Indonesia

Papua

2010-04-18T13:39:00.005-07:00

1.7.2 Papua

Province of Papua

Motto: Karya Swadaya (Sanskrit)
(Work with one's own might)

Capital
Jayapura

Governor
Barnabas Suebu

Area
421,981 km2 (162,928 sq mi)
Population
1,994,531 (2005)
Density
4.7 /km2 (12 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Indigenous: Melanesian (including Aitinyo, Aefak, Asmat, Agast, Dani, Ayamaru, Mandacan Biak, Serui), Non-indigenous (including Javanese, Bugis, Minangkabau, Batak, Minahasan, Chinese.)

Religion
Protestant (51.2%), Roman Catholic (25.42%), Islam (23%), others (2.5%)
Languages
Indonesian (official), 269 indigenous Papuan and Austronesian languages[1]

Time zone
WIT (UTC+9)

Web site Papua.go.id

Papua is the largest province of Indonesia, comprising a majority part of the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands (see also Western New Guinea). The province originally covered the entire western half of New Guinea, but in 2003, the western portion of the province, on the Bird's Head Peninsula, was declared by the Indonesian Government as a separate province named West Irian Jaya (now West Papua). The legality of this separation has been disputed as it conflicts with the conditions of the Special Autonomy status granted to Papua in the year 2000. The Papua Conflict takes place there.
(West) Papua has been engaged in a struggle for national liberation from Indonesia since it was annexed to the Indonesian state in 1969 in the discredited (but internationally recognized) 'Act of Free Choice' in which 'tribal' leaders were coerced by the Indonesian army into endorsing adherence to the Republic of Indonesia. This 'vote' was the culmination of a process by which U.S. state and corporate interests worked through the United Nations to pressure the Netherlands into allowing Indonesia to enact its claims sovereignty over West Papua. It has since been revealed that the U.S. mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, based in Houston, TX, signed a contract to exploit the world's largest gold and copper reserves located at Tempagapura, years before Indonesian sovereignty over Papua was made official. The Freeport mine continues to be exploited at great profit to the US company and the Indonesian state, and at great social and environmental cost to the Papuan people.

Contents
1 Naming
2 Government
3 Regions
4 Geography
5 Ethnic groups
6 Demographics
7 Ecology
8 See also
9 References
10 External links

Naming
Within Indonesia and West Papua itself, 'Papua' usually refers to the entire western half of New Guinea - West Papua - despite its division into separate provinces by the Indonesian government. What is referred to as 'Papua' in Indonesia is generally referred to as 'West Papua' internationally - especially among networks of international solidarity with the West Papuan national movement.
"Papua" is the official Indonesian and internationally recognised name for the province. During the Dutch colonial era the region was known as part of "Dutch New Guinea" or "Netherlands New Guinea". Since its annexation in 1969, it became known as "West Irian" or "Irian Barat" until 1973, and thereafter renamed "Irian Jaya" (roughly translated, "Glorious Irian") by the Suharto administration.[2][3] This was the official name until "Papua" was adopted in 2002. Today, natives of this province prefer to call themselves Papuans rather than Irianese. This may be due to etymology (variously identified as a real etymology or a folk etymology) of the name Irian which stems from the acronym Ikut Republik Indonesia, Anti Nederland (join/follow the Republic of Indonesia, rejecting the Netherlands).[citation needed]
The name "West Papua" was adopted in 1961 by the New Guinea Council until the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) transferred administration to the Republic of Indonesia in 1963. "West Papua" has since been used among Papuan separatists and usually refers to the whole of the Indonesian portion of New Guinea. The other Indonesian province that shares New Guinea, West Irian Jaya, has been officially renamed as "West Papua".
Government
The province of Papua is governed by a directly-elected governor (currently Barnabas Suebu) and a regional legislature, DPRP (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Papua). A unique government organisation that only exists in Papua is the MRP (Majelis Rakyat Papua / Papuan People's Council) that was formed by the Indonesian Government in 2005 as a coalition of Papuan tribal chiefs, tasked with arbitration and speaking on behalf of Papuan tribal customs.
Indonesian governance of Papua is controversial with international opinion varying a great deal. Some view it as naked colonialism, others maintain that Indonesia represents a legitimate authority with a willing people.[citation needed] Frank expression of views is complicated by the delicate and troubled relationship many nations have with Indonesia. The Free Papua Movement strives for independence of the area from Indonesia.[4] Like the rest of Indonesia, governance of the province has traditionally been strong and centralised from Jakarta. Papua was a major beneficiary of a nation-wide decentralisation process started in 1999 and the Special Autonomy status introduced in 2002. Measures included the formation of the MRP and redistribution of resource revenues. The implementation, however, of the Special Autonomy measures has been criticized by many as only being half-hearted.[citation needed]
In 1999 it was proposed to split the province into three government-controlled sectors, sparking Papuan protests (see external article). In January 2003 President Megawati Sukarnoputri signed an order dividing Papua into three provinces: Central Irian Jaya (Irian Jaya Tengah), Papua (or East Irian Jaya, Irian Jaya Timur), and West Papua (Irian Jaya Barat). The formality of installing a local government for Jaraka in Irian Jaya Barat (West) took place in February 2003 and a governor was appointed in November; a government for Irian Jaya Tengah (central) was delayed from August 2003 due to violent local protests. The creation of this separate central province was blocked by Indonesian courts, who declared it to be unconstitutional and in contravention of the Papua's special autonomy agreement. The previous division into two provinces was allowed to stand as an established fact. (King, 2004, p. 91)
In January 2006, 43 refugees landed on the coast of Australia and stated that the Indonesian military is carrying out a genocide in Papua. This was a rumor developed from military operations against OPM, the rebel group fighting for Papua's freedom. They were transported to an Australian immigration detention facility on Christmas Island, 360 km south of the western end of Java. On 23 March 2006, the Australian government granted temporary visas to 42 of the 43 asylum seekers (the 43rd, who had a Japanese visa at the time of his arrival, finally received an Australian visa in early August 2006).[5] On 24 March 2006 Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Australia.[6]
Despite the strength of the military and police as well as civilian infrastructure of the Indonesian state in Papua, certain remote areas are known to be out of the state's control; these areas are often thought of as being the domain of the national liberation movement, OPM (Organisasi Papua Merdeka - Free Papua Movement). This de facto Papuan sovereignty at certain isolated margins of the Indonesian state is under constant threat, however, by possibility and reality of Indonesian military and police activities, which frequently take the character of 'scorched earth' operations involving killings, beatings and torture of civilians as well as destruction of houses and farms.
Regions
Indonesia structures regions by regencies and subdistricts within those. Though names and areas of control of these regional structures can vary over time in accord with changing political and other requirements, in 2005 Papua province consisted of 19 regencies (kabupaten).
The regencies ("kabupaten") are: Asmat; Biak-Numfor; Boven Digoel; Jayapura; Jayawijaya; Keerom; Mappi; Merauke; Mimika; Nabire; Paniai; Pegunungan Bintang; Puncak Jaya; Sarmi; Supiori; Tolikara; Waropen; Yahukimo and Yapen Waropen. In addition to these, the city of Jayapura also has the status of a regency.
Jayapura, founded on 7 March 1910 as Hollandia, had by 1962 developed into a city with modern civil, educational, and medical services. Since Indonesian administration these services have been replaced by Indonesian equivalents such as the TNI (the army) replacing the Papua Battalion. The name of the city has been changed to Kotabaru, then to Sukarnopura and finally to its current official name. Among ethnic Papuans, it is also known as Port Numbai, the former name before the arrival of immigrants.
Jayapura is the largest city, boasting a small but active tourism industry, it is built on a slope overlooking the bay. Cenderawasih University (UNCEN) campus at Abepura houses the University Museum. Both Tanjung Ria beach, near the market at Hamadi — site of the 22 April 1944 Allied invasion during World War II — and the site of General Douglas MacArthur's World War II headquarters at Ifar Gunung have monuments commemorating the events.
Geography
A central east-west mountain range dominates the geography of New Guinea, over 1600 km in total length. The western section is around 600 km long and 100 km across. The province contains the highest mountains between the Himalayas and the Andes, rising up to 4884 m high, and ensuring a steady supply of rain from the tropical atmosphere. The tree line is around 4000 m elevation and the tallest peaks contain permanent equatorial glaciers, increasingly melting due to a changing climate. Various other smaller mountain ranges occur both north and west of the central ranges. Except in high elevations, most areas possess a hot humid climate throughout the year, with some seasonal variation associated with the northeast monsoon season.
The third major habitat feature are the vast southern and northern lowlands. Stretching for hundreds of kilometers, these include lowland rainforests, extensive wetlands, savanna grasslands, and some of the largest expanses of mangrove forest in the world. The southern lowlands are the site of Lorentz National Park, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The province's largest river is the Mamberamo, sometimes called the "Amazon of Papua", which winds through the northern part of the province. The result is a large area of lakes and rivers known as the Lakes Plains region. The famous Baliem Valley, home of the Dani people is a tableland 1600 m above sea level in the midst of the central mountain range; Puncak Jaya, sometimes known by its former Dutch name Carstensz Pyramid, is a mist covered limestone mountain peak 4884 m above sea level.
Ethnic groups
The following are some of the most well-known ethnic groups of Papua:
Amungme
Asmat
Bauzi
Dani
Kamoro
Kombai
Korowai
Mee
Sentani
Yali
Yei
Demographics
The population of Papua province and the neighbouring West Papua province, both of which are still under a united administration, totalled 2,646,489 in 2005.[7] Since the early 1990s Papua has had the highest population growth rate of all Indonesian provinces at over 3% annually. This is partly a result of high birth rates, but mainly due to state-sponsored migration from Java. While indigenous Papuans formed the near-totality of the population in 1961, they are now roughly 50% of the population, the other half being composed of Indonesian migrants taking part in Indonesia's project of colonization, which simultaneously serves the interest of international resource exploitation capital. Current projections indicate the likelihood that indigenous Papuans will rapidly become a minority in their land within the next few years, unless Papuans succeed in claiming the power to regulate migration to Papua - which is unlikely to occur within the status quo of Indonesia sovereignty.
According to the 2000 census, 78% of the Papuans identified themselves as Christian with 54% being Protestant and 24% being Roman Catholic. 21% of the population was Muslim and less than 1% was Buddhist or Hindu.[8] There is also substantial practice of animism by Papuans, which is not recognised by the Indonesian government in line with the policy of Pancasila.
The densest population center, other than the large coastal cities that house Indonesian bureaucratic and commercial apparatus, is located in and around the town of Wamena in the Palim (a.k.a. Baliem) Valley of the Central Highlands. The 'extreme democracy' and ecological stewardship of the highlands Papuan society is documented by Jared Diamond in the book Collapse.
Ecology
A vital tropical rainforest with the tallest tropical trees and vast biodiversity, Papua's known forest fauna includes marsupials (including possums, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, cuscuses), other mammals (including the endangered Long-beaked Echidna), many bird species (including birds of paradise, cassowaries, parrots, cockatoos), the world's longest lizards (Papua monitor) and the world's largest butterflies.
The island has an estimated 16,000 species of plant, 124 genera of which are endemic.
The extensive waterways and wetlands of Papua are also home to salt and freshwater crocodile, tree monitors, flying foxes, osprey, bats and other animals; while the equatorial glacier fields remain largely unexplored.
In February 2006, a team of scientists exploring the Foja Mountains, Sarmi, discovered numerous new species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, and plants, including possibly the largest-flowered species of rhododendron.[9]
Protected areas within Papua province include the Lorentz National Park, which is also a World Heritage site and the Wasur National Park, a RAMSAR wetland of international importance.
Ecological threats include logging-induced deforestation, forest conversion for plantation agriculture (especially oil palm), smallholder agricultural conversion, the introduction and potential spread of alien species such as the Crab-eating Macaque which preys on and competes with indigenous species, the illegal species trade, and water pollution from oil and mining operations.
Papua's ancient rain forests have recently come under an even greater threat of deforestation after the Chinese government placed an order of 1 billion US dollar or 800,000 cubic meters of the threatened merbau rainforest timbers, used in buildings for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[10]
In remote forested valleys, several thousand smallholder farmers are growing Arabica coffee in the shade of Calliandra, Erythrina and Albizia trees. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not available in these valleys. Since there are no roads, the coffee is flown out and then exported from the port of Jayapura.[11]

West Papua

2010-04-18T13:39:00.001-07:00

1.7.1 West Papua
West Papua

Motto: Cintaku Negeriku (Indonesian)
(My love, my country)

Capital
Manokwari

Governor
Abraham Octavianus Atururi
Area
115,364 km2 (44,542 sq mi)
Population
651,958
Density
5.7 /km2 (15 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Melanesian

Religion
Christianity, Islam

Languages
Indonesian (official)

Time zone
UTC+9

Web site www.papuabaratprov.go.id

West Papua (Indonesian: Papua Barat) is an Indonesian province on the western peninsula of the island of New Guinea, west of Papua, another province of Indonesia. It is the least-populous province of Indonesia. The population of West Papua is around 800,000. Before 2007, the province was known as West Irian Jaya or Irian Jaya Barat) The province covers the Bird's Head (or Doberai) Peninsula and surrounding islands. The Papua Conflict is an ongoing long-term low-level conflict that takes place on West Papua and Papua against the Indonesian government.
Contents
1 Administrative divisions
2 Administrative history
3 Earthquake
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

Administrative divisions
The capital of West Papua is in Manokwari. The province is administratively divided into eight regencies (kabupaten) and one city (kota):
Fak-fak (Fak-Fak)
Kaimana
Manokwari
Raja Ampat (capital Waisai)
Sorong
Kota Sorong (city)
Sorong Selatan (capital Teminabuan)
Teluk Bintuni (capital Bintuni)
Teluk Wondama (capital Rasiei)
Administrative history

Map of West Papua
West Papua was created from the western portion of Papua province in February 2003, initially under the name of Irian Jaya Barat, and was renamed Papua Barat (West Papua) on 7 February 2007. The split remains controversial. Supporters, including those in the central government in Jakarta and immigrants to Papua from elsewhere in Indonesia, argue that the creation of the new province will help ensure the efficient management of resources and fair distribution of services. The split is widely opposed in Papua itself, where it is viewed as a violation of special autonomy laws governing Papua, and as an effort to quell the Papuan separatist movement (see History of Western New Guinea).
In November 2004, an Indonesian court agreed that the split violated Papua's autonomy laws. However, the court ruled that because the new province had already been created, it should remain separate from Papua. The ruling also prohibited the creation of another proposed province, Central Irian Jaya, because the split was not yet completed.
The province changed its name to West Papua on 7 February 2007. The new name applies from that date, but a plenary session of the provincial legislative council is required to legalise the change of name, and the government needs to then issue a regulation.[1]
Earthquake
At 4:43 a.m. local time on 3 January 2009, a powerful earthquake, 7.6 on the Richter magnitude scale, struck near the northern coast of Indonesia's largest province. A tsunami warning was initially issued but lifted within an hour of the quake.[2][3] The earthquake occurred about 150 km west-northwest of Manokwari and about 170 km east-northeast of Sorong.[3]

Western New Guinea

2010-04-18T13:38:00.001-07:00

1.7 Western New Guinea

Western New Guinea
West Papua
Region

Country Indonesia

Cities Jayapura, Manokwari, Sorong, Timika, Fak Fak

Provinces 2[show]

Area 420,540 km2 (162,371 sq mi)

Highest point Puncak Jaya

- location Sudirman Range

- coordinates 4°5′S 137°11′E4.083°S 137.183°E

- elevation 4,884 m (16,024 ft)

Population 2,646,489 (2005)
Density 6 /km2 (16 /sq mi)

Time zone WIT (UTC+9)

ISO 3166-2
ID-IJ
License plate DS

Western New Guinea is the western half of the island of New Guinea. It is the easternmost part of Indonesia, consisting of two provinces: Papua and West Papua. It was previously known by various names, including Netherlands New Guinea (1895–1 October 1962), West New Guinea (1 October 1962–1 May 1963), West Irian (1 May 1963–1973), and Irian Jaya (1973–2000). The incorporation of western New Guinea into Indonesia remains controversial with many of the territory's indigenous population and many NGOs such as the Free Papua Movement[1][2] and International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP), whose members include parliamentarians from Britain, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Australia and Vanuatu, United States, Sweden and the Netherlands.[3]. Many who oppose Western New Guinea's incorporation into Indonesia refer to it as West Papua.
During the 1950s the Dutch government began to prepare Netherlands New Guinea for full independence and allowed elections in 1959; an elected Papuan council, the New Guinea Council (Nieuw Guinea Raad) took office on April 5, 1961. The Council decided on the name of West Papua, a national emblem, a flag called the Morning Star or Bintang Kejora, and a national anthem; the flag was first raised — next to the Dutch flag — on December 1, 1961. However, Indonesia threatened with an invasion, after full mobilisation of its army, by August 15, 1962, after receiving military help from the Soviet Union. Under strong pressure of the United States government (under the Kennedy administration) the Dutch, who were prepared to resist an Indonesian attack, attended diplomatic talks. On October 1, 1962, the Dutch handed over the territory to a temporary UN administration (UNTEA). On May 1, 1963, Indonesia took control. The territory was renamed West Irian and then Irian Jaya.
Western New Guinea was annexed by Indonesia under the 1969 Act of Free Choice contrary to Article XIV and Article XVIII of the 1962 New York Agreement. During the rule of President Suharto from 1965 to 1998, human rights and other advocates[who?] criticized Indonesian government policies in the province as repressive, and the area received relatively little attention in Indonesia's development plans. During the Reformasi period from 1998 to 2001, Papua and other Indonesian provinces received greater regional autonomy. In 2001, a law was passed granting "Special Autonomy" status to Papua, although many of the law's requirements have either not been implemented or have been only minimally implemented.[4]
In 2003, the Indonesian central government declared that the province would be split into three provinces: Papua Province, Central Irian Jaya Province, and West Irian Jaya Province. Opposition to this resulted in the plan for Central Irian Jaya province being scrapped, and even the designation of West Irian Jaya Province is still legally unclear. Despite this, the West Irian Jaya (Irian Jaya Barat) province was formed on February 6, 2006, and the name was officially changed to West Papua (Papua Barat) on February 7, 2007. The independent sovereign state of Papua New Guinea (PNG) borders Papua Province to the east.
Contents
1 History
1.1 Netherlands New Guinea
1.2 Incorporation into Indonesia
2 The Act Of Free Choice
3 Indonesian clampdown on independence activities
4 International Parliamentarians for West Papua
5 Regions
6 Geography
7 Demographics
8 Tribes
9 Ecology
10 Culture
11 See also
12 References
13 Notes
14 Further reading
15 External links

