenues, the ''Selamat Datang'' monument stands on the fountain in the centre of the
Hotel Indonesia The Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta is one of the oldest and best-known hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia. Located in Central Jakarta, it was one of the first 5-star hotels in Southeast Asia and remains a major landmark of Jakarta. Its fame is often ...
roundabout A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
. Other landmarks include the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta Cathedral, and the Immanuel Church. The former Batavia Stadhuis,
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
port in Jakarta Old Town is another landmark. The Autograph Tower in
Central Jakarta Central Jakarta (, ), abbreviated as Jakpus, is one of the five Cities of Indonesia, administrative cities () and ''de facto'' Capital City of the Jakarta, Special Capital Region of Jakarta. It had 902,973 inhabitants according to the 2010 census ...
, at 382.9 metres is the tallest building in Indonesia. The most recent landmark built is the Jakarta International Stadium. Some of the statues and monuments are nationalist, such as the West Irian Liberation Monument, the Tugu Tani, the Youth statue, and the Dirgantara Monument. Some statues commemorate Indonesian national heroes, such as the Diponegoro and
Kartini Raden Adjeng Kartini, also known as Raden Ayu Kartini (21 April 1879 – 17 September 1904), was a prominent Indonesian advocate of women's rights and female education. She was born into an aristocratic Javanese people, Javanese family in the ...
statues in Merdeka Square. The Sudirman and Thamrin statues are located on the streets bearing their names. There is also a statue of
Sukarno Sukarno (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independenc ...
and Hatta at the Proclamation Monument as well as at the entrance to Soekarno–Hatta International Airport.


Architecture

Jakarta has architecturally significant buildings spanning distinct historical and cultural periods. Architectural styles reflect Malay, Sundanese, Javanese, Arabic, Chinese, and Dutch influences. External influences inform the architecture of the Betawi house. The houses were built of nangka wood (''Jackfruit, Artocarpus integrifolia'') and comprised three rooms. The shape of the roof is reminiscent of the traditional Joglo, Javanese joglo. Additionally, the number of registered cultural heritage buildings has increased. Colonial buildings and structures include those that were constructed during the colonial period. The dominant colonial styles can be divided into three periods: the Dutch Golden Age (17th to late 18th century), the transitional style period (late 18th century – 19th century), and Dutch modernism (20th century). Colonial architecture is apparent in houses and villas, churches, civic buildings, and offices, mostly concentrated in the Jakarta Old Town and
Central Jakarta Central Jakarta (, ), abbreviated as Jakpus, is one of the five Cities of Indonesia, administrative cities () and ''de facto'' Capital City of the Jakarta, Special Capital Region of Jakarta. It had 902,973 inhabitants according to the 2010 census ...
. Architects such as J.C. Schultze and Eduard Cuypers designed some of the significant buildings. Schultze's works include Gedung Kesenian Jakarta, Jakarta Art Building, the Indonesia Supreme Court Building and Ministry of Finance (Indonesia), Ministry of Finance Building, while Cuypers designed Bank Indonesia Museum and Mandiri Museum. In the early 20th century, most buildings were built in Renaissance Revival architecture, Neo-Renaissance style. By the 1920s, the architectural taste had begun to shift in favour of Rationalism (architecture), rationalism and modernism, particularly Art Deco, art deco architecture. The elite suburb
Menteng Menteng is a district () in the administrative city of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Menteng is surrounded by the districts of Senen and Matraman to the east, Tebet and Setiabudi to the south, Tanah Abang to the west, and Gambir to the north. ...
, developed during the 1910s, was the city's first attempt at creating ideal and healthy housing for the middle class. The original houses had a longitudinal organisation, with overhanging eaves, large windows, and open ventilation, all practical features for a tropical climate. These houses were developed by N.V. de Bouwploeg, and established by Pieter Adriaan Jacobus Moojen, P.A.J. Moojen. After independence, the process of nation-building in Indonesia and demolishing the memory of colonialism was as important as the symbolic building of arterial roads, monuments, and government buildings. The
National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...
in Jakarta, designed by Sukarno, is Indonesia's beacon of nationalism. In the early 1960s, Jakarta provided highways and super-scale cultural monuments as well as Senayan Sports Stadium. The DPR/MPR Building, parliament building features a hyperbolic roof reminiscent of German rationalist and Corbusian design concepts. Built-in 1996, Wisma 46 soars to a height of and its nib-shaped top celebrates technology and symbolises stereoscopy. The urban construction boom continued during the 21st century. The Golden Triangle of Jakarta is one of the fastest evolving Central Business District, CBD's in the Asia-Pacific region. According to Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, CTBUH and Emporis, there are 88 skyscrapers that reach or exceed , which puts the city in the List of cities with the most skyscrapers, top 10 of world rankings. It has more buildings taller than 150 metres than any other Southeast Asian or Southern Hemisphere cities.


