Java is an island in Indonesia and is the 13th largest in the world. With a population of nearly 160 million, the island is home to the world's largest population and is one of the most populous places in the world. Although only the fifth largest, Java is inhabited by 60% of Indonesia's population. This figure is decreased when compared to the 1905 population census that reaches 80.6% of the population of Indonesia. The population decline in Java Island is percentage in the result of population movement ( transmigration) from Java Island to all over Indonesia. The capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, is located in northwestern Java (precisely at the westernmost tip of the Pantura Line).
Java is a relatively young island and is largely formed from volcanic activity. Rows of volcanoes form a ridge stretching from east to west of the island, with alluvial sedimentary plains of rivers in the north.
Many historical stories of Indonesia take place on this island. In the past, Java was the center of several Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, the Islamic sultanate, the Dutch East Indies colonial government, and the center of Indonesia's independence movement. The island has a major impact on the social, political, and economic life of Indonesia.
Most of the population speak in three major languages. Javanese is the mother tongue of 100 million Indonesians, and most of its speakers live on the island of Java. Most of the population is bilingual, who speak Indonesian both as a first and second language. The other two important languages are Sundanese and Betawi. Most of the inhabitants of Java Island are Muslim and Christian, but there are various faiths, religions, ethnic groups, and cultures on the island.
The island is administratively divided into six provinces, namely West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Banten; as well as two special areas, namely DKI Jakarta and DI Yogyakarta.
Etymology
The origin of the name "Java" can be traced from a Sanskrit chronicle that mentions an island named yavadvip (a) (dvipa means "island", and yava means "barley" or "grain"). Whether this grain is a chocolate (Setaria italica) or rice), both have been commonly found on the island before the influx of Indian influence. Perhaps, the island has many previous names, including possibly derived from the word jaú which means "far away" .. Yavadvipa is mentioned in the Indian epic, Ramayana. Sugriwa, the warlord of the Sri Rama troops, sent his messenger to Yavadvip ("Java Island") to find Dewi Shinta. Then based on Indian literature especially Tamil libraries, called the Sanskrit name yāvaka dvīpa (dvīpa = island).
Another suggestion is that the word "Javanese" comes from the root of Proto-Austronesian, Awa or Yawa (Similar to the Awa'i (Awaiki) or Hawa'i (Hawaiki) used in Polynesia, especially Hawaii) meaning "house "
Script
The Javanese script, also known as Hanacaraka and Carakan, is one of the traditional script of the archipelago used to write the Javanese language and a number of other Indonesian languages such as Sundanese and Sasak language. This paper is closely related to the Balinese script.
Based on oral tradition, Javanese script was created by Aji Saka, an immigrant figure from India, from Shaka (Scythia) tribe. The legend symbolizes the coming of the Dharma (Hindu-Buddhist teachings and civilizations) to the island of Java. Now the word Saka is still used in terms in Javanese, saka or soko, meaning important, base, or origin. Aji Saka means "king of origin" or "first king".
History
The island is part of the Greater Sunda archipelago and the Sunda exposure, which in the days before melting ice was the southeastern tip of the Asian continent. The fossil remains of Homo erectus, popularly nicknamed "The Javanese Man", are found along the banks of the Bengawan Solo River, and the remains date back to 1.7 million years ago. Sangiran Site is an important prehistoric site in Java. Some megalithic structures have been found on the island of Java, such as menhirs, dolmen, stone tables, and pyramids terraces commonly called Punden Berundak. Punden terraces and menhirs are found on megalithic sites in Paguyangan, Cisolok, and Gunung Padang, West Java. The Cipari megalithic site also found in West Java shows the monolith structure, stone terrace, and sarcophagus. Punden terundak this is considered as the original structure of the archipelago and is the basic design of the temple in the era of the Hindu-Buddhist archipelago after the local population received the influence of Hindu-Buddhist civilization from India. In the 4th century BC to the 1st or 5th centuries the Buni Culture clay pottery culture flourished on the north coast of West Java. This prototypal culture is the predecessor of the Tarumanagara empire.