History

Papuans have inhabited the Australasian continental island of New Guinea for over 40,000 years while Austronesians have been there for several thousand years. These groups have developed diverse cultures and languages in situ; there are over 300 languages and two hundred additional dialects in West New Guinea alone (See Papuan languages, Austronesian languages).
On June 13, 1545, Ortiz de Retez, in command of the San Juan, left port in Tidore, an island of the East Indies and sailed to reach the northern coast of the island of New Guinea, which he ventured along as far as the mouth of the Mamberamo River. He took possession of the land for the Spanish Crown, in the process giving the island the name by which it is known today. He called it Nueva Guinea owing to the resemblance of the local inhabitants to the peoples of the Guinea coast in West Africa.
Netherlands New Guinea

Dutch expeditions in Netherlands New Guinea 1907–1915.
In 1828, the Dutch claimed the south coast west of the 141st meridian, and in 1848 added the north coast west of Humboldt Bay. The border at 141° East was 'marked' on the coast by iron signpost displaying the Dutch coat of arms by an expedition in 1881[5]. The Netherlands established trading posts in the area after Great Britain and Germany recognised the Dutch claims in treaties of 1885 and 1895. At much the same time, Britain claimed south-east New Guinea, later known as the Territory of Papua, and Germany claimed the northeast, later known as the Territory of New Guinea.
In 1923, the Nieuw Guinea Beweging (New Guinea Movement) was created in the Netherlands by ultra right-wing supporters calling for Dutchmen to create a tropical Netherlands in Papua. This prewar movement without full government support was largely unsuccessful in its drive, but did coincide with the development of a plan for Eurasian settlement of the Dutch Indies to establish Dutch farms in northern West New Guinea. This effort also failed as most returned to Java disillusioned, and by 1938 just 50 settlers remained near Hollandia and 258 in Manokwari.
In the early 1930s, the need for a national Papuan government was discussed by graduates of the Dutch Protestant Missionary Teachers College in Mei Wondama, Manokwari. These graduates continued their discussions among the wider community and quickly succeeded in cultivating a desire for national unity across the region and its three hundred languages. The College Principal Rev. Kijne also composed "Hai Tanahku Papua" ("Oh My Land Papua"), which in 1961 was adopted as the national anthem.
A exploration company NNGPM was formed in 1935 by Shell (40%), Mobil (40%) and Chevron's Far Pacific investments (20%) to explore West New Guinea. During 1936, Jean Dozy working for NNGPM reported the world's richest gold and copper deposits in a mountain near Timika which he named Ertsberg (Mountain of Ore). Unable to license the find from the Dutch or indigenous landowners, NNGPM maintained secrecy of the discovery.
In 1942, the northern coast of West New Guinea and the nearby islands were occupied by Japan. Allied forces expelled the Japanese in 1944, and with Papuan approval, the United States constructed a headquarters for Gen. Douglas MacArthur at Hollandia (now Jayapura) and over twenty US bases and hospitals intended as a staging point for operations taking of the Philippines.
West New Guinean farms supplied food for the half million US troops. Papuan men went into battle to carry the wounded, acted as guides and translators, and provided a range of services, from construction work and carpentry to serving as machine shop workers and mechanics.
The Dutch retained possession of West New Guinea from 1945, but upon reaching Java 4,000 km (2,490 mi) west they did not find similar levels of support from the population of Java. Indonesian leaders Mohammad Hatta and Sukarno had declared independence weeks before and claimed all Dutch possessions should become part of the United States of Indonesia. The dispute continued until the Round Table Conference, which was held from August to October 1949 at the Hague. Unable to reach a compromise on the matter of West New Guinea, the conference closed with the parties agreeing to discuss the West New Guinea issue within one year.
In December 1950[6] the United Nations requested the Special Committee on Decolonization to accept transmission of information regarding the territory in accord with Article 73 of the Charter of the United Nations. Article 73 constituted formal recognition of the territory's right to independence and the Netherlands obligation to assist. After repeated Indonesian claims to possession of Dutch New Guinea, the Netherlands invited Indonesia to present its claim before an International Court of Law. Indonesia declined the offer. Concerned by Indonesian insurgencies beginning in 1950, the Netherlands accelerated its education and technical programs in preparation for independence. A naval academy was opened in 1956, and Papuan troops and naval cadets began service by 1957.
By 1959, Papuans were nurses, dental surgeons, draftsmen, architects, telephone repairmen, and radio and power technicians, cultivating a range of experimental commercial crops and serving as police, forestry and meteorological staff. This progress towards self-government was documented in reports prepared for the United Nations from 1950 to 1961.
Local Council elections were held and Papuan representatives elected from 1955. On 6 March 1959 the New York Times published an article revealing the Dutch government had discovered alluvial gold flowing into the Arafura Sea and were searching for the gold's mountain source.[citation needed] In 1959, Freeport Sulphur approached the Dutch East Borneo company for partnership. An agreement signed in January 1960 to lodge a Dutch claim for the Timika area as a copper deposit did not inform the government about the gold or known extent of the copper deposit.[citation needed]
Election of a national parliament began on 9 January 1961 in fifteen electoral districts with direct voting in Manokwari and Hollandia to select 26 Councillors, of whom 16 were elected, 12 appointed, 23 were Papuan, and one female Councillors. The Councillors were sworn in by Governor Platteel on 1 April 1961, and the Council took office on 5 April 1961. The inauguration was attended by officials from Australia, Britain, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and members of the South Pacific Commission; a large Australian delegation was headed by Mr Hasluck MP and included Sir Alistair McMullan, President of Australian Senate. The United States declined the invitation to attend the inauguration.
After news that the Hague was considering a United States plan to trade the territory to United Nations administration, Papuan Councillors met for six hours in the New Guinea Council building on 19 October 1961 to elect a National Committee which drafted a Manifesto for Independence & Self-government, a National flag (Morning Star), State Seal, selected a national anthem ("Hai Tanahkoe Papua" / "Oh My Land Papua"), and called for the people to be known as Papuans. The New Guinea Council voted unanimous support of these proposals on 30 October 1961, and on the 31st October 1961 presented the Morning Star flag and Manifesto to Governor Platteel who said (translated) "Never before has the oneness of the Council been put forward so strongly." The Dutch recognized the flag and anthem on November 18, 1961 (Government Gazettes of Dutch New Guinea Nos. 68 and 69), and these ordinances came into effect on December 1, 1961.
Incorporation into Indonesia
At the US White House a proposal to have the Netherlands trade West New Guinea to Indonesia was opposed by the Bureau of European Affairs who viewed this "would simply trade white for brown colonialism"; but from April 1961 Robert Komer and McGeorge Bundy promoted a plan to have the United Nations give the transfer an outward appearance of legitimacy. Though reluctant, John Kennedy was told the transfer of the territory was the only means to prevent Indonesia turning to Soviet aid.[7]

The Morning Star, flag of West Papua, was designed by the New Guinea Council in 1961. Its display is prohibited in Indonesia.
The Morning Star flag was raised next to the Dutch tricolour on December 1, 1961, an act which Papuan independence supporters celebrate each year at flag raising ceremonies. National Committee Chairman Mr Inury said: "My Dear compatriots, you are looking at the symbol of our unity and our desire to take our place among the nations of the world. As long as we are not really united we shall not be free. To be united means to work hard for the good of our country, now, until the day that we shall be independent, and further from that day on."
On January 2, 1962, Indonesia, which had made seven known insurgency attempts since 1950, now created the Mandala Command headed by Brig. General Suharto to coordinate military efforts for the territory. Two previous insurgencies, Pasukan Gerilya 100 (November 1960) and Pasukan Gerilya 200 (September 1961), were followed by Pasukan Gerilya 300 with 115 insurgents leaving Jakarta on four Jaguar class torpedo boats (January 15), intercepted in the Aru Sea the lead boat was sunk and 51 survivors were picked up after Commodore Yos Sudarso went down with his boat.[8]
Continuing US efforts to have the Netherlands secretly negotiate the transfer of the territory to Indonesian administration eventually succeeded in creating the "New York Agreement" signed in August 1962. The Australian government, which previously had been a firm supporter of Papuan independence, also reversed its policy to support incorporation with Indonesia.[7][9]
The agreement, ratified in the UN on September 21, 1962, stipulated that authority would transfer to a United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) on 1 October 1962, and that once UNTEA had informed the public of the terms of the Agreement had the option to transfer administration of the territory to Indonesia after May 1, 1963, until such time as an "Act of Free Choice" could determine the will of the people. Under Article 18 of the Agreement "all adults, male and female, not foreign nationals" were to be allowed to vote in an Act "in accordance with international practice". On May 1, 1963, UNTEA transferred total administration of West New Guinea to the Republic of Indonesia. The capital Hollandia was renamed Kota Baru for the transfer to Indonesian administration and on 5 September 1963, West Irian was declared a "quarantine territory" with Foreign Minister Subandrio administrating visitor permits.

The Sukarno-era "West Irian Liberation Statue" in Jakarta.
The Act Of Free Choice
Although United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2504 did acknowledge that an event called Act of Free Choice took place, neither the General Assembly nor International Court of Justice gave their opinion about the event, nor did they claim the Act to have been any form of self determination. Although the United Nations representative Ambassador Fernando Ortiz-Sanz was unable to get Indonesia to allow a "one-man, one-vote" within the territory, the Indonesian authorities declared that there was a unanimous vote against independence. However, participants and other observers question the conduct and legitimacy of the process. It is widely reported that just 1000 tribal elders were allowed by the Indonesian military to vote[10], in direct contravention of Article 18 of the New York Agreement which stated "The eligibility of all adults, male and female, not foreign nationals to participate in the act of self-determination to be carried out in accordance with international practice". As such the vote was not an expression of self-determination. Men who were selected for the vote subsequently testified that they had been blackmailed and threatened at gunpoint into voting against independence with threats of violence against their families and communities. Although Indonesia denies these allegations, recently released United States government correspondence indicates that the pro-Indonesian outcome was effectively agreed in advance between Indonesia and the U.S.[11]
Indonesian clampdown on independence activities
Since the 1960s, consistent reports have filtered out of the territory of government suppression and terrorism, including murder, political assassination, imprisonment, torture, and aerial bombardments. The Indonesian government disbanded the New Guinea Council and forbade the use of the West Papua flag or the singing of the national anthem. There has been considerable resistance to Indonesian integration and occupation, both through civil disobedience (such as Morning Star flag raising ceremonies) and via the formation of the Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM, or Free Papua Movement) in 1965. The movement's military arm is the TPN, or Liberation Army of Free Papua. Estimates vary on the death toll, with wild variation in the number claimed dead. A Sydney University academic has estimated more than 100,000 Papuans, one sixteenth of the population, have died as a result of government-sponsored violence against West Papuans,[12] while others had previously specified much higher death tolls.[13]
After General Suharto replaced Sukarno as President of Indonesia, Freeport Sulphur was the first foreign company awarded a mining license, a 30 year license to mine the Tembagapura region of Papua for gold and copper.
In 1969, General Sarwo Edhi Wibowo oversaw the Indonesian conduct of the widely criticized "Act of Free Choice." Prior to the vote, the Indonesian military rounded up and detained for one month a large group of Papuan tribal leaders. The Papuans were daily threatened with death at gunpoint if the entire group did not vote to continue Indonesian rule. Assembled troops and two Western observers acted as witnesses to the public vote; however, the Western observers left after witnessing the first two hundred (of 1,054) votes for integration. Concerned over Communism in South East Asia, and with an eye toward extracting Papua's vast mineral wealth, the US and other Western powers ignored protests over the circumstances surrounding the vote [14] The process was deemed to have been an "Act of Free Choice" in accordance with the United Nations requirements, and Indonesia formally annexed the territory in August. Dissenters mockingly called it the "Act of No Choice" or "Act Free of Choice."
In 1971, construction of the world's largest copper and gold mine (also the world's largest open cut mine) began. Under an Indonesian agreement signed in 1967 (two years before the "Act of Free Choice"), the US company Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. obtained a 30-year exclusive mining license from Suharto in (dating from the mine's opening in 1973). The pact was extended in 1991 by another 30 years. After 1988 with the opening of the Grasberg mine it became the biggest gold mine and lowest extraction-price copper mine in the world. Locals made several violent attempts to dissuade the mine owners, including sabotage of a pipeline that July, but order was quickly restored.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Indonesian state accelerated its transmigration program, under which tens of thousands of Javanese and Sumatran migrants were resettled to Papua. Prior to Indonesian rule, the non-indigenous Asian population was estimated at 16,600; while the Papuan population were a mix of Roman Catholics, Protestants and pagan people following tribal religions[15]. Critics suspect that the transmigration program's purpose was to tip the balance of the province's population from the heavily Melanesian Papuans toward western Indonesians, thus further consolidating Indonesian control. The transmigration program officially ended in the late 1990s, although so-called "spontaneous migration" by western Indonesians voluntarily relocating to provinces such as Papua seeking economic opportunity has increased and remains at high levels.[citation needed]
A separatist congress in 2000 again calling for independence resulted in a military crackdown on independence supporters. In 2001, a now-majority Islamic population was given limited autonomy. An August 2001, US State Department travel warning advised "all travel by US and other foreign government officials to Aceh, Papua and the Moluccas (provinces of North Maluku and Maluku) has been restricted by the Indonesian government".
During the Abdurrahman Wahid administration in 2000, Papua gained a "Special Autonomy" status, an attempted political compromise between separatists and the central government that has weak support within the Jakarta government. Despite lack of political will of politicians in Jakarta to proceed with real implementation of the Special Autonomy, which is stipulated by law, the region was divided into two provinces: the province of Papua and the province of West Papua, based on a Presidential Instruction in January 2001, soon after President Wahid was impeached by the Parliament and replaced by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri. The division of the province has neither directly cancelled the Law of Special Autonomy of Papua nor engaged ongoing protest in the region. There was brief consideration of dividing the territory into thirds, but the plan was quickly abandoned. The plan again gained support in early 2008.
In January 2006, 43 refugees in a traditional canoe landed on the coast of Australia with a banner stating the Indonesian military was carrying out a genocide in Papua. They were transported to an Australian immigration detention facility on Christmas Island, 2,600 km (1,400 nmi) north-west of Perth, and 360 km (190 nmi) south of the western head of Java. On March 23, 2006, the Australian government granted temporary protection visas to 42 of the 43 having determined all 43 were bonafide refugees.[16] A day later Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Australia.[17] A number of expatriate Papuans currently campaign for independence in Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries, and call for international support for their campaigns. Their claims, which sometimes include allegations of historic or present genocide, are strongly challenged by Indonesia, and Papuan independence is not supported by any recognised government except that of Vanuatu.
International Parliamentarians for West Papua
On October 15 2008, the International Parliamentarians for West Papua was launched at the Houses of Parliament, London[18]. The group was set up by exiled West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda, and is chaired by the British MP Andrew Smith (politician) and Lord Harries. The group set out aims to develop international parliamentary support for West Papuan self-determination, through "recognising the inalienable right of the indigenous people of West Papua to self-determination, which was violated in the 1969 “Act of Free Choice”[19]. Some of the founding members of the group were also involved in a similar group that was set up for East Timor prior to it gaining independence from Indonesia. So far the group has gathered support from politicians in countries including the United Kingdom, The United States of America, Australia, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea[20].
Regions
Indonesia structures regions by Regencies and districts within those. Though names and areas of control of these regional structures can vary over time in accord with changing political and other requirements, in 2004 Papua province (including what is now West Papua province) consisted of 27 regencies (kabupaten), 2 cities (kotamadya), 117 subdistricts (kecamatan), 66 kelurahan, and 830 villages (desa).