Parks and public spaces

In June 2011, Jakarta had only 10.5% green open spaces (), although this grew to 13.94%. Public parks are included in public green open spaces. There are about 300 integrated child-friendly public spaces (RPTRA) in the city in 2019. As of 2014, 183 water reservoirs and lakes supported the greater Jakarta area. * Merdeka Square () is an almost 1 km2 field housing the symbol of Jakarta, Monas or (National Monument). Until 2000, it was the world's largest city square. The square was created by Dutch Governor-General Herman Willem Daendels (1810) and was originally named (King's Square). On 10 January 1993, President Soeharto started the beautification of the square. Features include a deer park and 33 trees that represent the 33 provinces of Indonesia. * Ancol Dreamland is the largest integrated tourism area in Southeast Asia. It is located along the bay, at Ancol in North Jakarta. * Lapangan Banteng (Buffalo Field) is located in Central Jakarta near Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta Cathedral, and Jakarta Central Post Office. It covers about 4.5 hectares. Initially, it was called and functioned as a ceremonial square during the colonial period. During the Sukarno era, colonial buildings and memorials that were erected in the square during the colonial period were destroyed and the most famous monument in this square is the West Irian Liberation Monument. * Jakarta History Museum describes the history of the city of Jakarta. This museum is located on the south side of Fatahillah Square (former Batavia city square) near Wayang Museum and the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum. * Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Miniature Park of Indonesia), in East Jakarta, has ten mini-parks. * National Gallery of Indonesia is an art gallery and museum in Jakarta, Indonesia. This art gallery was established as a cultural institution in the field of fine arts on 8 May 1999. The institution plays an important role in expanding the public's awareness of artworks through preservation, development, and exploitation of the visual arts in Indonesia. * Taman Suropati, Suropati Park is located in
Menteng Menteng is a district () in the administrative city of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Menteng is surrounded by the districts of Senen and Matraman to the east, Tebet and Setiabudi to the south, Tanah Abang to the west, and Gambir to the north. ...
,
Central Jakarta Central Jakarta (, ), abbreviated as Jakpus, is one of the five Cities of Indonesia, administrative cities () and ''de facto'' Capital City of the Jakarta, Special Capital Region of Jakarta. It had 902,973 inhabitants according to the 2010 census ...
. The park is surrounded by Dutch colonial buildings. Taman Suropati was known as during colonial times. The park is circular-shaped with a surface area of . Several modern statues were made for the park by artists of Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN countries, which contributes to its nickname '' ('Park of the ASEAN artists friendship'). * Menteng Park was built on the site of the former Persija football Menteng Stadium, stadium. Situ Lembang Park is also located nearby, which has a lake at the centre. * Kalijodo Park is the newest park, in Penjaringan subdistrict, with beside the Krendang River. It formally opened on 22 February 2017. The park is open 24 hours as a green open space (''RTH'') and child-friendly integrated public space (''RPTRA'') and has international-standard skateboard facilities. * Muara Angke mangrove forest and wildlife sanctuary, Muara Angke Wildlife Sanctuary and Pantai Indah Kapuk, Angke Kapuk Nature Tourism Park at Penjaringan in North Jakarta. * Tebet Eco Park, Puring Park, Mataram Park, Langsat Park, Ayodya Park and Martha Christina Tiahahu Literacy Park in South Jakarta. * Ragunan Zoo, Ragunan Zoo Park is located in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta. It is the largest park in Jakarta and world's third-oldest zoo and the second-largest with the most diverse animal and plant populations. * Glodok is an area known as Pecinan or Chinatown since the Dutch colonial era, and is considered the largest in Indonesia. * National Museum of Indonesia is an archaeology, history, ethnology, and geography, geographical museum whose extensive collections cover the entire territory of Indonesia and almost all of its history. This museum has attempted to preserve Indonesia's heritage for two centuries. * Setu Babakan is a 32-hectare lake surrounded by Betawi cultural village, located at Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. Dadap Merah Park is also found in this area. * UI Forest is the largest Urban forest in Jakarta. It located at South Jakarta bordering with Depok, West Java. * National Library of Indonesia is the legitimate deposit of literature, manuscripts, and archival books from the state of Indonesia. It is located in Gambir, Jakarta, Gambir, south side of Merdeka Square, Jakarta. The earliest collection comes from the library of the National Museum (Indonesia), National Museum, opened in 1868 and previously operated by the Royal Batavian Society of Arts and Sciences. * Taman Waduk Pluit/Pluit Lake park and Putra Putri Park at Pluit, North Jakarta. * Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex The Gelora Bung Karno complex is one of the largest sports activity centres in Indonesia and is often used for sporting activities by Jakarta residents. * Taman Literasi Martha Christina Tiahahu Literacy Park Martha Christina Tiahahu Is City Park And Literacy Park In Blok M business and shopping quarter located in Blok M
Kebayoran Baru Kebayoran Baru is a List of districts of Jakarta, district () in the administrative city of South Jakarta, Indonesia. The name was derived from a planned satellite city of the same name which was developed in the Aftermath of World War II, post-wa ...
, South Jakarta, Indonesia. * GBK City Park is the city park in Golden Triangle of Jakarta, located within Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex. * Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) is often the most sought-after residential area for wealthy Chinese Indonesians, featuring large houses in exclusive, gated clusters. This area never floods, even though it is close to a flood-prone district. Although most of Pantai Indah Kapuk is a residential area, there are businesses and tourist attractions on the main roads such as North Beach, South Beach, and Marina Indah. Ruko Cordoba and Crown Golf on Jalan Marina Indah are very popular with restaurants and cafes. PIK is one of the nightlife areas in Jakarta, full of nightclubs, discos, bars, and cafes.


Demographics

Jakarta attracts people from across Indonesia, often in search of employment. The 1961 census showed that 51% of the city's population was born in Jakarta. Inward immigration tended to negate the effect of family planning programs. The Ministry of Home Affairs () tabulates its own data, which has improved since ID cards were required in the last decade, lists Jakarta's population at 11,261,595 at yearend 2021. Between 1961 and 1980, the population of Jakarta doubled, and during the period 1980–1990, the city's population grew annually by 3.7%. The 2010 census counted some 9.58 million people, well above government estimates. The population rose from 4.5 million in 1970 to 9.5 million in 2010, counting only legal residents, while the population of
Greater Jakarta The Jakarta metropolitan area or Greater Jakarta, known locally as ''Jabodetabekpunjur'' (an acronym of Jakarta– Bogor– Depok– Tangerang– Bekasi further extended to include Puncak region of Bogor Regency and portions of Cianjur Regenc ...
rose from 8.2 million in 1970 to 28.5 million in 2010. As of 2014, the population of Jakarta stood at 10 million, with a population density of 15,174 people/km2. In 2014, the population of
Greater Jakarta The Jakarta metropolitan area or Greater Jakarta, known locally as ''Jabodetabekpunjur'' (an acronym of Jakarta– Bogor– Depok– Tangerang– Bekasi further extended to include Puncak region of Bogor Regency and portions of Cianjur Regenc ...
was 30 million, accounting for 11% of Indonesia's overall population. It is predicted to reach 35.6 million people by 2030 to become the world's biggest megacity. The gender ratio was 102.8 (males per 100 females) in 2010, and 101.3 in 2014.