The fertile and highly rainy islands of Java allow for the development of rice cultivation in wetlands, thus encouraging the formation of increasingly complex levels of inter-village cooperation. From the village alliances, small kingdoms grew. The range of volcanic mountains and the surrounding plains that stretched across the island of Java caused the interior areas of the island and its people to be relatively separated from outside influences. In the period before the advent of Islamic countries as well as the arrival of European colonialism, the existing rivers were the primary means of public transportation, although most rivers in Java were short-lived. Only the Brantas River and the Solo River can be a means of connecting remotely, so that in the valleys of the river formed the center of the great kingdoms.
It is estimated that a communications system consisting of road networks, permanent bridges, and customs duties has been established on the island of Java at least in the middle of the seventeenth century. Local rulers have power over these routes, a heavy rainy season can also disrupt travel, and so the use of roads is highly dependent on ongoing maintenance. It can be said that the interconnection between the islanders of Java at that time was difficult.
The period of the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom
The kingdom of Taruma and the Kingdom of Sunda appeared in West Java, respectively in the 4th and 7th centuries, while the Medang Kingdom was the first major kingdom that stood in Central Java in the early 8th century. The Medang Kingdom embraced Hinduism and worshiped Lord Shiva, and this kingdom built some of the earliest Hindu temples in Java located on the Dieng Plateau. On the Kedu Plain in the 8th century developed the House of Sailendra, who was the patron of Mahayana Buddhism. Their kingdom built various temples in the 9th century, including Borobudur and Prambanan in Central Java.
A Buddhist stupa in Borobudur temple, from the 9th century.
Around the 10th century, the center of power shifted from center to east of Java. In the eastern region stood Kadiri, Singhasari and Majapahit kingdoms relying primarily on rice farming, but also developed inter-island trade between Indonesia and China and India.
Raden Wijaya founded Majapahit, and his power reached its peak during the reign of Hayam Wuruk (c.1350-1389). The Kingdom claims sovereignty over the entire Indonesian archipelago, although direct control tends to be limited to Java, Bali, and Madura alone. Gajah Mada is mahapatih at the time of Hayam Wuruk, who led many territorial conquests for the kingdom. The kingdoms in Java previously based their power on agriculture, but Majapahit managed to seize the ports and shipping lanes thus becoming the first commercial empire in Java. Majapahit suffered a setback with the death of Hayam Wuruk and the entry of Islam into Indonesia.
The period of the Islamic empire
By the end of the sixteenth century, Islam had surpassed Hinduism and Buddhism as the dominant religion in Java, through preaching first to the rulers of the island. During this time, the Islamic kingdoms of Demak, Pajang, Cirebon, and Banten built up their power. The Sultanate of Mataram at the end of the 16th century grew into a dominant force from central and eastern Java. The rulers of Surabaya and Cirebon were subdued under the rule of Mataram, so that only Mataram and Banten were left when the Dutch came into the 17th century.
Colonial period
Javanese relations with European colonial powers began in 1522, with an agreement between the Kingdom of Sunda and the Portuguese in Malacca. Following the failure of the treaty, the Portuguese presence was subsequently limited to Malacca and to the eastern islands of the archipelago alone. An expedition under the leadership of Cornelis de Houtman consisting of four ships in 1596, became the beginning of the relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia. By the end of the eighteenth century, the Dutch had succeeded in extending their influence over the sultanates in the interior of the island of Java (see Dutch East Indies Company in Indonesia). Although the Javanese are brave warriors, internal conflict has prevented them from forming effective alliances against the Dutch. The remnants of Mataram survive as Surakarta and Yogyakarta Sultanate. The Javanese kings claim to have power over the will of God, and the Dutch support the remnants of the Javanese aristocracy by establishing their position as ruler of the region or bupati within the scope of the colonial administration.
At the beginning of the colonial period, Java played a leading role as a rice-producing region. Spice-producing islands, such as the Banda islands, regularly bring in rice from Java to meet their living needs.
England had conquered Java in 1811. Java later became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain, with Sir Stamford Raffles as its General Governor. In 1814, the British returned Java to the Netherlands as stipulated in the Treaty of Paris.
The population of the island of Java is likely to have reached 10 million people in 1815. In the second half of the 18th century, there began to increase population in the duchies along the northern coast of central Java, and in the nineteenth century the whole island experienced rapid population growth . Various factors causing large population growth include the role of Dutch colonial government, namely in determining the end of civil war in Java, increasing the area of rice fields, as well as introducing other food crops such as cassava and corn that can support food security for the population who can not afford to buy rice . Others argue that the rising tax burden and widespread recruitment under the Cultivation System cause couples to try to have more children in the hope of increasing the number of family members who can help pay taxes and make a living. In 1820, there was an outbreak of cholera in Java with a death toll of 100,000.