Map of Papua and West Papua Province (before their separation) showing major cities and before designation of new regencies in 2004.
As of 2004, the Regencies in Papua province were: Asmat, Biak Numfor, Boven Digoel, Jayapura, Kota Jayapura, Jayawijaya, Keerom, Mappi, Merauke, Mimika, Nabire, Paniai, Pegunungan Bintang, Puncak Jaya, Sarmi, Supiori, Tolikara, Waropen, Yahukimo, and Yapen Waropen. The Regencies in the same time period for West Papua province were: Fak-Fak, Kaimana, Manokwari, Raja Ampat, Sorong, Kota Sorong, Sorong Selatan, Teluk Bintuni, and Teluk Wondama.
In 2003 the western-most third of Papua province was split into a separate province, called West Irian Jaya, which was itself renamed West Papua province in 2007.
Jayapura, founded in 1910 as Hollandia, had by 1962 developed into a city with modern civil, educational, and medical services. Since Indonesian administration these services have been replaced by Indonesian equivalents such as the TNI (military) replacing the Papuan police force. The name of the city has been changed from Hollandia, to Kotabaru then Sukarnopura and finally Jayapura.
It is the largest city in Western New Guinea, boasting a small but active tourism industry, it is a neat and pleasant city built on a slope overlooking the bay. Cenderawasih University campus houses the Jayapura Museum. Tanjung Ria beach, well-known to the Allies during World War II, is a popular holiday resort now with facilities for water sports, and General Douglas MacArthur's World War II quarters are still intact.
Geography
Land Area
Area 420,540 km2 (162,371 sq mi)
Climate
Rainfall 100 to 10,000 mm (4–400 in)

Temperature 0 to 32 °C (32–90 °F)

Humidity 80%
A central east-west mountain range dominates the geography of New Guinea, over 1,600 km (994 mi) in total length. The western section is around 600 km (373 mi) long and 100 km (62 mi) across. Steep mountains 3,000 to 4,000 m (9,850–13,100 ft) and up to 5,000 m (16,400 ft) high along the range ensures a steady supply of rain from the tropical atmosphere. The tree line is around 4,000 m (13,100 ft) elevation and the tallest peaks are snowbound year round.
Both north and west of the central ranges the land remains mountainous — mostly 1,000 to 2,000 m (3,300–6,660 ft) high — and covered by thick rain forest with a warm humid climate year round.
The third major habitat feature is the south east lowlands with extensive wetlands stretching for hundreds of kilometers.
The province has 40 major rivers, 12 lakes, and 40 islands. The Mamberamo river, sometimes referred to as the "Amazon of Papua" is the province's largest river which winds through the northern part of the province. The result is a large area of lakes and rivers known as the Lakes Plains region. The vast southern lowlands, which consist of a mosaic of habitats including mangrove, tidal and freshwater swamp forest and lowland rainforest, are home to a dense population of fishermen and gatherers such as the Asmat people. The famous Baliem Valley, home of the Dani people is a tableland 1,600 m (5,250 ft) above sea level in the midst of the central mountain range; Puncak Jaya (formerly Carstensz Pyramid) is a mist covered limestone mountain peak 4,884 m (16,024 ft) above sea level, the highest point in Indonesia.
The border with Papua New Guinea mostly follows the 141st meridian, with one section defined by the Fly River. This border is largely unguarded, and has seen a dramatic amount of refugees and illegal aliens cross over to PNG to flee the Indonesians. There are no reliable estimates on how many have crossed.
Demographics
The combined population of the Indonesian provinces of West Irian Jaya and Papua, constituting all of Western New Guinea, was estimated to be 2,646,489 in 2005. The two largest cities in the territory are Sorong in the northwest of the Bird's Head Peninsula and Jayapura in the northeast. Both cities have a population of approximately 200,000.
As in Papua New Guinea and some surrounding east Indonesian provinces, a large majority of the population is Christian. In the 2000 census 54% of West Papuans identified themselves as Protestant, 24% as Catholic, 21% as Muslim, and less than 1% as either Hindu or Buddhist. There is also substantial practice of animism among the major religions, but this is not recorded by the Indonesian census.
Tribes

Church in Kuala Kencana.
Western New Guinea is home to around 312 different tribes, including some uncontacted peoples.[21] The following are some of the most well-known:
Amungme
Asmat
Bauzi
Biak (Byak)
Damal
Dani
Kamoro
Kombai
Korowai
Lani
Mee
Mek
Nduga
Sawi
Sentani
Yali
Ecology
A vital tropical rainforest with the tallest tropical trees and vast biodiversity, Papua's known forest fauna includes marsupials (including possums, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, cuscus), other mammals (including the endangered long-beaked echidna), many bird species (including birds of paradise, cassowaries, parrots, cockatoos), the world's longest lizards (Papua monitor) and some of the world's largest butterflies.
Animal Group Est. Number
Mammals 180
Marsupial Mammals 70
Birds 700
Endemic Birds 450
Bats 70
The island has an estimated 16,000 species of plant, 124 genera of which are endemic.
The extensive waterways and wetlands of Papua are also home to salt and freshwater crocodile, tree monitor, flying foxes, osprey, bats and other animals; while the equatorial glacier fields remain largely unexplored.
In February 2005, a team of scientists exploring the Foja Mountains discovered numerous new species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, and plants, including a species of rhododendron which may have the largest bloom of the genus.[22]
Ecological dangers include deforestation at an alarming rate; the spread of the exotic Crab-eating Macaque (monkey) which now threatens the existence of many native species; pollution such as Grasberg mine dumping 230 000[23] tonnes of copper and gold tailings into the rivers system each day.
Culture
West Papuans share many affinities with the culture of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to the east. As with PNG, the peoples of the highlands have distinct traditions and languages from peoples of the coasts.
Many aspects of West Papuan culture have been forcibly repressed since the area's 1963 incorporation into the Indonesian state. In 2001 the province was granted special autonomy by the Indonesian government, opening the possibility of increased indigenous cultural production and arts venues.
Some Papuans fear that the history of Indonesian repression, education, propaganda, and transmigration have negatively impacted Papuan cultures. In March 2003 John Rumbiak stated that Papuan culture "will be extinct" within 10 to 20 years, if the present rate of assimilation in the region continues.[24] In response to such criticism the Indonesian government states that the special autonomy arrangement specifically addresses the ongoing preservation of Papua culture, and that the transmigration program was "designed specifically to help the locals through knowledge transfer."[25] Papua advocates view such responses as a continuation of the Indonesian state's tendency to view Papuans as "primitives" in need of "development."[26]
In some parts of the highlands, the koteka is traditionally worn by males in ceremonial contexts. Despite government efforts to suppress it, the use of the koteka as everyday dress by Dani males in Western New Guinea is still very common.

North Maluku

2010-04-18T13:37:00.001-07:00

1.6.2 North Maluku

North Maluku

Motto: Marimoi Ngone Futuru (Maluku language)
(United we strong)

Capital
Ternate

Governor
Thayb Armayn
Population
890,000 (2,005 census)
Ethnic groups

Religion
Islam (76%), Christian (23%), others (1%)
Languages
Indonesian (official)

Time zone
WIT (UTC+9)

Web site http://www.malukuutaraprov.go.id

North Maluku (Indonesian: Maluku Utara) is a province of Indonesia. It covers the northern part of the Maluku Islands, which are split between it and the province of Maluku. Maluku province used to cover the entire group. The planned provincial capital is Sofifi, on Halmahera, but the current capital and largest population center is the island of Ternate.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the islands of North Maluku were the original "Spice Islands". At the time, the region was the sole source of cloves. The Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and local sultanates including Ternate and Tidore fought each other for control of the lucrative trade in these spices. Clove trees have since been transported and replanted all around the world and the demand for clove from the original spice islands has ceased, greatly reducing North Maluku's international importance.
The population of North Maluku is 870,000 (according to the National Socio-Economic Survey, 2004), making it one of the least populous provinces in Indonesia.
Contents
1 Administrative division
1.1 Regencies
1.2 Cities
1.3 Former Sultanates

Administrative division
Regencies
West Halmahera (Jailolo)
Central Halmahera (Soasiu)
South Halmahera (Labuha)
East Halmahera (Maba)
North Halmahera (Tobelo)
Sula Islands (Sanana)
Cities
Ternate
Tidore
Former Sultanates
Sultanate of Ternate
Tidore Sultanate
Bacan Sultanate
Jailolo Sultanate

Maluku

2010-04-18T13:33:00.005-07:00

1.6.1 Maluku

Maluku

Motto: Siwa Lima (Ambonese)
(Belongs together)

Capital
Ambon

Governor
Karel Albert Ralahalu
Population
1,266,000 (2,005 census)
Ethnic groups
Significantly mixed ethnicity; Melanesian, Kei (11%), Ambonese (11%), Buton (11%), Malays, Javanese, Chinese

Religion
Christianity, Islam

Languages
Indonesian, Ambonese, ethnic dialects
Time zone
WIT (UTC+9)

Web site http://www.malukuprov.go.id/

Maluku is a province of Indonesia, comprising, broadly, the southern part of the Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas, Molucca Islands or Moluccan Islands), which are culturally and geographically associated with Melanesia.[1]
The main city and capital of Maluku province is Ambon on the small Ambon Island. The province has a population of 1,313,022 (2004).
All the Maluku Islands formed a single province of Indonesia from 1950 until 1999. In 1999 the Maluku Utara Regency and Halmahera Tengah Regency were split off as a separate province of North Maluku.
Contents
1 Regencies and cities
2 List of major islands and island groups in Maluku
3 Chronology of Events of Recent Conflict in Maluku
3.1 January - February 1999
3.2 March - June 1999
3.3 July - December 1999
3.4 January - May 2000
3.5 June - August 2000
4 References

Regencies and cities
Buru (Namlea)
Kepulauan Aru (Dobo)
Maluku Tengah (Masohi)
Maluku Tenggara (Tual)
Maluku Tenggara Barat (Saumlaki)
Seram Bagian Barat (Dataran Hunipopu)
Seram Bagian Timur (Dataran Hunimoa)
Ambon
List of major islands and island groups in Maluku
Ambon Island
Aru Islands (Kepulauan Aru)
Babar Island
Barat Daya Islands (includes Wetar Island)
Banda Islands (Kepulauan Banda)
Buru
Kei Islands
Leti Islands
Makian
Saparua
Seram
Tanimbar Islands (Kepulauan Tanimbar)
See also: Islands of Indonesia
Chronology of Events of Recent Conflict in Maluku
January - February 1999
On Ambon Island, an argument between a Muslim passenger and Christian bus driver on January 19, 1999 developed into a fight that quickly spreads into days of violence with many casualties and much destruction of housing. The fighting quickly spreads to the nearby islands of Haruku, Seram and Saparua because of rumors.
March - June 1999
There is a four-month period of calm during which time Indonesia's first free national and regional elections in 44 years take place largely without violence. May 12, 1999, a peace declaration is signed between religious leaders, community and traditional leaders and youth figures and organizations.
July - December 1999
From July 27, major riots take place with hundreds of shops and homes destroyed. In August fighting breaks out in the newly created province of North Maluku (which until 1999 had been part of Maluku province), primarily due to political and ethnic not religious reasons. The second half of 1999 saw regular fighting across Maluku province with many casualties.
[January - May 2000
January 7, 2000, over 100,000 Muslims demonstrate in Jakarta calling for a jihad in Maluku in order to save the Muslims. In May the Laskar Jihad militia group begin to arrive in Maluku. 4,000 are reported to arrive in the province. Other Islamic militia groups are absorbed into it. Tensions rise within both religious groups. Muslim militias start to try to clear Christian villages out of key transportation corridors.
June - August 2000
On June 27, President Abdurrahman Wahid declares a state of civil emergency, giving the police and military broad new powers. By July 2000 there were approximately 14,000 troops in Maluku. Many of the villages across the bay from Ambon town as well as the main university of Pattiumura are destroyed. There has been large-scale displacement of populations. In August 2000, the Yon Gab, Joint Battalion arrives made up of soldiers from other

Maluku Islands

2010-04-18T13:33:00.001-07:00

1.6 Maluku Islands

Geography

Location South East Asia

Coordinates 3°9′S 129°23′E3.15°S 129.383°E

Total islands ~1000
Major islands Halmahera, Seram, Buru, Ambon, Ternate, Tidore, Aru Islands, Kai Islands

Area 74,505 km²
Highest point Binaiya (3,027 m)

Country
Indonesia
Provinces Maluku, North Maluku

Demographics
Population 1,895,000 (as of 2000)
Ethnic groups Nuaulu, Manusela

Map by Willem Blaeu (1630)
The Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas, Moluccan Islands, the Spice Islands) are an archipelago in Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located east of Sulawesi (Celebes), west of New Guinea, and north of Timor. The islands were also historically known as the "Spice Islands" by the Chinese and Europeans, but this term has also been applied to other islands.
Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active volcanoes, and enjoy a wet climate. The vegetation of the small and narrow islands, encompassed by the sea, is very luxuriant; including rainforests, sago, rice and the famous spices - nutmeg, cloves and mace, among others. Though originally Melanesian,[1] many island populations, especially in the Banda Islands, were killed in the 17th century. A second influx of Austronesian immigrants began in the early 20th century under the Dutch and continued in the Indonesian era.
Politically, the Maluku Islands formed a single province from 1950 until 1999. In 1999 the North Maluku (Maluku Utara) and Halmahera Tengah (Central Halmahera) regency were split off as a separate province, so the islands are now divided between two provinces, Maluku and North Maluku. Between 1999 and 2002 they were known for religious conflicts between Muslims and Christians but have been peaceful in the past years.
Spice Islands most commonly refer to the Maluku Islands (formerly the Moluccas), which lie on the equator, between Sulawesi (Celebes) and New Guinea in what is now Indonesia, and often specifically to the small volcanic Banda Islands, once the only source of mace and nutmeg.
The term has also been used less commonly in reference to other islands known for their spice production, notably the Zanzibar Archipelago off East Africa consisting of Unguja, Mafia and Pemba. These islands were formerly the independent state of Zanzibar but now form a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania.
Contents
1 Geography
2 Etymology
3 History
3.1 Background: "The Spice Islands"
3.2 Early history
3.3 The Portuguese
3.4 The Spanish
3.5 The Dutch
3.6 After Indonesian independence
4 The 1999-2003 inter-communal conflict
5 Geology and ecology
6 Further reading
7 References
7.1 General
7.2 Notes
8 External links