Ethnicity

Jakarta is pluralistic and religiously diverse, without a majority ethnic group. As of 2010, 36.17% of the city's population were Javanese people, Javanese, 28.29% Betawi people, Betawi (locally established mixed race, cemented by diverse creole), 14.61% Sundanese, 6.62% Chinese Indonesians, Chinese, 3.42% Batak, 2.85% Minangkabau people, Minangkabau, 0.96% Ethnic Malays, Malays, Indo people, Indo and others 7.06%. The 'Betawi people, Betawi' (, or 'people of Batavia') are immigrant descendants of the old city who became widely recognised as an ethnic group by the mid-19th century. They mostly descend from an eclectic mix of Southeast Asians brought or attracted to meet labour needs. They are thus a Creole ethnic group who came from much of Indonesia. Over generations, most have intermarried with one or more ethnicities, especially people of Chinese, Arab, and European descent. Most Betawis lived in the fringe zones with few Betawi-majority zones of central Jakarta. It is thus a conundrum for some first generation Betawi people, especially multi-generational Jakarta residents, to identify as either their parents' ethnicity or Betawi since living in a Betawi-majority district and speaking more of that creole and adapting is a matter of preference for such families. A significant Chinese Indonesian, Chinese community has lived in Jakarta for many centuries. They traditionally reside around old urban areas, such as Pinangsia, Pantai Indah Kapuk, PIK, Pluit and Glodok (Jakarta's Chinatown) areas. They also can be found in the old Chinatowns of Senen and
Jatinegara Jatinegara (originally known as Meester Cornelis or Meester/Mester for short) is one of the districts () of the administrative city of East Jakarta, Indonesia. The name also refers to the larger, historic area of the colonial town of Meester Corn ...
. As of 2001 they self-identified as being 5.5% of the population, which was thought of as under-reported; this explains the 6.6% figure ten years later. The Sumatran residents are diverse. According to the 2020 census, roughly 361,000 Batak; 300,960 Minangkabau people, Minangkabau and 101,370 Ethnic Malays, Malays lived in the city. The number of Batak people has grown in ranking, from eighth in 1930 to fifth in 2000. Toba Batak people, Toba Batak is the largest subset in Jakarta. Working Minangkabau in the 1980s in high proportions were well-embedded merchants, artisans, doctors, teachers or journalists. Minangkabau businesspeople, Minang merchants are found in traditional markets, such as Tanah Abang and Senen.


Language

Indonesian language, Indonesian is the official and dominant language of Jakarta, while many elderly people speak Dutch language, Dutch or Chinese language, Chinese, depending on their upbringing. English language, English is used for communication, especially in Central and South Jakarta. Each of the ethnic groups uses their mother tongue at home, such as Betawi, Javanese language, Javanese, and Sundanese. The Betawi language is distinct from those of the Sundanese or Javanese people, Javanese, forming itself as a language island in the surrounding area. It is mostly based on the East Old Malay, Malay dialect and enriched by loan words from Dutch language, Dutch, Portuguese language, Portuguese, Sundanese, Javanese language, Javanese, Hokkien language, Chinese, and Arabic. Over time, many Betawi words and phrases became integrated into Indonesian as Jakartan slang and are used by most people regardless of their ethnic background. It is now popular not only in Jakarta, but all over Indonesia. The Chinese in Jakarta mainly speak Indonesian and English due to a strict language ban during the Soeharto New Order (Indonesia), New Order era; older people may be fluent in Hokkien dialect and Mandarin language, Mandarin, meanwhile the younger generation are fluent in Indonesian and English, some educated in Mandarin. With the recent urbanisation of Chinese communities from several rural areas in Indonesia, other Chinese dialects have been brought into the Chinese community in Jakarta, such as Hakka language, Hakka, Teochew language, Teochew and Cantonese language, Cantonese. Hokkien, which is mainly from Sumatra (Medan, Bagansiapiapi, Batam) is mostly spoken in Northern Jakarta, such as in Pantai Indah Kapuk, Pluit, and Kelapa Gading, meanwhile Hakka and Teochew, which are derived from the Chinese communities in Pontianak and Singkawang, are mainly spoken in West Jakarta, like in Tambora, Jakarta, Tambora and Grogol Petamburan. The Batak in Jakarta mostly speak Indonesian, while the older generation tend to speak their native languages, such as Batak language, Batak Toba, Mandailing language, Mandailing, and Karo language (Indonesia), Karo, depending on which ancestral towns and places in North Sumatra they came from. The Minangkabau mainly speak Minangkabau language, Minangkabau together with Indonesian.


Education

Jakarta is home to numerous educational institutions. The University of Indonesia (UI) is the largest and oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia. It is a public institution with campuses in Salemba (Central Jakarta) and in Depok. The three other public universities in Jakarta are Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, the State University of Jakarta (UNJ), University of Pembangunan Nasional 'Veteran' Jakarta (UPN "Veteran" Jakarta), and Universitas Terbuka or Indonesia Open University. There is a vocational higher education, Jakarta State Polytechnic. Some major private universities in Jakarta are Trisakti University, The Christian University of Indonesia, Mercu Buana University, Tarumanagara University, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Pelita Harapan University, Pertamina University, Bina Nusantara University, Jayabaya University, Persada Indonesia "YAI" University, and Pancasila University. STOVIA (''School tot Opleiding van Indische Artsen'' (School for Education of Native Physicians), now University of Indonesia) was the first college in Jakarta, established in 1851. Jakarta houses many students from around Indonesia, many of whom reside in dormitories or home-stay residences. For basic education, a variety of primary and secondary schools are available, tagged with the public (''national''), private (''national and bi-lingual national plus''), and ''international'' labels. Four of the major international schools are the British School Jakarta, Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School, IPEKA Integrated Christian School, and the Jakarta Intercultural School. Other international schools in Jakarta metropolitan area include the ACG School Jakarta, AIS Indonesia, Australian Independent School, Bina Bangsa School, German School Jakarta, Deutsche Schule Jakarta, Global Jaya School, Jakarta Indonesia Korean School, Jakarta Japanese School, Jakarta Multicultural School, Jakarta Taipei School, LIFE School Jakarta, Lycée français de Jakarta, New Zealand School Jakarta, North Jakarta Intercultural School, Sekolah Pelita Harapan, and Singapore International School, Indonesia, Singapore Intercultural School.