The presence of trucks and trains as a means of transportation for people who previously only used trains and water buffaloes, the use of telegraph systems, and a more orderly distribution system under colonial rule; all contributing to the eradication of hunger in Java, which in turn increased population growth. There was no significant famine in Java since the 1840s until the Japanese occupation of the 1940s. In addition, the decline in the early age of marriage during the 19th century, led to an increase in the number of years in which a woman can take care of the child.
Independence period
Indonesian nationalism began to grow in Java at the beginning of the 20th century (see National Awakening Indonesia), and the struggle for independence after World War II was also centered on Java. The defeated G 30 S PKI coup and subsequent anti-communist violence in 1965-66 mostly took place on the island. Java currently dominates social, political and economic life in Indonesia, potentially a source of social jealousy. In 1998 there was a major riot that struck the Chinese-Indonesian ethnic, which was one of the bloody riots that occurred shortly before the collapse of the 32-year-old government of President Soeharto.
In 2006, Mount Merapi erupted and was followed by an earthquake that struck Yogyakarta. Java also had a slight impact of bird flu outbreaks, as well as the location of the mud volcano disaster Sidoarjo.
Geography and Geology
Geography
Java is adjacent to Sumatra in the west, Bali in the east, Borneo in the north, and Christmas Island in the south. Java Island is the 13th largest island in the world. The waters surrounding the island are the Java Sea in the north, the Sunda Straits in the west, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Bali Strait and the Madura Strait to the east.
Java has an area of about 126,700 km2. The longest river is Bengawan Solo, which is 600 km long. This river is sourced in central Java, precisely in Lawu volcano. The river flow then flows north and east, towards its estuary in the Java Sea near the city of Surabaya.
Almost the entire Java region has had the impact of volcanic activity. There are thirty-eight mountains stretching from east to west of the island, all of which have at times been active volcanoes. The highest volcano in Java is Mount Semeru (3,676 m), while the most active volcano in Java and even in Indonesia is Mount Merapi (2,968 m) and Mount Kelud (1731 m). The distant mountains and highlands help inland areas to be divided into relatively isolated areas suitable for wetland rice fields. Paddy rice fields in Java are among the most fertile in the world. Java is the first place to plant coffee in Indonesia, which is since 1699. Now, arabica coffee is widely grown in the Highlands of Ijen either by small farmers or by large estates.
The Plateau of Parahyangan, seen from Bogor (k.1865-1872).
The average temperature throughout the year is between 22 ° C to 29 ° C, with an average humidity of 75%. The northern coastal area is usually hotter, with an average of 34 ° C during the day in the dry season. The south coast is generally cooler than the north coast, and the upland plateau is cooler. The rainy season begins in October and ends in April, where the rain usually falls in the afternoon, and in the months other than that it usually only goes down intermittently. The highest rainfall generally occurs in the months of January and February.
West Java has more rainfall than East Java, and its mountains receive even higher rainfall. Rainfall in the Parahyangan Highlands in West Java reaches more than 4,000 mm per year, while on the east coast of East Java only 900 mm per year.
Geology
The most complete geological description of Java is revealed in van Bemmelen (1949). As an island, Java is relatively young geologically. Establishment starts from the Tertiary period. Previously, the crust that forms the island is below sea level. Intensive orogenic activity since the Oligocene and Miocene lifts the sea floor so that at the time of Pliocene and Pleistocene form of Java Island have started to form. Remnants of the seabed are still visible, forming most of the karst area in the south of the island.
Van Bemmelen divides Java Island into the following seven physiographical units.
Southern Mountains, is a limestone zone mixed with the rest of the volcanic activity of the Miocene who experienced several uplifts until the Quaternary period.
The volcanic zone of the Quaternary period, with high volcanoes, often with peaks above 2000 m above sea level, extends from west to east.
Central Depression, forming the basin shaft as the main axis of the island, with two major depressions: Bandung depression and Solo depression
Central Anticlinal Zone, consisting of the precipitates of the Miocene to Pleistocene, starting from Mount Karang continues east past Bogor, Serayu valley, then Kendeng Mountains, continue up to the northern coast of Besuki.