Geography
The Maluku Islands are often described by tourist literature as having 999 islands; they are 90% sea with 77,990 km2 of land, and 776,500 km2 of sea.[2]
North Maluku Province
Ternate, main island
Bacan
Halmahera - at 20,000 km2 is the largest of the Maluku Islands.[3]
Morotai
Obi Islands
Sula Islands
Tidore
Maluku Province
Ambon Island, main island
Aru Islands
Babar Islands
Banda Islands
Buru
Kai Islands
Kisar
Leti Islands
Seram
Tanimbar Islands
Wetar
Etymology
The name Maluku is thought to have been derived from the Arab trader's term for the region, Jazirat al-Muluk ('the island of the kings').[4]
History
Background: "The Spice Islands"
The native Bandanese people traded spices with other Asian nations, such as China, since at least the time of the Roman Empire. With the rise of Islam, the trade became dominated by Muslim traders. One ancient Arabic source appears to know the location of the islands, describing them as fifteen days' sail East from the 'island of Jaba' - presumably Java[citation needed] — but direct evidence of Islam in the archipelago occurs only in the late 1300s, as China's interest in regional maritime dominance waned. With Arabic traders came not just Islam, but a new technique of social organisation, the sultanate, which replaced local councils of rich men (orang kaya) on the more important islands, and proved more effective in dealing with outsiders. (See Ternate & Tidore).
By trading with Muslim merchants, Venice came to monopolise the spice trade in Europe between 1200 and 1500, through its dominance over Mediterranean seaways to ports such as Alexandria, after traditional overland connections were disrupted by Mongols and Turks. The financial incentive to discover an alternative to Venice's monopoly control of this lucrative business was perhaps the single most important factor precipitating Europe's Age of Exploration. Portugal took an early lead charting the route around the southern tip of Africa, securing various bases en route, even discovering the coast of Brazil in the search for favourable southerly currents. Portugal's eventual success and the establishment of its own empire provoked the other maritime powers in Europe—Spain (see Ferdinand Magellan), France, England and the Netherlands—to challenge and overcome the Portuguese position.
Because of the high value that the spices had in Europe and the large incomes that it produced, the Dutch and British were soon involved in conflicts to try to gain a monopoly over the region. The fighting for control over these small islands became very intense with the Dutch even giving the island of Manhattan to the British in exchange for, among other things, a small island that gave the Dutch full control over the Banda archipelago. The Bandanese people lost the most in the fighting with most of the people being either slaughtered or enslaved by the Dutch. Over 6,000 were killed during the Spice Wars.
The goal of reaching the Spice Islands, eventually to be enveloped by the Dutch East Indies Empire, led to the accidental discovery of the West Indies, and lit the fuse of centuries of rivalry between European maritime powers for control of lucrative global markets and resources. The tattered mystique of the Spice Islands finally died when France and Britain successfully smuggled seeds and plants to their own dominions on Mauritius, Grenada and elsewhere, making spices a more commonplace and affordable commodity.
Early history
The earliest archaeological evidence of human occupation of the region is about thirty-two thousand years old, but evidence of even older settlements in Australia may mean that Maluku had earlier visitors. Evidence of increasingly long-distance trading relationships and of more frequent occupation of many islands, begins about ten to fifteen thousand years later. Onyx beads and segments of silver plate used as currency on the Indian subcontinent around 200BC have been unearthed on some of the islands. In addition, local dialects employ derivations of the Malay word then in use for 'silver', in contrast to the term used in wider Melanesian society, which has etymological roots in Chinese, a consequence of the regional trade with China that developed in the 500s and 600s.
Maluku was a cosmopolitan society where spice traders from across the region took residence in settlements, or in nearby enclaves, including Arab and Chinese traders who visited or lived in the region.
The Portuguese
Apart from some relative inconsequential cultural influences, the most significant lasting effects of the Portuguese presence was the disruption and disorganisation of Asian trade, and in eastern Indonesia—including Maluku—the planting of Christianity.[5] The Portuguese had conquered Malacca in the early sixteenth century and their lasting influence was most strongly felt in Maluku and other parts of eastern Indonesia.[4] Following the Portuguese conquest of Malacca in August 1511, Afonso de Albuquerque learned the route to the Banda Islands and other 'Spice Islands', and sent an exploratory expedition of three vessels under the command of António de Abreu, Simão Afonso Bisigudo and Francisco Serrão.[6] On the way to return, Francisco Serrão was shipwrecked at Hitu island (northern Ambon) in 1512. There he established ties with the local ruler who was impressed with his martial skills. The rulers of the competing island states of Ternate and Tidore also sought Portuguese assistance and the Portuguese were welcomed in the area as buyers of food and spices during a lull in the spice trade due to a temporary disruption to Javanese and Malay sailings to the area following the 1511 conflicts in Malacca. The Asian trade soon revived and the Portuguese were never able to dominate the trade.[4]
Allying himself with Ternate, Serrão constructed a fortress on the island and served as the head of a mercenary band of Portuguese warriors under the service of one of two feuding powerful sultans who controlled the spice trade. Such an outpost far from Europe generally only attracted the most desperate and avaricious, such that the feeble attempts at Christianisation, strained relations with Ternate's Muslim ruler.[4] Serrão urged Ferdinand Magellan to join him in Maluku, and gave the explorer information about the Spice Islands. Both Serrão and Magellan, however, perished before they could meet one another.[4] In 1535 King Tabariji was deposed and sent to Goa by the Portuguese. He converted to Christianity and changed his name to Dom Manuel. After being declared innocent of the charges against him he was sent back to reassume his throne, but he died en route in Malacca in 1545. He had, however, bequeathed the island of Ambon to his Portuguese godfather Jordão de Freitas. Following the murder of Sultan Hairun at the hands of the Portuguese, the Ternateans expelled the Portuguese in 1575 after a five-year siege.
The Portuguese first landed in Ambon in 1513, but it became the new centre for Portuguese activities in Maluku following their expulsion from Ternate. European power in the region was weak and Ternate became an expanding, fiercely Islamic and anti-Portuguese state under the rule of Sultan Baab Ullah (r. 1570 - 1583) and his son Sultan Said.[7] The Portuguese in Ambon, however, were regularly attacked from native Muslims on the island's northern coast, in particular Hitu, which had trading and religious links with major port cities on Java's north coast. Indeed, the Portuguese never managed to control the local trade in spices, and failed in attempts to establish their authority over the Banda Islands, the nearby centre of nutmeg production.
Following Portuguese missionary work, there have been large Christian communities in eastern Indonesia through to contemporary times, which has contributed to a sense of shared interest with Europeans, particularly among the Ambonese.[7] By the 1560s there were 10,000 Catholics in the area, mostly on Ambon, and by the 1590s there were 50,000 to 60,000, although most of the region surrounding Ambon remained Muslim.[7] The Spaniard Francis Xavier also played an important role in Maluku Christianization (see next section).
Other Portuguese influences include a large number of Indonesian words derived from Portuguese which alongside Malay was the lingua franca up until the early nineteenth century. Contemporary Indonesian words such as pesta ('party'), sabun ('soap'), bendera ('flag'), meja ('table'), Minggu ('Sunday'), all derive from Portuguese. Many family names in Maluku are derived from Portuguese including De lima, Waas, da Costa, Dias, de Fretas, Gonsalves, Mendoza, Rodrigues, and da Silva. Also of part-Portuguese origin are the romantic keroncong ballads sung to a guitar.
The Spanish
The Spanish took control of Ternate and Tidore. Missionary and Catholic Saint, Francis Xavier worked in Maluku in 1546–1547 among the people's of Ambon, Ternate and Morotai (or Moro), and laid the foundations for a permanent mission there.
The Dutch
Main articles: Dutch East India Company and Dutch East Indies
The Dutch arrived in 1599 and reported native discontent with Portuguese attempts to monopolise their traditional trade. After the Ambonese helped the Dutch to construct a fort at Hitu Larna, the Portuguese begun a campaign of retribution against which the Ambonese invited Dutch aid. After 1605 Frederik Houtman became the first Dutch governor of Ambon.
The Dutch East India Company was a company with three obstacles in its way: the Portuguese, controlling the aboriginal populations, and the English. Again smuggling would be the only alternative to a European monopoly. Among other events of the 17th century, the Bandanese attempted independent trade with the English, the East-India Company's response was to decimate the native population of the Banda Islands sending the survivors fleeing to other islands and installing slave labour.
Though other races re-settled the Banda Islands, the rest of Maluku remained uneasy under foreign control and even after the Portuguese had a new trading station at Macassar there were native revolts in 1636 and 1646. Under company control northern Maluka was administered by the Dutch residency of Ternate, and the southern by "Amboyna" (Ambon).
During the Japanese occupation in World War II, the Moluccans fled to the mountains but began a campaign of resistance also known as the South Moluccan Brigade. After the war's end the island's political leaders had successful discussions with the Netherlands about independence. Complicated by Indonesian demands, the Round Table Conference Agreements were signed in 1949 transferring Maluku to Indonesia with mechanisms for the islands to choose or opt out of the new Indonesia. The Agreements granted Moluccans the right to determine their ultimate sovereignty.
After Indonesian independence
With the declaration of a single republic of Indonesia in 1950 to replace the federal state, the South Moluccas (Republik Maluku Selatan, RMS) attempted to secede. This movement was led by Chris Soumokil (former Supreme Prosecutor of the Eastern Indonesia state) and supported by the Moluccan members of the Netherlands special troops. This movement was defeated by the Indonesian army after 17 years of bloody struggle and by special agreement with the Netherlands the troops were transferred to the Netherlands. The commencement of Indonesian transmigration of (mainly Javanese) populations to the outer islands (including Maluku) during the 1960s is thought to have aggravated independence and issues of religious / ethnic politics. There has been occasional ethnic and nationalist violence on the islands.
Maluku is one of the first provinces of Indonesia, proclaimed in 1945 until 1999, when the Maluku Utara and Halmahera Tengah Regencies were split off as a separate province of North Maluku. Its capital is Ternate, on a small island to the west of the large island of Halmahera. The capital of the remaining part of Maluku province remains at Ambon.
The 1999-2003 inter-communal conflict
The situation in much of Maluku became highly unpredictable when religious-nuance conflict erupted in the province in January 1999. The subsequent 18 months were characterized by fighting between largely local groups of Muslims and Christians, the destruction of thousands of houses, the displacement of approximately 500,000 people, the loss of thousands of lives, and the segregation of Muslims and Christians.[8] The following 12 months saw periodic eruptions of violence, which appeared more targeted and premeditated, which helped keep suspicions high and people segregated (although these experiences were generally the norm). In spite of numerous negotiations and the signing of the February 2002 Malino II peace agreement, tensions on Ambon remained high until late 2002. However, the sudden disbanding of Laskar Jihad in October 2002 led to an increasingly stable peace and a series of spontaneous 'mixings' between previously hostile groups. Minor disturbances continued through 2003 but Maluku had returned to general peacefulness by 2004. Many burnt buildings remain however, and some villages have yet to be fully reconstructed.
Geology and ecology
The geology and ecology of the Maluku Islands share much similar history, characteristics and processes with the neighbouring Nusa Tenggara region. There is a long history of geological study of these regions since Indonesian colonial times; however, the geological formation and progression is not fully understood, and theories of the island's geological evolution have changed extensively in recent decades.[9] The Maluku Islands comprise some of the most geologically complex and active regions in the world,[10] resulting from its position at the meeting point of four geological plates and two continental blocks.
The Maluku Islands lie in Wallacea, the region between the Sunda Shelf (part of the Asia block), and the Arafura Shelf (part of the Australian block). Wallacea also encompasses Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi, and within this region of small islands lies some of the world's deepest seas.[11] Malukan biodiversity and its distribution are affected by various tectonic activities; most of the islands are geologically young, being from 1 million to 15 million years old, and have never been attached to the larger landmasses. The Maluku islands differ from other areas in Indonesia; they contain some of the country's smallest islands, coral island reefs scattered through some of the deepest seas in the world, and no large islands such as Java or Sumatra. Flora and fauna immigration between islands is thus restricted, leading to a high rate of endemic biota evolving.[9]
The ecology of the Maluku Islands has fascinated collectors for centuries; Alfred Wallace's famous book, The Malay Archipelago was the first significant recording of this natural history, and remains one of the most important sources on Indonesian natural history. Maluku is the source of two major historical works of natural history; George Everhard Rumpf wrote the Herbarium Amboinense and the Ambonische Rariatenkamer.[12]
While many ecological problems affect both small islands and large landmasses, small islands suffer their particular problems. Development pressures on small islands are increasing, although their effects are not always anticipated. Although Indonesia is richly endowed with natural resources, the resources of the small islands of Maluku are limited and specialised; furthermore, human resources in particular are limited.[13]
General observations[14] about small islands that can be applied to the Maluku Islands include:[13]
a higher proportion of the landmass will be affected by volcanic activity, earthquakes, landslips, and cyclone damage;
Climates are more likely to be maritime influenced;
Catchment areas are smaller and degree of erosion higher;
A higher proportion of the landmass is made up of coastal areas;
A higher degree of environmental specialisation, including a higher proportion of endemic species in an overall depauperate community;
Societies may retain a strong sense of culture having developed in relative isolation;
Small island populations are more likely to be affected by economic migration.

South East Sulawesi

2010-04-18T13:31:00.001-07:00

1.5.6 South East Sulawesi

South East Sulawesi
Sulawesi Tenggara

Capital
Kendari

Governor
Nur Alam
Area
38,140 km2 (14,726 sq mi)
Population
1,771,951 (2000)
Density
46.5 /km2 (120 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups

Religion

Languages

Time zone
UTC+8

Web site www.sultra.go.id

South East Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Tenggara) is a province of Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi. The capital of the province is Kendari, on the east coast of the peninsula.
The province is one of the most remote regions of Sulawesi; no highway connects it to the cities on the rest of the island, so the primary transportation link is a ferry across the Bone Sea between Watampone (Bone) in South Sulawesi and the port of Kolaka.
The population of the province is 1,771,951 (As of 2000 census), most of which is centred on Buton island off the south coast of Sulawesi, and in and around Kendari.
From the seventeenth century until the early twentieth century, the region was the site of the Buton sultanate (Butung).
Ethnic groups
The main ethnic groups in South East Sulawesi are "Tolaki", "Buton", "Muna" etc.
Regencies
South East Sulawesi is divided into two cities and several regencies (seat):
Bombana Regency (Rumbia)
Buton Regency (Bau-Bau)
Kolaka Regency (Kolaka)
North Kolaka Regency (Lasusua)
Konawe Regency (Unaaha)
South Konawe Regency (Andolo)
Muna Regency (Raha)
Wakatobi (Wangi-Wangi)
North Buton Regency (Burangga)
North Konawe Regency (Wanggudu)
And cities:
Kendari
Bau-Bau

West Sulawesi

2010-04-18T13:30:00.001-07:00

1.5.4 West Sulawesi

West Sulawesi
Sulawesi Barat

Motto: Mellete Diatonganan
(Following the truth)

Capital
Mamuju

Governor
Anwar Adnan Saleh
Area
16,796.19 km2 (6,485 sq mi)
Population
938,254
Density
55.9 /km2 (145 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Mandar (50%), Toraja (14%), Buginese (10%) [1]

Religion
Islam (83.1%), Christianity (14.36%), Hindu (1.88%), Buddhism (0.04%)

Languages
Indonesian, Mandar, Toraja, Bugis, Makkasar

Time zone
UTC+8

Web site www.sulbarprov.go.id

West Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Barat, short form Sulbar) is a province of Indonesia, created in 2004. It is on the island of Sulawesi (formerly, Celebes) and includes the regencies (kabupaten) of Polewali Mandar, Mamasa, Majene, Mamuju, and Mamuju Utara, which were formerly part of South Sulawesi. The area of the province is 16,796.19 km2. Its economy consists mainly of mining, agriculture and fishing. Its capital is Mamuju.
Administrative Divisions
West Sulawesi is divided into the following regencies:
Majene Regency
Mamasa Regency
Mamuju Regency
North Mamuju Regency
Polewali Mandar Regency

1.5.5 South Sulawesi

South Sulawesi
Sulawesi Selatan

Motto: Todo Poli
(Keep the faith)

Capital
Makassar

Governor
Syahrul Yasin Limpo
Area
72,781 km2 (28,101 sq mi)
Population
7,497,701 (2005)[1]

Density
103 /km2 (270 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Bugis (42%), Makassar (25%), Toraja, Mandar
Religion
Mostly muslims
Languages
Buginese

Time zone
UTC+8

Web site www.sulsel.go.id

Mountains in South Sulawesi.
South Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Selatan, short form Sulsel) is a province of Indonesia, located on the western southern peninsula of Sulawesi island. The province is bordered by Central Sulawesi province to the north, South East Sulawesi province to the east and West Sulawesi province to the west (West Sulawesi province was split from South Sulawesi in 2004). The capital of South Sulawesi is Makassar.
Contents
1 Administrative
1.1 Regencies
1.2 Cities
2 References

Administrative
Regencies
South Sulawesi is divided into following regencies with their capitals.
Bantaeng Regency (Bantaeng)
Barru Regency (Barru)
Bone Regency (Watampone)
Bulukumba Regency (Bulukumba)
Enrekang Regency (Enrekang)
Gowa Regency (Sungguminasa)
Jeneponto Regency (Jeneponto)
Luwu Regency (Palopo)
East Luwu Regency (Malili)
North Luwu Regency (Masamba)
Maros Regency (Maros)
Pangkajene Islands Regency (Pangkajene)
Pinrang Regency (Pinrang)
Selayar Regency (Bantaeng)
Sinjai Regency (Sinjai)
Sidenreng Rappang Regency (Sidenreng)
Soppeng Regency (Watansoppeng)
Takalar Regency (Takalar)
Tana Toraja (Makale)
Wajo Regency (Sengkang)
Cities
Makassar
Palopo
Pare-Pare

Central Sulawesi

2010-04-18T13:29:00.001-07:00

1.5.3 Central Sulawesi

Central Sulawesi

Capital
Palu

Governor
Bandjela Paliudju
Area
68,089.83 km2 (26,290 sq mi)
Population
2,066,394 (2000)
Density
30.3 /km2 (78 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Butung (23%), Bugis (19%), Tolaki (16%), Muna (15%)

Religion
Christianity, Islam, Hindu

Languages
Indonesian (official)

Time zone
WITA (UTC+8)

Web site www.sulteng.go.id

Central Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tengah) is a province of Indonesia located in the heart of Sulawesi. It was established on April 13, 1964.
Central Sulawesi has an area of 68,033 km2 (26,268 sq mi) and is surrounded by Gorontalo in the north, South Sulawesi and South East Sulawesi in the south, Maluku in the east, and the Makassar Strait in the west.
Contents
1 Regencies
2 Cities
3 Population
4 Climate and Natural Environment
4.1 Climate
4.2 Natural Environment
5 See also

Regencies
The Central Sulawesi province is divided into several regencies and one municipality:
Banggai
Banggai Island
Buol Regency
Donggala Regency
Morowali
Parigi Moutong
Poso Regency
Tojo Una-Una
Toli-Toli (Tolitoli)
Palu (municipality)
Cities
Palu is the province's capital. Major cities are:
Ampana
Banggai
Bungku
Buol
Donggala
Kolonodale
Luwuk
Parigi
Poso
Toli-toli
Population
Year Population Density
1990 1,711,327 25
1995 1,938,071 28
2000 2,218,435 35

Population growth between 1990 and 2000: 2.57%
Climate and Natural Environment
Climate
Minimum temperatures: 19.80- 22.60°C
Maximum temperatures: 34.00- 37.00°C
Humidity: 78 - 83%
Natural Environment
In the highlands several kilometers south of Palu, the Lore Lindu National Park was established. It is one of the little disturbed core areas of the global Wallacea biodiversity "hotspot".

Gorontalo

2010-04-18T13:28:00.001-07:00

1.5.2 Gorontalo

Provinsi Gorontalo
Province of Gorontalo

Motto: Duluo Limo Lo Pohalaa (Gorontalo)
(The land of Medina's gate)

Capital
Gorontalo

Governor
Fadel Muhammad

Area
12,215.44 km2 (4,716 sq mi)
Population
830,200 (2000)[1]

Density
68 /km2 (180 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Gorontalonese
Religion
Islam (predominantly)

Languages
Indonesian (official), Gorontalo

Time zone
UTC+8

Web site gorontaloprov.go.id

The Kwandang area.
Gorontalo is a province of Indonesia on the northern part of Sulawesi island. Gorontalo province was established in December 2000 after splitting from North Sulawesi province.[2] The capital is the city with the same name, Gorontalo.
Contents
1 Etymology
2 Geography
3 History
3.1 Pre-Independence
3.2 Independence
3.3 Post Independence of Indonesia
3.4 Become Province
4 Administration
5 References

Etymology
There are various opinions concerning the origin of the name Gorontalo. [3]:
derives from Hulontalangio, a name of a tribe that resided in the area
derives from Hua Lolontalango, which means cavemen who used to walk back and forth
derives from Hulutalangi, which means nobler
derives from Huluo Lo Tola, which means a place where snakehead fish breed
derives from Pongolatalo or Pohulatalo, which means: a waiting place
derives fron Gunung Telu, which means three mountains
derives from Hunto, which means a place that is always flowed by water
Geography
Gorontalo province lies on the northern Sulawesi arm, known as the Minahassa Peninsula. The province has an elongated shape area , stretching from west to east almost horizontally on a map, with the total area of 12,215.44 km2 (4,716.41 sq mi).[4] To the north and the south of the province are Sulawesi Sea and Gulf of Tomini, respectively. Prior 2000, Gorontalo province was part of North Sulawesi province on the eastern border.[2] The western border of the province is Central Sulawesi province.
Topography of the province is relatively low (0—40o), with the elevation ranges between 0—2,400 m (7,874.02 ft) above the sea level. Its coastline length is more than 590 km (366.61 mi). Counting the Exclusive Economic Zone to the north where Philippines is at the border, the total sea area of the province is more than 50,500 km2 (19,498.16 sq mi).[4] There are some small islands around the north and the south of the province, 67 of which have been identification and are named.[4]
History
Pre-Independence
In 1525, three small rock forts were built overlooking the waters of Lake Limboto with Portuguese assistance. Still in place today, the Fort Otonaha complex has commanding views.
The Spanish also entered the area in limited numbers via the Philippines during the mid-1500s. They introduced corn, tomatoes, chilli peppers, horses, and the afternoon siesta to Gorontalo, all of which are an integral part life today.
The Dutch under the aegis of the United East India Company (VOC) worked to wrest control of the lucrative spice trade away from the Sultanate of Ternate and push out all other European competitors. Gradually, the Dutch gained political control here and ended the power of the local kings.
Independence
The people of Gorontalo achieved independence from Dutch rule in 1942. This was partly through the efforts of the guerrilla/freedom fighter and local hero Nani Wartabone, who forced out the occupying Japanese during World War II.
Since the city escaped Allied bombing during the war, a number of Dutch-era buildings are still standing. Although many are in poor repair, Gorontalo City has a distinctive colonial appearance.
Post Independence of Indonesia
After Indonesia proclaimed its independence, Gorontalo became part of North Sulawesi province
Become Province
Gorontalo secede from North Sulawesi province in 2000
Administration
The governor and vice-governor, who are elected directly by the people, head the provincial administration. The province is divided into five regencies (Indonesian: kabupaten) and only one city (Indonesian: kota). When it was established in 2000, there were only two regencies and one city in the province. Several splitting of regencies occurred in 2003 and 2007, and as of 2007, the list of regencies and cities in Gorontalo province is given in the table below.
Name
Capital
Est.
Statute
Area (km²)

Regency of Boalemo
Tilamuta
1999 UU 50/1999 2,517.36
Regency of Bone Bolango
Suwawa
2003 UU 6/2003 1,984.31
Regency of Gorontalo
Limboto
1959 UU 29/1959 1,728.52
Regency of Pohuwato
Marisa
2003 UU 6/2003 4,244.31
Regency of North Gorontalo
Kwandang
2007 UU 11/2007 1,676.15
City of Gorontalo
* 1959 UU 29/1959 64.79
Note: * A city and also the provincial capital.