Religion

In 2024, Jakarta's religious composition was distributed over Islam (83.83%), Protestantism (8.6%), Catholicism (3.9%), Buddhism (3.46%), Hinduism (0.18%), Confucianism (0.017%), and about 0.013% of population claimed to follow folk religions. Most (Islamic boarding schools) in Jakarta are affiliated with the traditionalist Nahdlatul Ulama, modernist organisations mostly catering to a socioeconomic class of educated urban elites and merchant traders. They give priority to education, social welfare programs, and religious propagation. Many Islamic organisations have headquarters in Jakarta, including Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesian Ulema Council, Muhammadiyah, Indonesia Institute of Islamic Dawah, and Jaringan Islam Liberal. The Catholic Church, Roman Catholic community has a Metropolis (religious jurisdiction), Metropolis, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jakarta, Archdiocese of Jakarta that includes
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
and Banten provinces as part of the ecclesiastical province. Jakarta also hosts the largest Buddhist adherents in
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
, where most of the followers are Chinese Indonesian, Chinese. Schools of Buddhism practised in Indonesia vary, including Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayana, and Three Teachings, Tridharma. The city also has Hindu, a Hindu community, which mainly are Balinese people, Balinese and Indian Indonesians, Indian people. There is also a Sikhism, Sikh and Baháʼí Faith community presence in Jakarta.


Economy

Indonesia is the largest economy of
ASEAN The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...
, and Jakarta is the economic nerve centre of the Indonesian archipelago. Jakarta's nominal GDP was US$203.702 billion and PPP GDP was US$602.946 billion in 2021, which is about 17% of Indonesia's GDP. Jakarta was ranked 21st in the list of ''Cities of Economic Influence Index'' in 2020 by CEOWORLD magazine. According to the ''Japan Center for Economic Research'', Gross regional product, GRP per capita of Jakarta will rank 28th among the 77 cities in 2030 from 41st in 2015, the largest in Southeast Asia. Savills Resilient Cities Index has predicted Jakarta to be within the top 20 cities in the world by 2028. Jakarta's economy depends highly on manufacturing and service sectors such as banking, trading and finance. Industries include electronics, automotive, chemicals, mechanical engineering, and biomedical sciences. The head office of Bank Indonesia and the
Indonesia Stock Exchange Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) ( (BEI)) is a stock exchange based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was previously known as the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) before its name changed in 2007 after merging with the Surabaya Stock Exchange (SSX). In rece ...
are located in the city. Most of the State-owned Enterprise of Indonesia, SOEs including Pertamina, Perusahaan Listrik Negara, PLN, Angkasa Pura, and Telkomsel operate head offices in the city, as do major List of companies of Indonesia, Indonesian conglomerates, such as Salim Group, Sinar Mas Group, Astra International, Gudang Garam, Kompas Gramedia Group, Kompas-Gramedia, CT Corp, Emtek, and Media Nusantara Citra, MNC Group. The headquarters of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Indonesian Employers Association are also located in the city. As of 2017, the city is home to six Forbes Global 2000, two Fortune 500 and seven Unicorn (finance), Unicorn companies. Google and Alibaba group, Alibaba have regional cloud centres in Jakarta. In 2017, economic growth was 6.22%. Throughout the same year, the total value of the investment was Rp 108.6 trillion (US$8 billion), an increase of 84.7% from the previous year. In 2021, nominal GDP per capita was estimated at Rp 274.710 million (US$19,199). The most significant contributions to GRDP were by the finance, ownership and business services (29%); the trade, hotel and restaurant sector (20%), and the manufacturing industry sector (16%). The Wealth Report 2015 by Knight Frank reported that 24 individuals in Indonesia in 2014 had wealth of at least US$1 billion and 18 live in Jakarta. The cost of living continues to rise. Both land prices and rents have become expensive. Mercer (consulting firm), Mercer's ''2017 Cost of Living Survey'' ranked Jakarta as the 88th costliest city in the world for expatriates. Industrial development and the construction of new housing thrive on the outskirts, while commerce and banking remain concentrated in the city centre. Jakarta has a bustling luxury property market. Knight Frank, a global real estate consultancy based in London, reported in 2014 that Jakarta offered the highest return on high-end property investment in the world in 2013, citing a supply shortage and a sharply depreciated currency as reasons.


Shopping

As of 2015, with a total of 550 hectares, Jakarta had the largest List of malls in Jakarta, shopping mall floor area within a single city. Malls include Plaza Indonesia, Grand Indonesia, Sarinah Building, Sarinah, Plaza Senayan, Senayan City, Pacific Place Jakarta, Pacific Place, Gandaria City, Aeon Group, ÆON Mall Jakarta Garden City and Tanjung Barat, Mall Taman Anggrek, Central Park Jakarta, Central Park Mall, as well as Pondok Indah Mall. Fashion retail brands in Jakarta include Debenhams at Senayan City and Kemang Village, Lippo Mall Kemang Village, Japanese Sogo, Seibu Department Stores, Seibu at Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, and French brand, Galeries Lafayette, at Pacific Place Jakarta, Pacific Place. The Satrio-Casablanca shopping belt includes Kuningan City, Mal Ambassador, Kota Kasablanka, and Ciputra World Jakarta, Lotte Shopping Avenue. Shopping malls are also located at Grogol and Puri Indah in West Jakarta. Traditional markets include Blok M, Mayestik Market, Mayestik, Tanah Abang, Senen, Pasar Baru, Glodok, Mangga Dua, Jakarta, Mangga Dua, Cempaka Mas, and
Jatinegara Jatinegara (originally known as Meester Cornelis or Meester/Mester for short) is one of the districts () of the administrative city of East Jakarta, Indonesia. The name also refers to the larger, historic area of the colonial town of Meester Corn ...
. Special markets sell antique goods at Jalan Surabaya and gemstones in Rawabening Market.