Randublatung depression, a small depression extending north of the Kendeng Mountains, is formed from marine and terrestrial sediments.
Antiklinorium Rembang-Madura, is a formation of limestone hills on the north coast of East Java and forms almost all parts of Madura Island
The northern coastal alluvial plain (Pantura Line) formed from delta and silt deposits, is the youngest landmass.
Demographics
Government
Administratively Java island consists of six provinces:
Province Special Capital Region of Jakarta
Banten province, with the provincial capital of Serang City
West Java Province, with the provincial capital of Bandung City
Central Java Province, with the provincial capital of Semarang City
East Java Province, with the provincial capital of Surabaya City
Regional Level of Special Province of Yogyakarta, with the capital city of Yogyakarta
Population
With a population of 160 million Java is an island that houses over 60% of the Indonesian population. With a density of 1,317 souls / km², the island is also one of the world's most populous islands. About 45% of Indonesia's population is of Javanese origin. However, the western third of the island (West Java, Banten, and Jakarta) has a population density of over 1,500 inhabitants / km2.
From the 1970s to the fall of Suharto in 1998, the Indonesian government conducted a transmigration program to move some of Java's population to the larger islands of Indonesia. This program is sometimes successful, but it sometimes results in conflict between transmigrant immigrants from Java and the local population. In East Java there are also many ethnic Madurese and Balinese, due to the proximity of the location and the historic relationship between Java and the islands. Jakarta and its surrounding areas as the dominant metropolitan area and the nation's capital, has become a gathering place for various ethnic groups in Indonesia.
The inhabitants of Java Island are gradually increasingly urbanized, and the big cities and industrial estates are the top density centers. Here are 10 major cities in Java based on population numbers in 2005
Ethnicity and culture
The myth of the origin of Java island and the volcanoes are told in a kakawin, named Tangtu Panggelaran. The ethnic composition of Java is relatively homogeneous, although it has a large population compared to other large islands in Indonesia. There are two main ethnic groups of this island, namely ethnic Javanese and Sundanese. The Madurese can also be considered a third group; they originate from the island of Madura which lies north of the east coast of Java, and have migrated extensively to East Java since the 18th century.
The number of Javanese is about two-thirds of the island's population, while the Sundanese reach 20% and the Madurese reach 10%.
The four main cultural areas are on the island: central Java culture (kejawen) in the middle, coastal culture of Java (Pasisiran) on the north coast, Sundanese culture (pasundan) in the west, and Osing culture (blambangan) in the east. Madura culture is sometimes regarded as the fifth, given its close relationship with Javanese coastal culture. Kejawen is considered the most dominant culture of Java. The remaining Java aristocracy is located in this region, which is also an ethnic with the dominant population in Indonesia. The language, art, and etiquette prevailing in this region are considered to be the most subtle and a role model of Javanese society. The most fertile and populous farmland in Indonesia stretches from Banyumas in the west to Blitar in the east.
Java is home to many influential empires in Southeast Asia, and hence there are literary works from Javanese authors. One of them is the story of Ken Arok and Ken Dedes, which is the story of orphans who managed to become king and marry the queen of the ancient Javanese kingdom; and there are also translations from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Pramoedya Ananta Toer is an eminent contemporary Indonesian writer, who has written extensively on his personal experience as he grew up in Java, and he has taken many elements of Javanese folklore and historical legends into his compositions.
Language
The three major languages spoken in Java are Javanese, Sundanese, and Madurese. Other languages spoken include Betawi (a local dialect of Malay in Jakarta), Osing and Tengger (closely related to Javanese), Baduy (closely related to Sundanese), Kangean (closely related to the language Madurese), Balinese language, and Banyumasan language. Most of the population is able to speak Indonesian, which is generally their second language.
Religion and trust
Java is the arena of meetings of various religions and cultures. The influence of Indian culture is that which came first with the Hindu-Shiva and Buddhist religions, which penetrate deeply and blend with the traditions of Javanese customs and culture. The royal brahmans and court poets validate the power of the Javanese kings, and link Hindu cosmology with their political makeup. Although later Islam became the majority religion, small pockets of Hindus spread throughout the island. There is a significant Hindu population along the east coast near the island of Bali, especially around the city of Banyuwangi. While the Buddhist community is generally present in big cities, especially from the Chinese-Indonesian.
