About 18,000 islands belong to Indonesia, which holds the 15th place in the world in terms of size and the fourth place in terms of population. Indonesia has many large islands, among which Sumatra, Sulawesi and Java are the main ones.
These islands consist of magnificent beaches, volcanoes, and many other geographical features. Among the islands, the island of Java is one of the significant islands for several reasons.
Java has four provinces and two districts. Each province has its own Government and the Indonesian Government is only responsible for federal issues. Provinces and cities in Java are Banton with three cities, West Java with nine cities, Central Java with six cities, East Java with nine cities, Yogyakarta with one city and Jakarta with five cities.
The administrative centre of Indonesia is the island of Java. A large number of tourists visit here every year, and the fact that most of the interesting places are located here affects the growth of the tourist population.
World heritage
The city of Surabaya with its old parts and traditional buildings belonging to the Dutch rule, Borobudur Temple, which is listed as a world heritage, Anyer beach, Candi Prambanan, a Hindu temple, the beautiful beach of Batu Karas, and the Baturaden, the mountain called Ijen, and the temple called Sewu can be considered the most popular tourist destinations in the island.
Cultivation of paddy has been a major livelihood on the island of Java since ancient times. Java is a major contributor to sugarcane and kapok in Indonesia. In addition to these, rubber, tea, coffee, cocoa are grown in the Western highlands and exported.
Sweet potatoes, soybeans, corn, and peanuts are also cultivated in some areas. Large industries such as rubber, shoes, paper, soap, cement and cigarettes are also carried out, while substances such as gold, silver, copper, manganese, phosphate and sulfur are found in limited form.
Java is one of the world’s most famous islands, and over 136 million people live here. Around 60 percent of the Indonesian population lives within the island, which makes Java the most populated island not only in Indonesia but also in the world.
Javanese and Sundanese are the majority ethnic groups living in Java. But today people of different nationalities live. In cities like Jakarta and Surabaya, people belonging to communities such as Batak, Balinese and Papuan can be found. As foreign nationals, Chinese nationals can be seen in Java. While they do not work in government institutions, most of the business and trade on the island of Java is carried out by the Chinese.
Traditional foods
The island of Java has many delicious traditional foods. Each of these foods has its own unique flavours. Lengko rice is a traditional food of the Northern coastal community. Even though these recipes are simple, they are high in protein and calories.
Karedok is a special food in West Java. Raw vegetables are used in the preparation of this West Javanese food. Cities like Solo and Surakarta are famous for their traditional food. The art and languages of the Javanese are the most exemplary features of the island. Gamelan orchestra and Javanese puppetry belong to the classical arts.
Javanese, Madurese and Sundanese are the main languages on the island of Java, but Bahasa Indonesia is also spoken as the official language. Only a minority of the population can speak English. More than 85 percent of the island’s population are Muslims. There are also a large number of Hindus. There is also a significant Christian population in Java, most of whom live in large cities. Roman Catholics live in rural areas, while Buddhists live in large cities.