Tourism

Though Jakarta has been named the most popular location as per tag stories, and ranked eighth most-posted among the cities in the world in 2017 on image-sharing site Instagram, it is not a top international tourist destination. The city, however, is ranked as the fifth fastest-growing tourist destination among 132 cities according to List of cities by international visitors, MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index. The World Travel and Tourism Council also listed Jakarta as among the top ten fastest-growing tourism cities in the world in 2017 and categorised it as an ''emerging performer'', which will see a significant increase in tourist arrivals in less than ten years. According to ''Euromonitor International's latest Top 100 City Destinations Ranking'' of 2019, Jakarta ranked at 57th among 100 most visited cities of the world. Most of the visitors attracted to Jakarta are domestic tourists. As the gateway of
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
, Jakarta often serves as a stop-over for foreign visitors on their way to other Indonesian tourist destinations such as Bali, Lombok, Komodo Island and
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
. In 2023 about 1.97 million foreign tourists visited the city. Jakarta is trying to attract more international tourists through Meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions, MICE tourism, and arranging increasing numbers of Convention (meeting), conventions. In 2012, the tourism sector contributed Rp. 2.6 trillion (US$268.5 million) to the city's total direct income of Rp. 17.83 trillion (US$1.45 billion), a 17.9% increase from the previous year 2011.


Culture

As the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta is a melting pot of cultures from all ethnic groups in the country. Although Betawi people are Jakarta's indigenous community, the city's culture represents many languages and ethnic groups, favouring differences in religion, tradition, and linguistics, rather than a single, dominant culture. Jakarta is dominated by Javanese people, followed by Betawi people and Sundanese people.


Arts and festivals

The Betawi people, Betawi culture is distinct from those of the Sundanese or Javanese people, Javanese, forming a language island in the surrounding area. There is a significant Chinese influence in Betawi culture, reflected in the popularity of Chinese cakes and sweets, firecrackers, and Betawi wedding attire that demonstrates Chinese and Arab influences. Some festivals such as the ''Jalan Jaksa Festival'', ''Kemang Festival'', ''Festival Condet'' and ''Lebaran Betawi'' include efforts to preserve Betawi arts by inviting artists to display performances. Jakarta has several performing art centres, such as the classical concert hall Aula Simfonia Jakarta in Kemayoran, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) art centre in Cikini, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta near Pasar Baru, Balai Sarbini in the Plaza Semanggi area, Bentara Budaya Jakarta in the Palmerah area, Pasar Seni (Art Market) in Ancol Dreamland, Ancol, and traditional Indonesian art performances at the pavilions of some provinces in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Traditional music is often found at high-class hotels, including Wayang and Gamelan performances. Javanese wayang wong, Wayang Orang performances can be found at Wayang Orang Bharata Theatre. Arts and culture festivals and exhibitions include the annual ARKIPEL – Jakarta International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival, Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest), Djakarta Warehouse Project, Jakarta Fashion Week, Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week, Jakarta Fashion & Food Festival (JFFF), Jakarnaval, Jakarta Night Festival, Kota Tua Creative Festival, Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF), Indonesia Comic Con, Indonesia Creative Products and Jakarta Arts and Crafts exhibition. Art Jakarta is a contemporary art fair, which is held annually. ''Flona Jakarta'' is a flora-and-fauna exhibition, held annually in August at Lapangan Banteng Park, featuring flowers, plant nurseries, and pets. Jakarta Fair is held annually from mid-June to mid-July to celebrate the anniversary of the city and is mostly centred around a trade fair. However, this month-long fair also features entertainment, including arts and music performances by local musicians. Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival (JJF) is one of the largest jazz festivals in the world, the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, and is held annually in March. Several foreign art and culture centres in Jakarta promote culture and language through learning centres, libraries, and art galleries. These include the Chinese Confucius Institute, the Dutch Erasmus House (Jakarta), Erasmus Huis, the British Council, the French Institut Français d'Indonésie, the German Goethe-Institut, the Japan Foundation, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Centre.


Cuisine

All varieties of Indonesian cuisine have a presence in Jakarta. The local cuisine is Betawi cuisine, which reflects various foreign culinary traditions. Betawi cuisine is heavily influenced by Peranakan cuisine, Malay-Chinese Peranakan cuisine, Sundanese cuisine, Sundanese, and Javanese cuisine, which is also influenced by Indian, Arabic, and European cuisines. One of the most popular local dishes of Betawi cuisine is ''Soto (food)#Varieties, Soto Betawi people, Betawi'' which is prepared from chunks of beef and offal in rich and spicy cow's milk or coconut milk broth. Other popular Betawi dishes include ''Soto (food), soto kaki, nasi uduk (''mixed rice''), kerak telor'' (spicy omelette), ''nasi ulam, asinan, Ketoprak (dish), ketoprak, Rojak#Rujak Juhi, rujak'' and ''gado-gado'' Betawi (salad in peanut sauce). Jakarta cuisine can be found in modest street-side ''warung'' food stalls and Hawker (trade), Hawkers travelling vendors to high-end fine dining restaurants. Live music venues and exclusive restaurants are abundant. Many traditional foods from far-flung regions in Indonesia can be found in Jakarta. For example, traditional Padang cuisine#Padang restaurants, Padang restaurants and low-budget ''Warung#Varieties, Warteg'' (''Warung Tegal'') food stalls are ubiquitous in the capital. Other popular street foods include ''nasi goreng'' (fried rice), ''satay, sate'' (skewered meats), ''pecel lele'' (fried catfish), ''bakso'' (meatballs), ''Baozi, bakpau'' (Chinese bun) and ''siomay'' (fish dumplings). Jalan Jaksa, Jalan Sabang, Jalan Sidoarjo, Jalan Kendal at Kebon Sirih, Menteng, Menteng area, Kota Tua Jakarta, Kota Tua, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, Blok S, Blok M, Tebet, South Jakarta, Jalan Tebet, are all popular destinations for street-food lovers. Minangkabau cuisine, Minangkabau street-food who sell ''Nasi kapau, Nasi Kapau'', ''Sate padang, Sate Padang'', and ''Soto padang, Soto Padang'' can be found at Jalan Kramat Raya and Bendungan Hilir, Tanah Abang, Jalan Bendungan Hilir in Central Jakarta. Chinese cuisine, Chinese street-food is plentiful at Jalan Pangeran, Mangga Besar, Jakarta, Manga Besar and Glodok, Petak Sembilan in the old Jakarta area, while the ''Little Tokyo'' area of Blok M has many Japanese cuisine, Japanese style restaurants and bars. Trendy restaurants, cafe and bars can be found at
Menteng Menteng is a district () in the administrative city of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Menteng is surrounded by the districts of Senen and Matraman to the east, Tebet and Setiabudi to the south, Tanah Abang to the west, and Gambir to the north. ...
, Kemang, Jakarta, Kemang, SCBD, Jalan Senopati, Setiabudi, South Jakarta, Kuningan, Senayan City, Senayan, Pantai Indah Kapuk, and Kelapa Gading. Lenggang Jakarta is a food court, accommodating small traders and street vendors, where Indonesian Cuisine, Indonesian foods are available within a single compound. At present, there are two such food courts, located at Monas and Kemayoran. Thamrin 10 is a food and creative park located at Menteng, where varieties of food stall are available. Global fast-food chains are present and usually found in List of shopping malls in Jakarta, Shopping malls, along with local brands like Restoran Sederhana, Sederhana, J.CO Donuts, J'CO, Es Teler 77, Kebab Turki Baba Rafi, Kebab Turki, California Fried Chicken, CFC, and Japanese HokBen and Yoshinoya. Foreign cuisines such as Chinese cuisine, Chinese, Japanese cuisine, Japanese, Korean cuisine, Korean, Thai cuisine, Thai, Singaporean cuisine, Singaporean, Indian cuisine, Indian, American cuisine, American, Australian cuisine, Australian, Malaysian Cuisine, Malaysian, French cuisine, French, Mediterranean cuisines like Maghrebi cuisine, Maghrebi, Turkish cuisine, Turkish, Italian cuisine, Italian, Middle Eastern cuisine, and modern fusion food restaurants can all be found in Jakarta.