North Sulawesi

2010-04-18T13:27:00.001-07:00

1.5.1 North Sulawesi

North Sulawesi

Motto: Si Tou Timou Tumou Tou (Minahasan)
(Human purpose in life is to nurture and educate others)

Capital
Manado

Governor
Sinyo Harry Sarundajang
Area
15,364 km2 (5,932 sq mi)
Population
2,154,234 (2006)[1]

Density
140.2 /km2 (363 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Minahasan, Bolaang Mongondow, Sangir, Talaud

Religion
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism
Languages
Indonesian (official)

Time zone
WITA (UTC+8)

Web site www.sulut.go.id

North Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Utara) is a province of Indonesia. It is on the island of Sulawesi, and borders the province of Gorontalo to the west (originally a part of North Sulawesi until 2001 when it became its own province). The islands of Sangihe and Talaud form the northern part of the province, which border the Philippines.
The capital and largest city in North Sulawesi is Manado. With a population of about 2 million (As of 2006[1]), the region is predominantly Christian (70%) with Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist minorities, which is an exception in this predominantly Muslim country. The largest ethnic group is Minahasan.
Contents
1 Administrative areas
2 Places of Interest
3 Newspaper
4 References
5 External links

Administrative areas
North Sulawesi is divided into nine regencies (Indonesian: kabupaten) and four cities (Indonesian: kotamadya).
Regencies (seat):
Bolaang Mongondow (Kotamobagu)
Minahasa (Tondano)
North Bolaang Mongondow (Boroko)
North Minahasa (Airmadidi)
Sangihe Islands (Tahuna)
Sitaro Islands (Ondong)
South Minahasa (Amurang)
Southeast Minahasa (Ratahan)
Talaud Islands (Melonguane)
Cities:
Bitung
Kotamobagu
Manado
Tomohon
Places of Interest
One of the most well-known tourism spots in North Sulawesi is the Bunaken Marine Park. Home to a vast collection of marine life, Bunaken is about 30 minutes away by boat from the capital of Manado. In 2009, North Sulawesi hosts the Sail Bunaken event which features the parade of ships and sailboats, including the USS George Washington.
Newspaper
Manado Post
Koran Manado
Komentar
Media Sulut
Tribun Manado
Tribun Sulut
Posko
Metro

Sulawesi

2010-04-18T13:26:00.001-07:00

1.5 Sulawesi

Sulawesi

Provincial Division
Geography

Location South East Asia

Coordinates 2°08′S 120°17′E2.133°S 120.283°E

Archipelago Greater Sunda Islands

Area 174,600 km² (11th)

Highest point Rantemario (3,478 m)

Country
Indonesia
Provinces
(capital) West Sulawesi (Mamuju)
North Sulawesi (Manado)
Central Sulawesi (Palu)
South Sulawesi (Makassar)
South East Sulawesi (Kendari)
Gorontalo (Gorontalo)

Largest city Makassar

Demographics
Population 16 million (as of 2005)
Density 92 /km2 (240 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups Makassarese, Buginese, Mandar, Minahasa, Gorontalo, Toraja, Bajau, Mongondow

Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes, English pronunciation: /səˈliːbiːz/) is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands.
Contents
1 Etymology
2 Geology
3 Prehistory
4 History
4.1 Religious conflict
5 Geography
6 Flora and fauna
7 Population
7.1 Religion
8 References
9 External links

Etymology
The Portuguese were the first to refer to Sulawesi as 'Celebes'. The meaning of this name is unclear. One theory claims it means "hard to reach" due to rough waters full of currents and streams surrounding the island. Originally it did not refer to the entire island as the Portuguese thought Sulawesi was an archipelago. The modern name 'Sulawesi' possibly comes from the words sula ('island') and besi ('iron') and may refer to the historical export of iron from the rich Lake Matano iron deposits.[1]
Geology
According to reconstruction of plate tectonics, the island is believed to have been formed by the collision of terranes from the Asian Plate (forming the west and southwest), from the Australian Plate (forming the southeast and Banggai), and from island arcs previously in the Pacific (forming the north and east peninsulas). [2]
Prehistory
The settlement of South Sulawesi by modern humans is dated to c. 30,000 B.C. on the basis of radiocarbon dates obtained from rock shelters in Maros.[3] No earlier evidence of human occupation has been found, but the island almost certainly formed part of the land bridge used for the settlement of Australia and New Guinea by at least 40,000 BC.[4] There is no evidence of Homo erectus having reached Sulawesi; crude stone tools first discovered in 1947 on the right bank of the Walennae river at Berru, which were thought to date to the Pleistocene on the basis of their association with vertebrate fossils,[5] are now thought to date to perhaps 50,000 BC. [6]
Following Bellwood's model of a southward migration of Austronesian-speaking farmers (AN),[7] radiocarbon dates from caves in Maros suggest a date in the mid-second millennium B.C. for the arrival of an AN group from east Borneo speaking a Proto-South Sulawesi language (PSS). Initial settlement was probably around the mouth of the Sa'dan river, on the northwest coast of the peninsula, although the south coast has also been suggested.[8] Subsequent migrations across the mountainous landscape resulted in the geographical isolation of PSS speakers and the evolution of their languages into the eight families of the South Sulawesi language group.[9] If each group can be said to have a homeland, that of the Bugis – today the most numerous group – was around lakes Témpé and Sidénréng in the Walennaé depression. Here for some 2,000 years lived the linguistic group that would become the modern Bugis; the archaic name of this group (which is preserved in other local languages) was Ugiq. Despite the fact that today they are closely linked with the Makasar, the closest linguistic neighbors of the Bugis are the Toraja.
Pre-1200 CE Bugis society was organized into petty chiefdoms, which would have warred and, in times of peace, exchanged women with each other. Personal security would have been negligible, and head-hunting an established cultural practice. The political economy would have been a mixture of hunting and gathering and swidden or shifting agriculture. Speculative planting of wet rice may have taken place along the margins of the lakes and rivers.
History
Starting in the 13th century, access to prestige trade goods and to sources of iron started to alter long-standing cultural patterns, and to permit ambitious individuals to build larger political units. It is not known why these two ingredients appeared together; one was perhaps the product of the other. By 1400, a number of nascent agricultural principalities had arisen in the western Cenrana valley, as well as on the south coast and on the east coast near modern Parepare.[10]
The first Europeans to visit the island (which they believed to be an archipelago due to its contorted shape) were Portuguese sailors in 1525, sent from the Moluccas in search of gold, which the islands had the reputation of producing.[11] The Dutch arrived in 1605 and were quickly followed by the English, who established a factory in Makassar.[12] From 1660, the Dutch were at war with Gowa, the major Makasar west coast power. In 1669, Admiral Speelman forced the ruler, Sultan Hasanuddin, to sign the Treaty of Bongaya, which handed control of trade to the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch were aided in their conquest by the Bugis warlord Arung Palakka, ruler of the Bugis kingdom of Bone. The Dutch built a fort at Ujung Pandang, while Arung Palakka became the regional overlord and Bone the dominant kingdom. Political and cultural development seems to have slowed as a result of the status quo. In 1905 the entire island became part of the Dutch state colony of the Netherlands East Indies until Japanese occupation in World War II. In 1949, after the Indonesian National Revolution, during which the notorious Dutch Captain 'Turk' Westerling is believed to have murdered between 3,000 to 4,000 people, Sulawesi became part of the independent United States of Indonesia, which in 1950 became the Republic of Indonesia.[13]
Religious conflict
Sulawesi has been plagued by Muslim-Christian violence in recent years. The most serious violence occurred between 1998 and 2001 on the once peaceful island. Over 1,000 people were killed in violence, riots, and ethnic cleansing that ripped through Central Sulawesi.[14] The violence pitted the island's Muslims against Christians (and vice versa). A peace accord was not agreed to until 2001.
The Malino peace accord did not eradicate the violence. In the following years, tension and systematic attacks persisted.[15] In 2003, 13 Christian villagers were killed in the Poso District by unknown masked gunmen. And in 2005 three Christian schoolgirls were beheaded in Poso by Islamic militants. A message next to one of the heads allegedly read: "A life for a life. A head for a head".[16]
Riots erupted again in September 2006 in Christian dominated areas of Central Sulawesi, as well as other part of Indonesia, after the execution by firing squad of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu, three Catholics convicted of leading Christian militias during the violence of the early 2000s. Their supporters claimed that Muslims who participated in the violence received very light sentences and that none were sentenced to death, and that the government used a double standard.[17] The violence appeared to be aimed at government authorities, not Muslims.[17]
Geography
Sulawesi is the world's eleventh-largest island, covering an area of 174,600 km2 (67,413 sq mi). The island is surrounded by Borneo to the west, by the Philippines to the north, by Maluku to the east, and by Flores and Timor to the south. It has a distinctive shape, dominated by four large peninsulas: the Semenanjung Minahassa; the East Peninsula; the South Peninsula; and the South-east Peninsula. The central part of the island is ruggedly mountainous, such that the island's peninsulas have traditionally been remote from each other, with better connections by sea than by road.
The island is subdivided into six provinces: Gorontalo, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and North Sulawesi. West Sulawesi is a new province, created in 2004 from part of South Sulawesi. The largest cities on the island are Makassar, on the southwestern coast of the island, and Manado, on the northern tip.
Flora and fauna

Nomorhamphus liemi female in an aquarium; there are at least 19 species of Nomorhamphus, most of which are only found on Sulawesi.
Sulawesi straddles Wallace's Line meaning that it has a mix of both Asian and Australasian species. However, the majority of Sulawesi's wildlife belongs to the Australasia region. 2,290 square kilometres (570,000 acres) of the island is devoted to Lore Lindu National Park.
There are 127 known mammalian species in Sulawesi. A large percentage of these mammals, 62% (79 species) are endemic, meaning that they are found nowhere else in Indonesia or the world. The largest native mammal in Sulawesi is the dwarf buffalo, locally known as the anoa. Other mammalian species inhabiting Sulawesi are the babirusa, a pig-like animal, the Sulawesi palm civet, several species of cuscus (the Sulawesi Dwarf Cuscus and Sulawesi Bear Cuscus), and primates including a number of tarsiers (the spectral, Dian's, Lariang and pygmy varieties) and several species of macaque, including the crested black macaque, the moor macaque and the booted macaque.
By contrast, because many birds can fly between islands, Sulawesian bird species tend to be found on other nearby islands as well, such as Borneo; only 34% of Sulawesi's birds are found nowhere else. One endemic bird is the largely ground-dwelling, chicken-sized maleo, which reproduces like no other bird: taking advantage of the hot sand produced by the island's volcanic vents, they dig holes in the sand, lay their eggs, and promptly leave the scene. There are around 400 known bird species in Sulawesi. The Togian White-eye is another endemic that was described in 2008. An international partnership of conservationists, donors, and local people have formed the Alliance for Tompotika Conservation[18], in an effort to raise awareness and protect the nesting grounds of these birds on the central-eastern arm of the island.

A Djampea Rainbow Lorikeet from Sulawesi.
Sulawesi also has several endemic species of freshwater fish, such as those in the genus Nomorhamphus, a species flock of livebearing freshwater halfbeaks containing at least 19 distinct species, most of which are only found on Sulawesi.[19]
[20] There are also many species of freshwater shrimp that are endemic to Sulawesi. Several of these species have become very popular in the aquarium hobby. They are considered some of the most beautiful freshwater shrimp species to be found and are not found anywhere else in the world. Several of these shrimp species are found only in specific lakes in Sulawesi, making them even more rare [21].

Orange Delight Shrimp from Sulawesi.
Freshwater snails endemic to Sulawesi are also extremely beautiful and like the shrimp are endemic to Sulawesi [22]. The snails and shrimp from Sulawesi have made a wonderful addition to the freshwater aquarium invertebrate hobby. However, there must be careful attention placed to conserve and protect these species as well as many others. Due to the small habitat and unique environment it is critical that all freshwater species from Sulawesi be conserved properly. An expedition was conducted by Mimbon Aquarium to the island of Sulawesi to document and collect some of the species of fish, shrimp and snails mentioned. There are several photos of the landscape, underwater habitat and some of the collected specimens from the expedition journal [23].
The island was recently the subject of an Ecoregional Conservation Assessment, coordinated by The Nature Conservancy. Detailed reports about the vegetation of the island are available [24]. The assessment produced a detailed and annotated list of 'conservation portfolio' sites . This information was widely distributed to local government agencies and nongovernmental organizations. Detailed conservation priorities have also been outlined in a recent publication [25].
The lowland forests on the island are, unfortunately, almost gone [26]. Because of the relative geological youth of the island and its dramatic and sharp topography, the lowland areas are naturally limited in their extent. The past decade has seen dramatic conversion of this rare and endangered habitat. The island also possesses one of the largest outcrops of serpentine soil in the world, which support an unusual and large community of specialized plant species. Overall, the flora and fauna of this unique center of global biodiversity is very poorly documented and understood and remains critically threatened.
Population
The 2000 census population of the provinces of Sulawesi was 14,946,488, about 7.25% of Indonesia's total population.[27] The largest city is Makassar.
Religion
Islam is the majority religion in Sulawesi. The conversion of the lowlands of the south western peninsula (South Sulawesi) to Islam occurred in the early 17th century. The kingdom of Luwu in the Gulf of Bone was the first to accept Islam in February 1605; the Makasar kingdom of Goa-Talloq, centered on the modern-day city of Makassar, followed suit in September.[28] However, the Gorontalo and the Mongondow peoples of the northern peninsula largely converted to Islam only in the nineteenth century. Most Muslims are Sunnis.
Christians form a substantial minority on the island. According to the demographer Toby Alice Volkman, 17% of Sulawesi's population is Protestant and 2% is Roman Catholic. Christians are concentrated on the tip of the northern peninsula around the city of Manado, which is inhabited by the Minahasa, a predominantly Protestant people, and the northernmost Sangir and Talaud Islands. The famous Toraja people of Tana Toraja in Central Sulawesi have largely converted to Christianity since Indonesia's independence. There are also substantial numbers of Christians around Lake Poso in Central Sulawesi, among the Pamona speaking peoples of Central Sulawesi, and near Mamasa. There has also been growth in the Christian population of the Banggai Islands and the Eastern Peninsula in Central Sulawesi, traditionally thought of as Muslim areas.
Though most people identify themselves as Muslims or Christians, they often subscribe to local beliefs and deities as well. It is not unusual (and fully accepted) for Christians to make offerings to local gods, goddesses, and spirits.
Smaller communities of Buddhists and Hindus are also found on Sulawesi, usually among the Chinese, Balinese and Indian communities.

East Kalimantan

2010-04-18T13:25:00.001-07:00

1.4.4 East Kalimantan

East Kalimantan
East Kalimantan
Kalimantan Timur

Motto: Ruhui Rahayu (Banjarese)
(Perfect harmony the blessing from God)

Capital
Samarinda

Governor
Awang Faroek Ishak

Area
245,237.80 km2 (94,687 sq mi)
Population
2,750,369 (2004)[1]

Density
11.2 /km2 (29 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Javanese (29,6%), Bugis (18,3%), Banjarese (13,9%), Dayak (9,91%), Kutai (9,2%) [2]

Religion
Islam (85.2%), Christianity (13.2%), Buddhism (0.62%), Hinduism (0.19%)

Languages
Indonesian (official), Banjar ,Dayak ,Kutai

Time zone
WITA (UTC+8)

Web site (English) www.kaltimprov.go.id

East Kalimantan (Indonesian: Kalimantan Timur abbrv. Kaltim) is the second largest Indonesian province, located on the Kalimantan region on the east of Borneo island. The resource-rich province has two major cities, Samarinda (the capital and a center for timber product) and Balikpapan (a petroleum center with oil refinery). Ever since Indonesia opened its mineral and natural resources for foreign investment in 1970s, East Kalimantan province has experienced major boost of timber, petroleum and other exotic forest products. The state-owned petroleum company Pertamina has been operating in the area since it took control oil refinery from the Royal Dutch Shell company in 1965.
The population is a mixture of people from the Indonesian archipelago with Dayaks and Kutai as indigenous ethnic groups living in rural areas. Other prominent migrant ethnic groups include Javanese, Chinese, Banjarese, Bugis and Malays, who mostly live in coastal areas.
Contents
1 History
2 Administration
3 Ecology
4 Economy
5 References
6 External links

History
This province is the location of the oldest Hindu kingdom in Indonesia, Kutai, the existence of which is attested to by a stone manuscript, or Prasasti, which is now kept in the National Museum in Jakarta. The manuscript is written in the Pallava alphabet and the Sanskrit language. The replica of this manuscript can be seen in the Governor's Office in Samarinda.
Inscriptions on seven stone pillars (yupa posts) erected in the fifth century BCE on the command of a local ruler, King Mulavarman, records his victories, his generosity to brahmins, his princely genealogy.[3]
Administration
East Kalimantan is divided into 10 regencies and 4 cities.
The regencies are:
1. Pasir Regency (Tanah Grogot)
2. Penajam Paser Utara Regency (Penajam)
3. Kutai Kartanegara Regency (Tenggarong)
4. West Kutai Regency (Sendawar)
5. East Kutai Regency (Sangatta)
6. Bulungan Regency (Tanjung Selor)
7. Berau Regency (Tanjung Redeb)
8. Malinau Regency (Malinau)
9. Nunukan Regency (Nunukan)
10. Tana Tidung Regency
The cities are:
1. Balikpapan
2. Samarinda
3. Bontang
4. Tarakan
Ecology
The main problem in this province is the illegal logging which destroyed a great part of the rainforest. Fewer than half the original rainforest still remains, in places such as the Kayan Mentarang National Park in the northern part of the province and the Kutai National Park.
Economy
East Kalimantan heavily depends on earth resources activity such as oilfield exploration, natural gas, as well as coal and gold mining. Balikpapan has an oil refinery plant that was primarily built by Dutch governance before World War II, destroyed during World War II, and rebuilt by Indonesia Governance.
Other developing economic sectors includes agriculture and tourism. East Kalimantan has several tourist destination such as Derawan Islands in Berau Regency, Kayan Mentarang National Park ini Nunukan, Crocodile Husbandry in Balikpapan, deer husbandry in Penajam, Dayak's (native Kalimantan people) Pampang Village in Samarinda and many others.
The main problem to developing economic growth is lack of transportation infrastructure. Transportation depends on traditional boats connecting coastal cities and areas along main river, Mahakam River.