A collection of smoothly carved Muslim headstones written in Old Javanese and not Arabic was found with the year since 1369 in East Java. Damais concluded it was the tomb of highly respected Javanese, perhaps even the nobles. M.C. Ricklefs argues that the mystical-minded proponents of Islam, who may be considered supernatural forces, were agents that led to the conversion of the Javanese elite, who had long been familiar with the mystical aspects of Hinduism and Buddhism. A tombstone of a Muslim named Maulana Malik Ibrahim who in 1419 (822 Hijri) was found in Gresik, a port on the coast of East Java. The Javanese tradition refers to them as non-Javanese foreigners, and is considered one of the first nine disseminators of Islam in Java (Walisongo), although there is no written evidence to support this oral tradition.
Today almost 100% of the tribes of Sunda, Betawi, Banten and Cirebon as well as about 95 percent of the Javanese tribe embraced Islam. Religion Islam is very strong influence on tribes Betawi, Banten, Cirebon and Sunda. Muslim Javanese can be divided into abangan (more syncretic) and santri (more orthodox). In a boarding school in Java, the kyai as religious leaders continued the role of the rishis in Hinduism. The santri and the community around the lodge generally helped to provide for their needs. The pre-Islamic tradition in Java has also made Islamic understanding of some people inclined towards the mystical. There is a Javanese society grouped less structured under the leadership of religious figures, combining pre-Islamic knowledge and practices with the teachings of Islam.
Roman Catholicism arrived in Indonesia on the arrival of the Portuguese with the spice trade. The Catholic religion began to spread in Central Java when Frans van Lith, a priest from the Netherlands, came to Muntilan, Central Java in 1896. Protestant Christians arrived in Indonesia at the start of the Dutch East Indies colonialization (VOC) in the 16th century. The VOC policy that prohibits the spread of Catholicism significantly increases the percentage of Protestants in Indonesia. The Christian community is primarily in large cities, although in some areas of southern central Java there are villages where the population is Catholic. There are cases of religious intolerance that afflict Catholics and other Christian groups.
In 1956, the Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Yogyakarta reported that there were 63 sects of the Javanese religion that were not included in official religions in Indonesia. Of these, 35 are in Central Java, 22 in West Java and 6 in East Java. The various beliefs (also called kejawen or kebatinan), among them the famous Subud, have an unpredictable number of members as many followers identify with one of the official religions as well.
Economics and Livelihoods
Initially, the economy of Java is very dependent on rice fields. The ancient kingdoms of Java, such as Tarumanagara, Mataram, and Majapahit, rely heavily on the rice harvest and its taxes. Java is known for being a rice exporter since time immemorial, contributing to the growth of the island's inhabitants. Trade with other Asian countries such as India and China occurred at the beginning of the 4th century, as evidenced by the discovery of Chinese ceramics from that period. Java is also involved in the Maluku spice trade since the Majapahit era until the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) era. The trading company established its administrative center in Batavia in the seventeenth century, which was further developed by the Dutch Indies government since the 18th century. During the colonial period, the Netherlands introduced the cultivation of various commercial crops, such as sugar cane, coffee, rubber, tea, quinine, and others. Java coffee even gained global popularity in the early 19th and 20th century, so the Java name has become a synonym for coffee.
Java has been the most developed island in Indonesia since the Indies era until now. Road transport networks that have existed since ancient times are linked and perfected with the construction of the Java Postal Road by Daendels in the early 19th century. The need for transportation of commercial products from plantations inland to the coastal ports has spurred the development of railway networks in Java. Currently, industry, business and trade, as well as services flourish in major cities in Java, such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Semarang, and Bandung, while traditional sultanates such as Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Cirebon keep the cultural heritage of the palace and become the center art, culture and tourism. Industrial area also developed in cities along the north coast of Java, especially around Cilegon, Tangerang, Bekasi, Karawang, Gresik, and Sidoarjo.
The toll road network has been built and expanded since the Soeharto era until now, linking urban centers with the surrounding areas, in various big cities like Jakarta, Bandung, Cirebon, Semarang and Surabaya. In addition to the toll road, on this island there are also 16 national highways.
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