Sports

Jakarta hosted the
1962 Asian Games The 1962 Asian Games () also known as the 4th Asian Games, IV Asiad, and Jakarta 1962, were the fourth edition of pan-Asian multi-sport event sanctioned by the Asian Games Federation (AGF). The games were held from 24 August to 4 September 1962, ...
, and the 2018 Asian Games, co-hosted by Palembang. Jakarta also hosted the Southeast Asian Games in 1979, 1987, 1997 and 2011 (supporting Palembang). Gelora Bung Karno Stadium hosted the group stage, quarterfinal and final of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup along with Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The largest capacity retractable roof stadium in Asia, Jakarta International Stadium, is located at Tanjung Priok district, completed in 2022. After the success of the Asian Games, the city made a bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics but did not enter into the final evaluation and was awarded to Brisbane. If the city had been chosen, it would have been the first city in Southeast Asia to host the Olympic Games, senior Olympic Games and the first to be held in the region since the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. The Senayan sports complex has several sports venues, including the Bung Karno football stadium, Madya Stadium, Istora Senayan, an aquatic arena, a baseball field, a basketball hall, a shooting range, several indoor and outdoor tennis courts. The Senayan complex was built in 1960 to accommodate the 1962 Asian Games. For basketball, the Kelapa Gading Sport Mall in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, with a capacity of 7,000 seats, is the home arena of the Indonesian national basketball team. The BritAma Arena serves as a playground for Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta, the 2017 runner-up of the Indonesian Basketball League. Jakarta International Velodrome is a sporting facility located at Rawamangun, which was used as a venue for the Asian Games. It has a seating capacity of 3,500 for track cycling, and up to 8,500 for shows and concerts, which can also be used for various sports activities such as volleyball, badminton and futsal. Jakarta International Equestrian Park is an Equestrianism, equestrian sports venue located at Pulo Gadung, Pulomas, which was also used as a venue for the Asian Games. The Jakarta Car-Free Days are held bi-weekly on Sunday on the main avenues of the city, Jalan Sudirman, and Jalan Thamrin, from 6 am to 11 am. The briefer Car-Free Day, which lasts from 6 am to 9 am, is held every other Sunday. The event invites local pedestrians to do sports and exercise and have their activities on the streets that are usually full of traffic. Along the road from the Senayan traffic circle on Jalan Sudirman, South Jakarta, to the "Selamat Datang" Monument at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Jalan Thamrin, north to the National Monument in Central Jakarta, cars are blocked from entering. During the event, morning gymnastics, calisthenics and aerobic exercises, futsal games, jogging, bicycling, skateboarding, badminton, karate, on-street library and musical performances take over the roads and the main parks. Jakarta's most popular home football club is Persija Jakarta, Persija, which plays in Liga 1 (Indonesia), Liga 1. Another football team in Jakarta is Persitara Jakarta Utara, Persitara which competes in Liga 3 (Indonesia), Liga 3 and plays in Tugu Stadium. The Jakarta Marathon each November is recognised by Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, AIMS and International Athletic Association Federation, IAAF. It was established in 2013. It brings sports tourism. In 2015, more than 15,000 runners from 53 countries participated. Jakarta successfully hosted the first Jakarta ePrix race of the Formula E championship in June 2022 at Jakarta International e-Prix Circuit, Ancol Circuit, North Jakarta.