South Kalimantan

2010-04-18T13:23:00.001-07:00

1.4.3 South Kalimantan

South Kalimantan
Kalimantan Selatan

Motto: Waja Sampai Ka Puting (Banjarese)
(Spirit as strong as steel, from the start until the end)

Capital
Banjarmasin

Governor
Drs. H. Rudi Arifin

Area
36,985 km2 (14,280 sq mi)
Population
3,446,631 (2008)
Density
93.2 /km2 (241 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Banjarese (76%), Javanese (13%),
Bugis (12%) [1]

Religion
Islam (89%), Christianity (1.2%), Buddhism (0.42%), Hinduism (0.11%)
Languages
Indonesian (official), Banjarese

Time zone
WITA (UTC+8)

Web site http://www.kalsel.go.id

South Kalimantan/South Borneo (Indonesian: Kalimantan Selatan often abbreviated to Kalsel) is a province of Indonesia. It is one of four Indonesian provinces in the Indonesian part of Borneo. The provincial capital is Banjarmasin. The province boundaries are Makassar Strait in the east, Central Kalimantan in the west and north, the Java Sea in the south and a small part of East Kalimantan in the north.
The province had a population of 2.97 million in 2000, which grew to 3,45 million by 2008.[2]. In 2008 the number of visitors to the province was 339,000 of which 21,000 were international visitors, mostly from China, Philippines and India.
Contents
1 Geography
2 Administration
3 History
4 References

Geography
About three quarters of the province is flat and less than 100m above sea level, while about 8,000 km² are swampland. The Meratus Mountains are situated approximately along the south-western part to the north-eastern part of the province, dividing the flat area into two. Its highest peak is Gunung Besar with 1,892 metres.
The annual rainfall intensity is high, ranging between 2,000 and 3,700 mm. The mean number of rainy days per year is 120. Barito is the main river, used as a transportation route to the northern part of the province and to Central Kalimantan. Other smaller rivers are mostly springing from the Meratus Mountains.
The main natural resources in South Kalimantan are forest and coal. Coal deposits are found over almost the whole province, and in some places they are exploited commercially. Other minor resources are oil, gold, gem stones, quartz sand, phosphate and granite.[3]
Administration
There are 9 regencies and two cities in South Kalimantan as listed below with their capitals:

South Kalimantan Government Offices Balangan (Paringin)
Banjar (Martapura)
Barito Kuala (Marabahan)
Hulu Sungai Selatan (Kandangan)
Hulu Sungai Tengah (Barabai)
Hulu Sungai Utara (Amuntai)
Kota Baru (Kotabaru)
Tabalong (Tanjung)
Tanah Bumbu (Batulicin)
Tanah Laut (Pleihari)
Tapin (Rantau)

cities:
Banjarmasin
Banjarbaru
History
Right after Indonesia's proclamation of independence (August 17, 1945), the government under Soekarno and Hatta appointed Ir. H. Pangeran Muhammad Noor as the governor of the whole Kalimantan on August 18, 1945. The capital was Banjarmasin. Later on, it was decided to divide the area into several provinces. On December 7, 1956, the province of South Kalimantan was formed out of these areas: Kotawaringin, Dayak Besar (Great Dayak), Daerah Banjar (Banjar Area), and the Federation of Southeast Kalimantan. Later on, Pasir (a part of Southeast Kalimantan Federation) was integrated to the province of East Kalimantan instead. Furthermore, on 23rd of May 1957, Kotawaringin and Dayak Besar removed themselves from South Kalimantan to form their own province, Central Kalimantan.

Central Kalimantan

2010-04-18T13:22:00.001-07:00

1.4.2 Central Kalimantan

Province of Central Kalimantan

Motto: Isen Mulang (Sangen)
(Never Retreat)

Capital
Palangkaraya

Governor
Agustin Teras Narang,SH
Area
153,564 km2 (59,291 sq mi)
Population
1,912,747 (2007)
Density
12.5 /km2 (32 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Banjarese (24%), Javanese (18%),
Ngaju (18%), Dayak Sampit (10%), Bakumpai (8%) [1]

Religion
Islam (69,67%), Protestant (16,41%), Hindu (10,69%), Catholic (3,11%), Buddhism (0,12%), others[citation needed]

Languages
Indonesian (official), Malay, Bugis, Dayak, Chinese dialects of Hakka and Teochew

Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.kalteng.go.id

Central Kalimantan (Indonesian: Kalimantan Tengah often abbreviated to Kalteng) is a province of Indonesia, one of four in Kalimantan - the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its provincial capital is Palangkaraya.
The province has a population of 1.9 million (As of 2007 census). The population grew 2.7% annually between 1990 and 2000, one of the highest provincial growth rates in Indonesia during that time. Far more than other province in the region, Central Kalimantan is dominated by the Dayaks, the indigenous inhabitants of Borneo.
Contents
1 History
2 Geography
3 Administration
4 Rivers
5 References
6 External links

History
Since the eighteenth century, the central region of Kalimantan and its Dayak inhabitants were ruled by the Muslim Sultanate of Banjar. Following Indonesian independence after World War II, Dayak tribes demanded a province separate from South Kalimantan province.
Profile Central Kalimantan Province. Central Kalimantan Province Tourism and Culture Board. September 2001.
In 1957, South Kalimantan was thus divided to provide the Dayak population greater autonomy from the Muslim population in that province. It was approved by the Indonesian Government on 23 May 1957 under Presidential Law No. 10 Year 1957, which declared Central Kalimantan the seventeenth province of Indonesia. President Sukarno appointed the Dayak-born national hero Tjilik Riwut as the first Governor and Palangka Raya the provincial capital.[2]
The three major Dayak tribes in Central Kalimantan are the Ngaju, Ot Danum and Dusun Ma'anyan Ot Siang. The three major tribes extended into several branches of prominent Dayak tribes in Central Kalimantan such as Lawangan, Taboyan, Dusun Siang, Boyan, Bantian, Dohoi and Kodorin.
In addition to the indigenous Dayak tribes, the province also groups from other areas of Indonesia, including Javanese, Maduranese, Batak, Toraja, Ambonese, Bugis, Palembang, Minang, Banjarese, Makassar, Papuan, Balinese, Acehnese and also Chinese.[3]
Geography
Central Kalimantan is the 3rd largest Indonesian province by area with a size of 153,800 km2, about 1.5 times the size of the island of Java. It is bordered by West and East Kalimantan provinces to the north, by the Java Sea to the south, by South and East Kalimantan provinces to the east, and by West Kalimantan province to west.
The Schwaner Mountains stretch from the north-east of the province to the south-west, 80% of which is covered in dense forest, peatland swamps, mangroves, rivers, and traditional agriculture land. Highland areas in the north-east are remote and not easily accessible. Non-volcanic mounts are scattered in this area including Kengkabang, Samiajang, Liang Pahang and Ulu Gedang.
The centre of the province is covered with tropical forest, which produces rattan, resin and valuable timber such as Ulin and Meranti. The southern lowlands are dominated by peatland swamps that intersect with many rivers. Sebangau is a protected peatland area internationally acknowledged as sanctuary for the endangered Orangutan. Recently the peat swamp forests have been damaged by the Mega Rice Project, which unsuccessfully sought to turn large areas into rice paddies.
The province's climate is wet weather equatorial zone with an eight-month rainy season, and 4 months of dry season. Rainfall or precipitation is 2,776 - 3,393 mm per year with an average of 145 rainy days annually.[citation needed]
Administration
Central Kalimantan is divided into 13 districts or regencies, which are headed a regent. (Capitals listed in brackets)
South Barito (Buntok)
East Barito (Tamiang Layang)
North Barito (Muara Teweh)
Gunung Mas (Kuala Kurun)
Kapuas (Kuala Kapuas)
Katingan (Kasongan)
West Kotawaringin (Pangkalan Bun)
East Kotawaringin (Sampit)
Lamandau (Nanga Bulik)
Murung Raya (Puruk Cahu)
Pulang Pisau (Pulang Pisau)
Sukamara (Sukamara)
Seruyan (Kuala Pembuang)
and the provincial capital:
Palangkaraya
In addition to the civil service, Central Kalimantan also recognises a traditional governing system lead by traditional leaders known as Demang. The province is divided into 67 traditional law areas known as Kademangan, headed by Demang. The system is intended to culturally recognise and preserve the customs and heritage of the Dayak tribes.[citation needed]
Rivers
Central Kalimantan has numerous rivers from the catchment areas to the north in the Schwaner Mountains, flowing to the Java Sea. The major rivers include:
Barito River (900 km)
Kapuas River (600 km)
Kahayan River (600 km)
Katingan River (600 km)
Mentaya River (400 km)
Seruyan River (350 km)
Lamandau River (300 km)
Arut River (250 km)
Sebangau River (200 km)
Kumai River (179 km)
Jelai River (100 km)
Rivers are an important mode of transportation and a primary location for settlement. With relatively undeveloped infrastructure, the province's economy relies heavily on the rivers.

West Kalimantan

2010-04-18T13:21:00.001-07:00

1.4.1 West kalimantan

Province of West Kalimantan

Motto: Akçaya (Sanskirt)
(Immortal)

Capital
Pontianak

Governor
Drs. Cornelis M.H

Area
146,807 km2 (56,682 sq mi)
Population
4,073,304 (2004)
Density
27.7 /km2 (72 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Dayak (35%), Sambas (12%), Chinese (9%), Javanese (9%), Kendayan (8%), Malay (8%)[1]

Religion
Islam (57.6%), Catholic (24.1%), Protestant (10%), Buddhism (6.4%), Hindu (0.2%),others (1.7%)
Languages
Indonesian (official), Malay, Dayak, Chinese dialects of Hakka and Teochew

Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.kalbar.go.id

West Kalimantan (Indonesian: Kalimantan Barat often abbreviated to Kalbar) is a province of Indonesia. It is one of four Indonesian provinces in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital city Pontianak is located right on the Equator line.
The province has an area of 146,807 km² with the population of about 4,076,334 people (As of 2000 census). Major ethnic groups include the Dayak, Malay, Chinese, which make up about 90% of the total population. The rest are Javanese, Bugis, Madurese, and other ethnicities.
The borders of West Kalimantan roughly trace the mountain ranges surrounding the watershed of the Kapuas River, which drains most of the province. West Kalimantan is subdivided into two urban cities (kota) and ten rural regencies (kabupaten). The cities are Pontianak and Singkawang; the regencies are Sambas, Bengkayang, Pontianak, Ketapang, Landak, Sanggau, Sekadau, Sintang, Melawi , Kapuas Hulu, and the youngest regencies Kayong Utara and Kubu Raya. About 29 percent of the population lives in the Pontianak area.
There was a serious outbreak of communal violence in the province between indigenous Dayak and Madurese settlers in late 1997 and early 2000, resulting in about 500 deaths. [1] [2]
Contents
1 History
2 Ecology
3 References
4 External links

History
The history of West Kalimantan can be dated back to 17th century. Dayaks was the main inhabitants of the province before 17th century. The Malay migrated to West Kalimantan and built their own sultanates. The facts that there are many Chinese population in this province was there used to be a republic built by Chinese miners called Lanfang Republic after defeated the local Malay sultans. The government of Lanfang Republic was ended in West Kalimantan after the Dutch occupation in 1884.
West Kalimantan was under Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945, when Indonesia declared its Independence. During the Japanese occupation, more than 21,000 people in Pontianak (including sultans, nobleman, women and children) were kidnapped, tortured and massacred by Japanese troops. Japanese intelligence had become concerned ethnic Chinese were planning to start a rebellion, and were worried that people in the city had received guns and ammunition from the Chinese government.
After the end of war, the Japanese officers in Pontianak were arrested by allied troops and brought in front of an international military tribune. During the trial, it was revealed that the plan to start the rebellion did not exist and instead was only an imaginary plan created by Japanese officers who wanted to get promoted.
The massacre occurred from April 23, 1943 to June 28, 1944 and most of the victims were buried in several giant wells in Mandor (88 km from Pontianak). Allied forces occupying the area after the war found several thousand bones, and more than 60 years after the massacre, several secret graves of the victims were found in Mandor and the surrounding areas.
A monument called Makam Juang Mandor was created to commemorate this tragic event.
West Kalimantan was the site of substantial fighting during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation under the Sukarno government in the mid-1960s. After Suharto deposed Sukarno in 1965, the confrontation was quickly resolved. Domestic conflict continued, however, for another ten years between the new military Suharto government and fighters organized during the confrontation and backed by the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).(see Indonesian killings of 1965–66)
Ecology
There are two National Parks in the province: Danau Sentarum and Gunung Palung.

Kalimantan

2010-04-18T13:19:00.001-07:00

1.4 Kalimantan

Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo,[1] while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo.[1] The Indonesian territory makes up 73 percent of the island by area, and 70 percent (12,000,000) by population. The non-Indonesian parts of Borneo are of Brunei (609,000) and East Malaysia (6,000,000). The region is also known as Indonesian Borneo.
Kalimantan is divided into four provinces:
East Kalimantan 210,985 sq km / 81,461 sq miles
South Kalimantan 36,535 sq km / 14,106 sq miles
West Kalimantan 146,807 sq km / 56,682 sq miles
Central Kalimantan 36,535 sq km / 14,106 sq miles
Total area: 547,891 sq km / 211,540 sq miles [2]

East Nusa Tenggara

2010-04-18T13:18:00.001-07:00

1.3.3 East Nusa Tenggara

East Nusa Tenggara
(Nusa Tenggara Timur)

Capital
Kupang

Governor
Frans Lebu Raya

Area
47,876 km2 (18,485 sq mi)
Population
4,260,294 (2005)[1]

Density
89 /km2 (230 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Atoni, or Dawan (21%), Manggarai (15%), Sumba (13%), Lamaholot (5%), Belu (6%), Rote (5%), Lio (4%)[2]

Religion
Catholic (53,9%), Protestant (33,8%), Islam (8,8%), Other (3,5%)
Languages
Indonesian

Time zone
WITA (UTC+8)

Web site nttprov.go.id

East Nusa Tenggara (Indonesian: Nusa Tenggara Timur) is a province of Indonesia, located in the eastern portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, including West Timor. The provincial capital is Kupang, located on West Timor.
The province consists of about 550 islands, but is dominated by the three main islands of Flores, Sumba, and West Timor, the western half of the island of Timor. The eastern part of Timor is the independent country of East Timor. Other islands include Adonara, Alor, Komodo, Lembata, Menipo, Raijua, Rincah, Rote Island (the southernmost island in Indonesia), Savu, Semau, and Solor.
Contents
1 Administration
2 Demographics
3 Economy
4 References
5 External links

Administration
After the declaration of Indonesia independence in 1945, the eastern part of Indonesia declared themselves as the State of East Indonesia by the statute of Staatsblad No. 143, 1946. The state was further included in the United States of Indonesia as one of the agreement of the Dutch to transfer its sovereignty to Indonesia in 1949.
In 1950, United States of Indonesia dissolved itself into a unitary state and began to divide its region into provinces. In 1958, by the Indonesian statute of law (Undang-Undang) No. 64/1958, three provinces were established in the Lesser Sunda Islands, namely Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara provinces.[3] According to the law, East Nusa Tenggara province includes the western part of Timor island, Flores, Sumba and other several small islands in the region. The province was further divided into twelve regencies.[4]
Following the fall of Suharto regime in 1998, several regional governments expanded its administrative divisions under the new regional autonomy policy. East Nusa Tenggara province observed several expansions in its administration. In 1999, the new Lembata Regency was formed after splitting East Flores Regency.[5] In 2002, Rote Island was split from Kupang Regency, forming the new Rote Ndao Regency.[6] The following year, Manggarai Regency is splitted into two and established the new West Manggarai Regency.[7] In 2007, the administration of East Nusa Tenggara province was expanded more by the establishment of new four regencies. Therefore, as of 2007, there are nineteen regencies and only one city, that is Kupang, recognized in the province.

Closer look to the islands of East Nusa Tenggara
Name
Capital
Est.
Statute
Area (km²)

West Sumba Regency
Waikabubak
1958 UU 69/1958 702.72
East Sumba Regency
Waingapu
1958 UU 69/1958 7,000.50
Manggarai Regency
Ruteng
1958 UU 69/1958 1,545.97
Sikka Regency
Maumere
1958 UU 69/1958 1,731.92
Ngada Regency
Bajawa
1958 UU 69/1958 1,620.92
Ende Regency
Ende
1958 UU 69/1958 2,046.62
East Flores Regency
Larantuka
1958 UU 69/1958 1,812.85
Kupang Regency
Kupang 1958 UU 69/1958 5,898.18
South Central Timor Regency
Soe
1958 UU 69/1958 3,947.00
North Central Timor Regency
Kefamenanu
1958 UU 69/1958 2,669.66
Belu Regency
Atambua
1958 UU 69/1958 2,445.57
Alor Regency
Kalabahi
1958 UU 69/1958 2,864.60
Lembata Regency
Lewoleba
1999 UU 52/1999 1,226.38
Rote Ndao Regency
Baa
2002 UU 9/2002 1,280.00
West Manggarai Regency
Labuan Bajo
2003 UU 8/2003 2,947.50
Nagekeo Regency
Mbay
2007 UU 2/2007 1,416.96
Central Sumba Regency
Waibakul
2007 UU 3/2007 1,868.74
Southwest Sumba Regency
Tambolaka
2007 UU 16/2007 1,480.46
East Manggarai Regency
Borong
2007 UU 36/2007 2,642.93
Kupang
* 160.34
Note: * A city and also the provincial capital.
Demographics
The population of the province was estimated to be 4,073,249 in 2003 (BPS NTT). The religious mix is atypical of Indonesia, with 91% Christian (majority Catholic, large Protestant population), 8% Muslim, 0.6% Hindu or Buddhist, and 0.4% holding traditional beliefs. East Nusa Tenggara has become a refuge for Indonesian Christians fleeing from conflict in Maluku and Irian Jaya[citation needed].
The secondary school enrolment rate of 39% is dramatically below the Indonesian average (80.49% in 2003/04, according to UNESCO). Lack of clean drinking water, sanitation, and health facilities mean that child malnutrition (32%) and child mortality (71 per 1000) are higher than in most of the rest of Indonesia.
Economy
By several economic indicators, the province's enconomy is weaker than the Indonesian average, with high inflation (15%), unemployment (30%) and interest rates (22-24%).

West Nusa Tenggara

2010-04-18T13:03:00.001-07:00

1.3.2 West Nusa Tenggara

West Nusa Tenggara
(Nusa Tenggara Barat)

Capital
Mataram

Governor
Tuan Guru Bajang
Area
19,708.79 km2 (7,610 sq mi)
Population
4,015,102
Density
203.7 /km2 (528 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Sasak (68%), Bima (13%), Sumbawa (8%), Balinese (3%)[1]

Religion
Islam (96%), Hindu (3%), Buddhist (1%) [1]

Languages
Indonesian (official)

Time zone
WITA (UTC+8)

Web site www.ntb.go.id

West Nusa Tenggara (Indonesian: Nusa Tenggara Barat) is a province in south-central Indonesia. It covers the western portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, except for Bali.
The two largest islands in the province are Lombok in the west and the larger Sumbawa island in the east. Mataram, on Lombok, is the capital and largest city of the province. The province is administratively divided into eight regencies (kabupaten) and two municipalities (kotamadya):
Bima
Dompu
West Lombok
Central Lombok
East Lombok
North Lombok
Sumbawa
West Sumbawa
Bima (municipality)
Mataram (municipality)
Lombok is mainly inhabited by the Sasak ethnic group, with a minority Balinese population, and Sumbawa is inhabited by Sumbawa and Bima ethnic groups. Each of these groups has a local language associated with it as well. The population of the province is 3,821,134; 71 percent of the population lives in Lombok (As of 2000 census).
A 2002 United Nations Development Programme report classified West Nusa Tenggara as the least-developed province in Indonesia.[citation needed]
History
In 1938, the Neo Municipality was formed, a self regulated area (Dutch: Zelf Bestuur Regelen).[citation needed] Based on the Lombok government constitution, East Indonesia Presidents' decision on 9 May 1949 No.5/Prv/49, Lombok did not contain a municipality but was an area conducted by Dutch Government. Formerly known as Sunda Kecil (Small Sunda), the West Nusa Tenggara Province became East Indonesia State in 1951.[citation needed] In 1957, the regional government was established.

Bali

2010-04-18T12:01:00.001-07:00

1.3.1 Bali

Bali

Motto: Bali Dwipa Jaya (Kawi)
(Glorious Bali Island)

Capital
Denpasar

Governor
Made Mangku Pastika

Area
5,632.86 km2 (2,175 sq mi)
Population
3,551,000 (2009)
Density
630.4 /km2 (1,633 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Balinese (89%), Javanese (7%), Baliaga (1%), Madurese (1%)[1]

Religion
Hindu (93.19%), Muslim (4.79%), Christian (1.38%), Buddhist (0.64%)
Languages
Indonesian (official), Balinese

Time zone
UTC+8

Web site www.baliprov.go.id

Bali is an Indonesian island located at Coordinates: 8°25′23″S 115°14′55″E8.42306°S 115.24861°Ethe westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.
With a population recorded as 3,551,000 in 2009[2], the island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.
Contents
1 History
2 Geography
3 Ecology
4 Administrative divisions
5 Economy
6 Transportation
7 Demographics
7.1 Religion
7.2 Language
8 Culture
9 See also
10 Notes
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links

History
Main article: History of Bali

The Blanjong (Belanjong) pillar inscription in Sanur dates to 914 CE, and testifies to the contacts between Bali and the Indian subcontinent.
Bali was inhabited by Austronesian peoples by about 2000 BC who migrated originally from Taiwan through Maritime Southeast Asia.[3] Culturally and linguistically, the Balinese are thus closely related to the peoples of the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and Oceania.[4] Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.[5]
Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian and Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali island") has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong pillar inscription written by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 914 AD and mentioning "Walidwipa". It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.

Balinese bodies at Denpasar during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906).
The first European contact with Bali is thought to have been made by Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman who arrived in 1597, though a Portuguese ship had foundered off the Bukit Peninsula as early as 1585 and left a few Portuguese in the service of Dewa Agung.[6] Dutch colonial control expanded across the Indonesian archipelago in the nineteenth century (see Dutch East Indies). Their political and economic control over Bali began in the 1840s on the island's north coast by pitting various distrustful Balinese realms against each other.[7] In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese kingdoms in the island's south were exploited by the Dutch to increase their control.
The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were met by the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who fought against the superior Dutch force in a suicidal puputan defensive assault rather than face the humiliation of surrender.[7] Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 1,000 Balinese marched to their death against the invaders.[8] In the Dutch intervention in Bali (1908), a similar massacre occurred in the face of a Dutch assault in Klungkung. Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise administrative control over the island, but local control over religion and culture generally remained intact. Dutch rule over Bali had come later and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku.
In the 1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, and artists Miguel Covarrubias and Walter Spies, and musicologist Colin McPhee created a western image of Bali as "an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with themselves and nature", and western tourism first developed on the island.[9]
Imperial Japan occupied Bali during World War II during which time a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom army'. The lack of institutional changes from the time of Dutch rule however, and the harshness of war requisitions made Japanese rule little better than the Dutch one.[10] Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch promptly returned to Indonesia, including Bali, immediately to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels now using Japanese weapons. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, by then 29 years old, finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance. In 1946 the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly-proclaimed State of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December 1949.
The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of social divisions across Indonesia in the 1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between supporters of the traditional caste system, and those rejecting these traditional values. Politically, this was represented by opposing supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), with tensions and ill-feeling further increased by the PKI's land reform programs.[7] An attempted coup in Jakarta was put down by forces led by General Suharto. The army became the dominant power as it instigated a violent anti-communist purge, in which the army blamed the PKI for the coup. Most estimates suggest that at least 500,000 people were killed across Indonesia, with an estimated 80,000 killed in Bali, equivalent to 5% of the island's population.[11] With no Islamic forces involved as in Java and Sumatra, upper-caste PNI landlords led the extermination of PKI members.[12]

Balinese dancers show for tourists, Ubud.
As a result of the 1965/66 upheavals, Suharto was able to maneuver Sukarno out of the presidency, and his "New Order" government reestablished relations with western countries. The pre-War Bali as "paradise" was revived in a modern form, and the resulting large growth in tourism has led to a dramatic increase in Balinese standards of living and significant foreign exchange earned for the country.[7] A bombing in 2002 by militant Islamists in the tourist area of Kuta killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. This attack, and another in 2005, severely affected tourism, bringing much economic hardship to the island.
Geography
See also List of bodies of water in Bali and List of mountains in Bali.

Topography of the island
The island of Bali lies 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. Bali and Java are separated by Bali Strait. East to west, the island is approximately 153 km (95 mi) wide and spans approximately 112 km (69 mi) north to south; its land area is 5,632 km².
The highest point is Mount Agung at 3,142 m (9,426 feet) high, an active volcano that last erupted in March 1963. Mountains range from centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Mount Batur (1,717 m) is also still active; an eruption 30,000 years ago was one of the largest known volcanic events on Earth.[citation needed] In the south the land descends to form an alluvial plain, watered by shallow, north-south flowing rivers, drier in the dry season and overflowing during periods of heavy rain. The longest of these rivers, Ayung River, flows approximately 75 km.
The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. The beach town of Padangbai in the south east has both[citation needed]. Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is navigable by small sampan boats. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for significant tourism.
The largest city is the provincial capital, Denpasar, near the southern coast. Its population is around 300,000. Bali's second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja, which is located on the north coast and is home to around 100,000 people. Other important cities include the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically part of Denpasar's urban area; and Ubud, which is north of Denpasar, and is known as the island's cultural centre.

Southern Bali in the foreground and Mount Agung behind
Three small islands lie to the immediate south east and all are administratively part of the Klungkung regency of Bali: Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. These islands are separated from Bali by the Badung Strait.
To the east, the Lombok Strait separates Bali from Lombok and marks the biogeographical division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia. The transition is known as the Wallace Line, named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who first proposed a transition zone between these two major biomes. When sea levels dropped during the Pleistocene ice age, Bali was connected to Java and Sumatra and to the mainland of Asia and shared the Asian fauna, but the deep water of the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.
Ecology

The Bali Starling lives only on Bali. As few as six may exist in the wild as of 2001
Bali Island is situated on the border of the Wallace Line, where transition from the Asian wildlife and flora is made into the Pacific Islands biotope. Bali is virtually the southernmost island with specific Asian fauna and flora and with very few influences from the Pacific Islands like the Yellow-crested Cockatoo and other bird species occur. Bali has around 280 species of birds, including the critically endangered Bali Starling, one of the rarest birds in the world. Others are: Barn Swallow, Black-naped Oriole, Black Racket-tailed Treepie, Crested Serpent-eagle, Crested Treeswift, Dollarbird, Java Sparrow, Lesser Adjutant, Long-tailed Shrike, Milky Stork, Pacific Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sacred Kingfisher, Sea Eagle, Woodswallow, Savanna Nightjar, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Yellow-vented Bulbul, White Heron, Great Egret.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, Bali was home to some large animals such as the wild Banteng, Leopard and even the Bali tiger. The first still occurs in its domestic form, while leopards only in neighboring Java, but the Bali Tiger has completely disappeared, with last recorded one in 1937, when last known specimen was shot. Due to the relative small size of the island and clashes with humans, along with poaching and habitat reduction has driven this unique feline to extinction. It was the smallest and rarest of all tiger species and never caught on film or displayed in zoos, few skins and bones remain in museums around the world as a testimony of its undisputed existence. Today, the largest animals remain the Javan Rusa deer and the Wild Boar. The water monitor can grow to an impressive size and move surprisingly quickly. Two species of deer occur in the island the smaller Muntjak and the larger Javan Rusa deer.

The Bali Tiger was declared extinct in 1937 due to hunting and habitat loss.
Snakes are represented by green snakes and occasional king and pythons occurring around areas where mice and rats are present. Squirrels are quite commonly encountered, more rare the Asian Palm Civet grown also in coffee farms to produce the expensive and controversial Kopi Luwak. Chiropteras are well represented, perhaps the most famous place to encounter them remains the Goa Lawah (Temple of the Bats) where they are worshipped by the locals and also constitute a tourist attraction, and other cave temples like Gangga Beach ones. Two species of primates occur in the island: the Crab-eating Macaque, known locally as “kera” quite common around human settlements or temples, where they became accustomed to people feeding them, particularly in any of the three so called “monkey forest” temples, with the most popular one in Ubud area. They are also quite often being kept as pets by locals. The second primate, far more rare and elusive is the Silver Leaf Monkey known locally as “lutung”. They occur virtually only in Bali Barat National Park, though in decent numbers. Other, rarer mammals include the Leopard Cat, Sunda Pangolin and Black Giant Squirrel.
The rich coral reef around the coast Bali particularly around popular diving spots like Tulamben, Amed, Menjangan or neighboring Nusa Penida host a large amount of marine life, like Hawksbill Turtle, Giant Sunfish, Giant Manta Ray, Giant Moray Eel, Bumphead Parrotfish, Hammerhead Sharks, Reef Sharks, Barracudas, Sea Snakes and so on. Dolphins are commonly encountered on the north coast near Singaraja and Lovina.
Plant life is also fairly diverse and rich giving its excellent climate fairly hot and humid. Due to human influence many plants have been introduced by humans within the last centuries, particularly since 20th century, making it sometimes hard to distinguish what plants are really native. From the larger trees most common are: Banyan trees, Jackfruit, coconuts, bamboo species, acacia trees and also endless rows of coconuts and banana species. Numerous flowers can be seen: Hibiscus, frangipani, bougainvillea, poinsettia, oleander, jasmine, water lily, roses, begonias, orchids and hydrangeas exist. On higher grounds that receive more moisture, like around Kintamani, certain species of fern trees, mushrooms and even pine trees thrive well. Rice comes in many varieties. Other plants with agricultural value include: salak, mangosteen, corn, Kintamani orange, coffee and water spinach.
Administrative divisions

Provincial Balinese flag
The province is divided into 8 regencies (kabupaten) and 1 city (kota). Unless otherwise stated, the regency's capital
Badung, capital Mengwi
Bangli
Buleleng, capital Singaraja
Denpasar (city)
Gianyar
Jembrana, capital Negara
Karangasem, capital Amlapura
Klungkung
Tabanan
Economy

Rice terraces near Ubud; until the late-twentieth century tourist boom, agriculture dominated Bali's economy
Three decades ago, the Balinese economy was largely agriculture-based in terms of both output and employment. Tourism is now the largest single industry; and as a result, Bali is one of Indonesia’s wealthiest regions. About 80% of Bali's economy depends on tourism.[13] The economy, however, suffered significantly as a result of the terrorist bombings of 2002 and 2005. The industry is slowly recovering once again.
Although tourism produces the economy’s largest output, agriculture is still the island’s biggest employer [13][14][citation needed], most notably rice cultivation. Crops grown in smaller amounts include fruit, vegetables, Coffea arabica and other cash and subsistence crops.[citation needed] Fishing also provides a significant number of jobs. Bali is also famous for its artisans who produce a vast array of handicrafts, including batik and ikat cloth and clothing, wooden carvings, stone carvings, painted art and silverware. Notably, individual villages typically adopt a single product, such as wind chimes or wooden furniture.
The Arabica coffee production region is the highland region of Kintamani near Mount Batur. Generally, Balinese coffee is processed using the wet method. This results in a sweet, soft coffee with good consistency. Typical flavors include lemon and other citrus notes.[15] Many coffee farmers in Kintamani are members of a traditional farming system called Subak Abian, which is based on the Hindu philosophy of "Tri Hita Karana”. According to this philosophy, the three causes of happiness are good relations with God, other people and the environment. The Subak Abian system is ideally suited to the production of fair trade and organic coffee production. Arabica coffee from Kintamani is the first product in Indonesia to request a Geographical Indication.[16]
Although significant tourism exists in the north, centre and east of the island, the tourist industry is overwhelmingly focused in the south. The main tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and its outer suburbs (which were once independent townships) of Legian and Seminyak; the east coast town of Sanur(once the only tourist hub); to the south of the airport is Jimbaran; in the center of the island Ubud; and the newer development of Nusa Dua.
Another increasingly important source of income for Bali is what is called "Congress Tourism" from the frequent international conferences held on the island, especially after the terrorist bombings of 2002; ostensibly to resurrect Bali's damaged tourism industry as well as its tarnished image.
Bali's tourism economy has now recovered from the horrible terrorism incidents. 2008 saw a record number of foreign visitors, just under 2 million. At any one time, 20,000 Australians are expected to be on the island.[17] The American government lifted its travel warnings that year. As of 2009 the Australian government still rates it a 4 danger level (the same as several countries in central Africa) on a scale of 5.
An offshoot of tourism is the growing real estate industry in Bali. Bali real estate has been rapidly developing in the main tourist districts of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and Oberoi. Most recently, high end 5 star projects are under development on the Bukit peninsula on the south side of the island. Million dollar villas are springing up along the cliff sides of south Bali, commanding panoramic ocean views. Foreign and domestic (many Jakarta individuals and companies are fairly active) investment into other areas of the island also continues to grow. Land prices, despite the worldwide economic crisis have remained stable.
In the last half of 2008, Indonesia's currency had dropped approximately 30% against the US dollar, providing many overseas visitors value for their currencies. Visitor arrivals for 2009 are forecast to drop 8% (which would be higher than 2007 levels).
Bali's tourism brand is Bali Shanti Shanti Shanti.[18] Where Shanti derived from Sanskrit "Shanti" (शान्‍ति) meaning peace.
Transportation
Airports: The Ngurah Rai International Airport is located near Jimbaran, on the isthmus joining the southernmost part of the island to the main part of the island. Lt.Col. Wisnu Airfield is found in north-west Bali.
A coastal road surrounds the island, and three major two-lane arteries cross the central mountains at passes reaching to 1,750m in height (at Penelokan). The Ngurah Rai Bypass is a four-lane expressway that partly encircles Denpasar and enables cars to travel quickly in the heavily populated south. Bali has no railway lines.
Demographics
The population of Bali is 3,151,000 (as of 2005). There are an estimated 30,000 expatriates living in Bali.[19]
Religion

Acintya is the Supreme God in Balinese Hinduism.

The Mother Temple of Besakih one of Bali's most significant Hindu temples.