Media and entertainment

Jakarta is home to most of the Indonesian national newspapers, besides some local-based newspapers. The daily local newspapers in Jakarta are ''Pos Kota'' and ''Warta Kota''. National newspapers based in Jakarta include ''Kompas'' and ''Media Indonesia'', and most of them have a news segment covering the city. A number of business newspapers (''Bisnis Indonesia'', ''Investor Daily'' and ''Kontan'') and a sports newspaper (''Tribun Network, Super Ball'') are also published. Newspapers other than in Indonesian, mainly for a national and global audience, are also published daily. Examples are the English-language newspapers ''The Jakarta Post'' and online-only ''Jakarta Globe, The Jakarta Globe''. Chinese language newspapers also circulate, such as ''Indonesia Shang Bao'' (印尼商报), ''Harian Indonesia'' (印尼星洲日报), and ''International Daily News, Guo Ji Ri Bao'' (国际日报). The only Japanese language newspaper is ''The Daily Jakarta Shimbun'' (じゃかるた新聞). Around 75 radio stations broadcast in Jakarta, 52 on the Frequency modulation, FM band, and 23 on the Amplitude modulation, AM band. Radio entities are based in Jakarta, for example, national radio networks MNC Trijaya FM, Prambors FM, Trax FM, I-Radio, Hard Rock FM, Delta FM, Global FM and the public radio Radio Republik Indonesia, RRI; as well as local stations Gen 98.7 FM, Gen FM, Radio Elshinta and Z99.9 FM, PM2FAS. Jakarta is the headquarters for Indonesia's public television TVRI as well as private national television networks, such as Metro TV (Indonesian TV network), Metro TV, TvOne (Indonesian TV network), tvOne, Kompas TV, RCTI and NET (Indonesian TV network), NET. Jakarta has local television channels such as TVRI Jakarta, JakTV, Elshinta TV and KTV. Many TV stations are analogue PAL, but some are now converting to digital signals using DVB-T2 following a Digital terrestrial television in Indonesia, government plan to digital television migration.


Government and politics

Jakarta is administratively equal to a
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
with special status. The executive branch is headed by an elected Governor of Jakarta, governor and a Vice Governor of Jakarta, vice governor, while the Jakarta Regional People's Representative Council (, DPRD DKI Jakarta) is the legislative branch with 106 directly elected members. The Jakarta City Hall at the south of Merdeka Square houses the office of the governor and the vice governor and serves as the main administrative office. Executive governance consists of five administrative cities (), each headed by a mayor (w''alikota)'' and one Regencies of Indonesia, administrative regency () headed by a regent (''bupati''). Unlike other cities and regencies in Indonesia where the mayor or regent is directly elected, Jakarta's mayors and regents are chosen by the governor. Each city and regency is divided into administrative districts. Aside from representatives to the provincial parliament, Jakarta sends 21 delegates to the People's Representative Council, national lower house parliament. The representatives are elected from Jakarta's three national electoral districts, which also include overseas voters. It also sends 4 delegates, just like other provinces, to the Regional Representative Council, national upper house parliament. The Jakarta Smart City (JSC) program was launched on 14 December 2014 with the goal of smart governance, smart people, smart mobility, smart economy, smart living, and a smart environment in the city using the web and various smartphone-based apps.


Public safety

The Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police () is the police force that is responsible for maintaining law, security, and order for the Jakarta metropolitan area. It is led by a two-star police general (Inspector General of Police#Indonesia, Inspector General of Police) with the title of "Greater Jakarta Regional Police Chief" (, abbreviated ). Its office is located at Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 55, Senayan, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, and their hotline emergency number is 110. The Kodam Jaya, Jayakarta Military Regional Command (, abbreviated ) is the territorial army of the Indonesian Army, which serves as a defence component for Jakarta and its surrounding areas (Greater Jakarta). It is led by an army Major General with the title of "Jakarta Military Regional Commander" (, abbreviated ). The Jakarta Military Command is located at East Jakarta and oversees several military battalions ready to defend the capital city and its vital installations. It also assists the Jakarta Metropolitan Police during certain tasks, such as supporting security during state visits, VVIP security, and riot control.


Municipal finances

The Jakarta provincial government relies on transfers from the central government for the bulk of its income. Local (non-central government) sources of revenue are incomes from various taxes such as vehicle ownership and vehicle transfer fees, among others. The ability of the regional government to respond to Jakarta's many problems is constrained by limited finances. The provincial government consistently runs a surplus of between 15 and 20% of planned spending, primarily because of delays in procurement and other inefficiencies. Regular under-spending is a matter of public comment. In 2013, the budget was around Rp 50 trillion ($US5.2 billion), equivalent to around $US380 per citizen. Spending priorities were on education, transport, flood control, environment, and social spending (such as health and housing). Jakarta's regional budget (APBD) was Rp 77.1 trillion ($US5.92 billion), Rp 83.2 trillion ($US6.2 billion), and Rp 89 trillion ($US6.35 billion) for the year of 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively.


Administrative divisions

Jakarta consists of five ''Kota Administratif'' (Administrative cities/municipalities), each headed by a mayor, and one ''Kabupaten Administratif'' (Regencies of Indonesia, Administrative regency). Each city and regency is divided into districts (''kecamatan''). The administrative cities/municipalities of Jakarta are: *
Central Jakarta Central Jakarta (, ), abbreviated as Jakpus, is one of the five Cities of Indonesia, administrative cities () and ''de facto'' Capital City of the Jakarta, Special Capital Region of Jakarta. It had 902,973 inhabitants according to the 2010 census ...
() is Jakarta's smallest city and administrative and political centre. It is divided into eight districts. It is charactesised by large parks and Dutch colonial buildings. Landmarks include the National Monument (Monas), Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta Cathedral and museums. * West Jakarta () has the city's highest concentration of small-scale industries. It has eight districts. The area includes Jakarta's Chinatown and Dutch colonial landmarks such as the Chinese Langgam building and Toko Merah. It contains part of Jakarta Old Town. * South Jakarta (), originally planned as a satellite city, is now the location of upscale shopping centres and affluent residential areas. It has ten districts and functions as Jakarta's groundwater buffer, but recently the green belt areas are threatened by new developments. Much of the central business district is concentrated all area in Kebayoran Baru, Setiabudi, a small part in Tebet, Pancoran, Mampang Prapatan, and bordering the Tanah Abang/Sudirman area of Central Jakarta. The area is known as the Golden Triangle of Jakarta, Jakarta Golden Triangle. * East Jakarta () territory is characterised by several industrial sectors. Also located in East Jakarta are Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport. This city has ten districts. * North Jakarta () is bounded by the
Java Sea The Java Sea (, ) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its northwest links it to the South Ch ...
. It is the location of Port of Tanjung Priok. Large- and medium-scale industries are concentrated there. It contains part of Jakarta Old Town, which was the centre of Dutch East India Company, VOC trade activity during the colonial era. Also located in North Jakarta is Ancol Dreamland (), the largest integrated tourism area in Southeast Asia. North Jakarta is divided into six districts. The only administrative regency () of Jakarta is the Thousand Islands (), formerly a Districts of Indonesia, district within North Jakarta. It is a collection of 105 small islands located on the Java Sea. It is of high conservation value because of its unique ecosystems. Marine tourism, such as diving, water bicycling, and windsurfing, are the primary tourist activities in this territory. The main mode of transportation between the islands is speed boats or small ferries. The province comprises three of Indonesia's 84 national electoral districts to elect members to the Indonesian Parliament, People's Representative Council. The Jakarta I Electoral District consists of the administrative city of East Jakarta, and elects 6 members to the People's Representative Council. The Jakarta II Electoral District consists of the administrative cities of Central Jakarta and South Jskarta, together with all overseas voters, and elects 7 members to the People's Representative Council. The Jakarta III Electoral District consists of the administrative cities of North Jakarta and West Jakarta, together with the Thousand Islands Regency, and elects 8 members to the People's Representative Council.


Infrastructure

To transform the city into a more liveable one, a ten-year ''urban regeneration'' project was undertaken, for Rp 571 trillion ($40.5 billion). The project aimed to develop infrastructure, including the creation of a better integrated public transit system and the improvement of the city's clean water and wastewater systems, housing, and flood control systems.


Transportation


Healthcare

Jakarta has many of the country's best-equipped private and public Healthcare in Indonesia, healthcare facilities. In 2012, the Governor of Jakarta
Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), often known mononymously as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician, engineer, and businessman who served as the seventh president of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024. Previously a member of the Indonesian Democratic ...
introduced a universal health care program, the 'Healthy Jakarta Card' (''Kartu Jakarta Sehat'', KJS). In January 2014, the Indonesian government launched a universal health care system called the ''Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional'' (JKN), which is run by BPJS Kesehatan. KJS integrated into JKN, and KJS cards were valid till 2018. As of 2021, 85.55% of the people of Jakarta is covered by JKN. Government-run hospitals are of a good standard but are often overcrowded. Government-run specialised hospitals include Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, as well as community hospitals and puskesmas. Other options for healthcare services include private hospitals and clinics. The private healthcare sector has seen significant changes since the government began allowing foreign investment in the private sector in 2010. While some private facilities are run by nonprofit or religious organisations, most are for-profit. Hospital chains such as Siloam Hospitals, Siloam, Pondok Indah Hospital Group, Mayapada, Mitra Keluarga, Medika, Medistra, Ciputra, Radjak Hospital Group, RS Bunda Group, and Hermina Hospitals, Hermina operate in the city.


Water supply

Two private companies, PALYJA and Aetra, provide piped water in the western and eastern half of Jakarta respectively under 25-year concession contracts signed in 1998. A public asset holding company called PAM Jaya owns the infrastructure. Eighty per cent of the water distributed in Jakarta comes through the West Tarum Canal system from Jatiluhur reservoir on the Citarum River, southeast of the city. The water supply was privatised by President Suharto in 1998 to the French company Suez Environnement and the British company Thames Water International. Both companies subsequently sold their concessions to Indonesian companies. Customer growth in the first seven years of the concessions had been lower than before, possibly because of substantial inflation-adjusted tariff increases during this period. In 2005, tariffs were frozen, leading private water companies to cut down on investments. According to PALYJA, the service coverage ratio increased substantially from 34% (1998) to 65% (2010) in the western half of the concession. According to data by the Jakarta Water Supply Regulatory Body, access in the eastern half of the city served by PTJ increased from about 57% in 1998 to about 67% in 2004 but stagnated afterward. However, other sources cite much lower access figures for piped water supply to houses, excluding access provided through public hydrants: one study estimated access as low as 25% in 2005, while another estimated it to be as low as 18.5% in 2011. Those without access to piped water get water mostly from wells that are often salty and unsanitary. As of 2017, according to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia), Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jakarta had a crisis over clean water.


International relations


International organisations

Jakarta hosts foreign Diplomatic mission, embassies and serves as the seat of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Headquarters and is ASEAN's diplomatic capital. Jakarta also a member of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and ASEAN Smart Cities Network.


Twin towns – sister cities

Jakarta signed sister city agreements with other cities, including Casablanca. To promote friendship between the two cities, the main avenue famous for its shopping and business centres was named after Jakarta's Moroccan sister city. No street in Casablanca is named after Jakarta. However, the Moroccan capital city of Rabat has an avenue named after
Sukarno Sukarno (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independenc ...
, Indonesia's first president, to commemorate his visit in 1960 and as a token of friendship. Jakarta's sister cities are: * Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei * Bangkok, Thailand * Beijing, China * Berlin, Germany * Casablanca, Morocco * Hanoi, Vietnam * Islamabad, Pakistan * Istanbul, Turkey * Jeddah, Saudi Arabia * Kyiv, Ukraine * Los Angeles, United States * Manila, Philippines * Maputo, Mozambique * Moscow, Russia * Mumbai, India * New York City, New York, United States * Pyongyang, North Korea * Seoul, South Korea * Shanghai, China * Tokyo, Japan


Cooperation and friendship

Jakarta has established a partnership with Rotterdam, especially on integrated urban water management, including capacity-building and knowledge exchange. This cooperation is mainly because both cities are dealing with similar problems; they lie in low-lying flat plains and are prone to flooding. Additionally, they have both implemented drainage systems involving canals, dams and pumps vital for both cities for below-sea-level areas. In addition to its sister cities, Jakarta cooperates with: * Arkansas, United States * Budapest, Hungary * New South Wales, Australia * Paris, France * Rotterdam, Netherlands


Notable people


See also

* Betawi people * Climate change in Indonesia * Greater Jakarta * List of tallest buildings in Jakarta * Outline of Jakarta * Transport in Jakarta


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* *


External links

*
Jakarta
(official travel website) * {{Authority control Jakarta, Capital districts and territories Provinces of Indonesia Capitals in Asia Populated coastal places in Indonesia Populated places established by the Dutch East India Company 1610 establishments in the Dutch Empire Autonomous provinces Populated places established in 1527