Cremation procession
Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, about 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. Minority religions include Islam (4.79%), Christianity (1.38%), and Buddhism (0.64%). These figures do not include immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.
When Islam triumphed over Hinduism in Java (16th century), Bali became a refuge for many Hindus. Balinese Hinduism is an amalgam in which gods and demigods are worshipped together with Buddhist heroes, the spirits of ancestors, indigenous agricultural deities and sacred places. Religion as it is practiced in Bali is a composite belief system that embraces not only theology, philosophy, and mythology, but ancestor worship, animism and magic. It pervades nearly every aspect of traditional life. Caste is observed, though less strictly than in India. With an estimated 20,000 temples and shrines, Bali is known as the "Island of the Gods".[20]
Balinese Hinduism has roots in Indian Hinduism and in Buddhism, and adopted the animistic traditions of the indigenous people. This influence strengthened the belief that the gods and goddesses are present in all things. Every element of nature, therefore, possesses its own power, which reflects the power of the gods. A rock, tree, dagger, or woven cloth is a potential home for spirits whose energy can be directed for good or evil. Balinese Hinduism is deeply interwoven with art and ritual, and is less preoccupied with scripture, law, and belief than Islam in Indonesia. Ritualizing states of self-control are a notable feature of religious expression among the people, who for this reason have become famous for their graceful and decorous behavior.[21]
Apart from the majority of Balinese Hindus, there also exist Chinese immigrants whose traditions have melded with that of the locals. As a result, these Sino-Balinese not only embrace their original religion, which is a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, but also find a way to harmonise it with the local traditions. Hence, it is not uncommon to find local Sino-Balinese during the local temple's odalan. Moreover, Balinese Hindu priests are invited to perform rites alongside a Chinese priest in the event of the death of a Sino-Balinese.[22] Nevertheless, the Sino-Balinese claim to embrace Buddhism for administrative purposes, such as their Identity Cards.[23]
Language
Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages in Bali, and the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual or trilingual. There are several indigenous Balinese languages, but most Balinese can also use the most widely spoken option: modern common Balinese. The usage of different Balinese languages was traditionally determined by the Balinese caste system and by clan membership, but this tradition is diminishing.
English is a common third language (and the primary foreign language) of many Balinese, owing to the requirements of the tourism industry.
Culture
Main articles: Music of Bali and Balinese art

Ogoh-ogoh monster in Ubud
Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public shows.[24]
The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. But the day before that large, colourful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the year are specified by the Balinese pawukon calendrical system.
Celebrations are held for many occasions such as a tooth-filing (coming-of-age ritual), cremation or odalan (temple festival). One of the most important concepts that Balinese ceremonies have in common is that of désa kala patra, which refers to how ritual performances must be appropriate in both the specific and general social context.[25] Many of the ceremonial art forms such as wayang kulit and topeng are highly improvisatory, providing flexibility for the performer to adapt the performance to the current situation.[26] Many celebrations call for a loud, boisterous atmosphere with lots of activity and the resulting aesthetic, ramé, is distinctively Balinese. Oftentimes two or more gamelan ensembles will be performing well within earshot, and sometimes compete with each other in order to be heard. Likewise, the audience members talk amongst themselves, get up and walk around, or even cheer on the performance, which adds to the many layers of activity and the liveliness typical of ramé.[27]
Kaja and kelod are the Balinese equivalents of North and South, which refer to ones orientation between the island’s largest mountain Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod). In addition to spatial orientation, kaja and kelod have the connotation of good and evil; gods and ancestors are believed to live on the mountain whereas demons live in the sea. Buildings such as temples and residential homes are spatially oriented by having the most sacred spaces closest to the mountain and the unclean places nearest to the sea.[28]
Most temples have an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard which are arranged with the inner courtyard furthest kaja. These spaces serve as performance venues since most Balinese rituals are accompanied by any combination of music, dance and drama. The performances that take place in the inner courtyard are classified as wali, the most sacred rituals which are offerings exclusively for the gods, while the outer courtyard is where bebali ceremonies are held, which are intended for gods and people. Lastly, performances meant solely for the entertainment of humans take place outside the walls of the temple and are called bali-balihan. This three-tiered system of classification was standardized in 1971 by a committee of Balinese officials and artists in order to better protect the sanctity of the oldest and most sacred Balinese rituals from being performed for a paying audience.[29]
Tourism, Bali’s chief industry, has provided the island with a foreign audience that is eager to pay for entertainment, thus creating new performance opportunities and more demand for performers. The impact of tourism is controversial since before it became integrated into the economy, the Balinese performing arts did not exist as a capitalist venture, and were not performed for entertainment outside of their respective ritual context. Since the 1930’s sacred rituals such as the barong dance have been performed both in their original contexts, as well as exclusively for paying tourists. This has led to new versions of many of these performances which have developed according to the preferences of foreign audiences; some villages have a barong mask specifically for non-ritual performances as well as an older mask which is only used for sacred performances.[30]
The Balinese eat with their right hand, as the left is impure, a common belief throughout Indonesia. The Balinese do not hand or receive things with their left hand and would not wave at anyone with their left hand.

Lesser Sunda Islands

2010-04-18T11:59:00.001-07:00

1.3 Lesser Sunda Islands

Lesser Sunda Islands
Geography

Location South East Asia

Coordinates 9°00′S 120°00′E9°S 120°E

Archipelago Sunda Islands

Country
Indonesia
Provinces Bali,
West Nusa Tenggara,
East Nusa Tenggara

East Timor

Map of Lesser Sunda Islands

Satellite picture of the Lesser Sunda Islands
The Nusa Tenggara (lit. Southeast Islands), or Lesser Sunda Islands, are a group of islands in the middle-south part of Maritime Southeast Asia. Together with the Greater Sunda Islands to the west they make up the Sunda Islands. The islands are part of a volcanic arc, the Sunda Arc, formed by subduction along the Java Trench.
Contents
1 Partial list
2 Administration
3 Geology
4 Ecology
5 References
6 Notes
7 See also
8 External links

Partial list
Adonara
Alor
Bali
Flores
Komodo
Lombok
Nusa Ceningan
Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Penida
Palu'e
Pantar
Rote
Solor
Sangeang
Savu
Sumba
Sumbawa
Timor

Administration
They are split into the independent state of East Timor (Timor-Leste) and the Indonesian provinces of Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Barat) and East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur).
Geology
The Lesser Sunda Islands consist of two geologically distinct archipelagos.[1] The northern archipelago, which includies Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores and Wetar, is volcanic in origin. It began to be formed during the Pliocene, about 15 million years ago, as a result of the collision between the Australian and the Asian plates.[1] The islands of the southern archipelago, including Sumba, Timor and Babar, are non-volcanic and appear to belong to the Australian plate.[2] The geology and ecology of the northern archipelago share a similar history, characteristics and processes with the southern Maluku Islands, which continue the same island arc to the east.
There is a long history of geological study of these regions since Indonesian colonial times; however, the geological formation and progression is not fully understood, and theories of the geological evolution of the islands changed extensively during the last decades of the 20th century.[3]
Lying at the collision of two tectonic plates, the Lesser Sunda Islands comprise some of the most geologically complex and active regions in the world.[3] Biodiversity and distribution is affected by various tectonic activities. The islands of the northern archipelago are geologically young being from 1 to 15 million years old, and have never been attached to a larger land mass. Only Bali was part of the Ice Age continent of Sundaland, separated by the Lombok Strait from a 400-mile-long island including present-day Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores, Solor, Adonara, and Lembata. Pantar and Alor formed a small island just to the east, while Sumba and Timor remained separate islands to the south.
Ecology
The Lesser Sunda Islands differ from the large islands of Java or Sumatra containing many small islands as well as deep oceanic trenches. Flora and fauna immigration between islands is restricted, leading to the evolution of a high rate of localized species.[3] The Wallace Line passes through the islands between Bali and Lombok, along the deep waters of the Lombok Strait which formed a water barrier even when lower sea levels linked the now-separated islands and landmasses on either side. Alfred Wallace's famous book, The Malay Archipelago was the first significant recording of this natural history, and remains one of the most important sources on Indonesian natural history.[4]
While many ecological problems affect both small islands and large landmasses, small islands suffer their particular problems and are highly exposed to external forces. Development pressures on small islands are increasing, although their effects are not always anticipated. Although Indonesia is richly endowed with natural resources, the resources of the small islands of Nusa Tenggara are limited and specialised; furthermore human resources in particular are limited.[5]
General observations[6] about small islands that can be applied to Nusa Tenggara include:[5]
a higher proportion of the landmass will be affected by volcanic activity, earthquakes, landslips, and cyclone damage;
Climates are more likely to be maritime influenced;
Catchment areas are smaller and degree of erosion higher;
A higher proportion of the landmass is made up of coastal areas;
A higher degree of environmental specialisation, including a higher proportion of endemic species in an overall depauperate community;
Societies may retain a strong sense of culture having developed in relative isolation;
Small island populations are more likely to be affected by economic migration.

Yogyakarta Special Region

2010-04-18T11:57:00.001-07:00

1.2.5 Yogyakarta Special Region

Special Region of Yogyakarta
Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta

Motto: Mangayu Hayuning Bawono (Javanese)
(The Vision to Perfect Society)

Capital
Yogyakarta (city)

Governor
Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X

Area
3,185.80 km2 (1,230 sq mi)
Population
3,121,000 (2003)
Density
979.7 /km2 (2,537 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Javanese (97%), Sundanese (1%) [1]

Religion
Islam (91.8%), Christianity (7.9%), Hinduism (0.2%), Buddhism (0.1%)

Languages
Indonesian (official), Javanese

Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.pemda-diy.go.id

The Special Region of Yogyakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, or DIY), is the smallest province of Indonesia (excluding Jakarta). It is located on the island of Java. Yogyakarta is the only province in Indonesia that is still governed by that area's precolonial monarchy; The Sultan of Yogyakarta serves as the elected governor of the province. In English it is pronounced /ˌdʒoʊɡdʒəˈkɑrtə/[citation needed] which derives from its Dutch spelling Jogjakarta. In Javanese (and Dutch) it is pronounced [joɡjaˈkartɔ]. It is also referred to more casually as Jogja.
The city of Yogyakarta is the capital of the province.
Contents
1 Geography
2 Administrative divisions
3 Yogyakarta city
4 History
4.1 2006 Earthquake
5 Transportation
6 Sister relationships
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links

Geography
Yogyakarta is located in south-central Java. It is surrounded by the province of Central Java (Jawa Tengah) and the Indian Ocean in the south.
The population of DIY in 2003 was approximately 3,000,000. The province of Yogyakarta has a total area of 3,185.80 km2. Yogyakarta has the second-smallest area of the provinces in Indonesia, after the Jakarta Capital Region. However it has, along with adjacent areas in Central Java, some of the highest population densities of Java.
Administrative divisions
Yogyakarta province is subdivided into four regencies (kabupaten) and one city (kota):
Bantul Regency (506.86 km2)
Gunung Kidul Regency (1,485.36 km2)
Kulon Progo Regency (586.27 km2)
Sleman Regency (574.82 km2)
Yogyakarta City (32.5 km2)
Yogyakarta city
Main article: Yogyakarta (city)
Located within the Yogyakarta province, Yogyakarta city is known as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows. It is also famous as a center for Indonesian higher education. At Yogyakarta's center is the kraton, or Sultan's palace. While the city sprawls in all directions from the kraton, the core of the modern city is to the north.
History

Sultan palace in Yogyakarta
The Yogyakarta Sultanate, formally the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, was formed in 1755 when the existing Sultanate of Mataram was divided by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in two under the Treaty of Giyanti. This treaty states that the Sultanate of Mataram was to be divided into the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat with Yogyakarta as the capital and Mangkubumi who became Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as its Sultan and the Sultanate of Surakarta Hadiningrat with Surakarta as the capital and Pakubuwono III who was the ruler of the Sultanate of Mataram as its Sultan. The Sultan Hamengkubuwono I spent the next 37 years building the new capital, with the Kraton as the centerpiece and the court at Surakarta as the blueprint model. By the time he died in 1792, his territory exceeded Surakarta's.
The ruler Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX (April 12, 1912 - 1988) held a degree from the Dutch Leiden University, and held for a time the largely ceremonial position of Vice-President of Indonesia, in recognition of his status, as well as Minister of Finance and Minister of Defense.
In support of Indonesia declaring independence from the Dutch and Japanese occupation, in September 5, 1945, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogya and Sri Paku Alam VIII in Yogya declared their sultanates to be part of the Republic of Indonesia. In return for this support, a law was passed in 1950 in which Yogyakarta was granted the status of province Daerah Istimewa (Special Region Province), with special status that recognizes the power of the Sultan in his own region's domestic affairs.
By this act, Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was appointed as governor for life. During the Indonesian National Revolution against the Dutch after World War II (1945-1950), the capital of the newly-declared Indonesian republic was temporarily moved to Yogyakarta when the Dutch reoccupied Jakarta from January 1946 until August 1950.
The current ruler of Yogyakarta is his son, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who holds a law degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Upon the elder sultan's death, the position of governor, according to the agreement with Indonesia, was to pass to his heir. However, the central government at that time insisted on an election. In 1998, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X was elected as governor by the provincial house of representatives (DPRD) of Yogyakarta, defying the will of the central government. "I may be a sultan," he has been quoted in Asia Week as saying, "but is it not possible for me to also be a democrat?"[2]
See also List of Governors of Yogyakarta See also Yogyakarta Sultanate
2006 Earthquake
Main article: May 2006 Java earthquake
The province of Yogyakarta bore the brunt of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake on 27 May 2006 which killed 5,782 people and left some 36,299 persons injured. More than 135,000 houses are damaged, and 600,000 people are homeless [3]. The earthquake extensively damaged the local region of Bantul, and its surrounding hinterland. The most significant number of deaths occurred in this region.
The coincidence of the recent eruption of Mount Merapi, and the earthquake would not be lost on the older and more superstitious Javanese - as such natural phenonomena are given considerable import within their understanding of the spiritual aspect of such events.
Transportation
Yogyakarta is served by Adisucipto International Airport. There are two train stations: Lempuyangan and Tugu. To the south, in the Bantul region, is the Giwangan bus station, the largest bus station in Indonesia.
Yogyakarta city surrounded by a ring highway named Ring Road.
Sister relationships
Yogyakarta has signed a sister relationship agreement with city/state:
Kyoto Japan,[4]
California, United States of America.[5]

1.2.6 East Java

East Java
Jawa Timur

Motto: Jer Basuki Mawa Béya ( Javanese)
(To proggress/prosper took some effort/cost)

Capital
Surabaya

Governor
Soekarwo

Area
47,922 km2 (18,503 sq mi)
Population
34,766,000 (2000)
Density
725.5 /km2 (1,879 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Javanese (79%), Madurese (18%), Osing (1%), Chinese (1%)[1]

Religion
Islam (96.3%), Christianity (2.6%), Hinduism (0.6%), Buddhism (0.4%), Kejawen also practised
Languages
Javanese, Madurese, Indonesian

Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.jatim.go.id

East Java (Indonesian: Jawa Timur, Javanese: Jawa Wétan) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and also includes neighboring Madura and islands to the east of it, as well as the Bawean islands. The administrative center of the province is located in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia and a major industrial center and port.
Contents
1 Population
2 Religion
3 Administrative areas
4 History
5 Natural resources
6 Education
7 Media
8 National parks
9 Culinary
10 References
11 External links

Population
According to the 2000 census, East Java has 34 million inhabitants, second only to West Java among Indonesian provinces. The inhabitants consist of mostly Javanese. Native minorities include migrants from nearby Madura, and distinct Javanese ethnicities such as the Tengger people in Bromo, the Samin and the Osing people in Banyuwangi. East Java also hosts a significant population of other ethnic groups, such as Chinese, Indians, and Arabs. In addition to the national language, Indonesian, they also speak Javanese. Javanese spoken in the western part of East Java is a recognizably similar dialect to the one spoken in nearby Central Java, with its hierarchy of high, medium, and low registers. But in the eastern cities of Surabaya, Malang, and surrounding areas, the people speak a more egalitarian version of Javanese, with much less regard for hierarchy and a richer vocabulary for vulgarity.
In addition to that, Madurese is spoken by around 15 millions of Madurese, concentrated in Madura Island, Kangean Islands, Masalembu Islands, Eastern part of East Java, and East Java main cities.
Religion
The main religion used to be Hinduism and Buddhism. With the arrival of Islam, Hinduism was gradually pushed out in the 14th and 15th century. The last nobles and remainders of the fallen empire of Majapahit fled from this point to Bali. This comes from earlier history, when Islam spread from northern cities in Java where many traders from Gujarat, India visited, bringing Islam. The eastern part of East Java, from Surabaya to Pasuruan, then following various cities along the coast line, and turning back in Banyuwangi to Jember, is well known as the "horseshoe area" in context with earlier Muslim communities living there.
Nevertheless, pockets of Hinduism have survived and abangan, the syncretic religion of Islam, Hinduism and Animism, remains strong. See Hinduism in Java for more information.
Administrative areas
See also: Subdivisions of Indonesia
East Java is administratively divided into 29 regencies (or kabupaten) and 9 cities (or kotamadya).
Regencies (seat):
Java and Bawean island.
Banyuwangi
Blitar
Bojonegoro
Bondowoso
Gresik
Jember
Jombang
Kediri
Lamongan
Lumajang
Madiun
Magetan
Malang
Mojokerto
Nganjuk
Ngawi
Pacitan
Pasuruan
Ponorogo
Probolinggo
Sidoarjo
Situbondo
Trenggalek
Tuban
Tulungagung
Madura and Kangean Islands
Bangkalan Regency (Bangkalan)
Pamekasan
Sampang
Sumenep
Cities:
Batu
Blitar
Kediri
Madiun
Malang
Mojokerto
Pasuruan
Probolinggo
Surabaya
History
East Java's history dates back to the famous ancient kingdoms of Kediri and Singhasari, which is now a city near Malang. The Majapahit empire, centered at Trowulan, Mojokerto East Java, is celebrated by Indonesians as the golden age of the archipelago. The Eastern Java region was part of the Mataram kingdom during its peak.

Farming in East Java in the foothills near Mount Bromo.
Natural resources
Chalk (Trenggalek & Gresik the city is also famous of its cement industries)
Marble (Tulungagung)
Oil (Cepu)
Salt (Madura Island)
Education

Botok Tawon, a traditional dish from East Java cooked in coconut milk
East Java hosts some of the famous universities in Indonesia, both owned by government and private. Three major cities for universities, because they have government's universities, are Surabaya, Malang, and Jember. Among them, Airlangga University and Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember are the most famous, and both are located in Surabaya. See: List of universities in East Java
Another important form of education that is available in most cities in East Java is the pesantren. This kind of education is built and organized by Islamic clerics, and associated with local or national Muslim organizations. Jombang is a famous city for its pesantren.
Media
East Java supports several regional media outlets. Local newspapers with provincial news reach their readers earlier than their competitors from Jakarta. In the spirit of "providing more news from around readers", most newspapers even issue municipal sections which are different among their distribution areas.
Jawa Pos Group, one of the major newspaper groups in Indonesia, is based in Surabaya.
Surya, is a newspaper based in Surabaya. Surya is now controlled by Kompas, one of the major newspaper groups in Indonesia
National parks
Meru Betiri National Park - Between Jember and Banyuwangi districts, this park covers 580 km2 (224 sq mi). Hard to get to, it contains fantastic coastal rainforest and scenery and is home to abundant wildlife.
Alas Purwo National Park - This 434 km2 (168 sq mi) park is formed by the Blambangan Peninsula (south eastern Java). Comprising mangrove, savanna, lowland monsoon forests and excellent beaches, the park's name means First Forest in Javanese. Javanese legend says that the earth first emerged from the ocean here.
Baluran National Park - This 250 km2 (97 sq mi) national park is located in north east Java, once known as Indonesia's little piece of Africa, the parks formerly extensive savanna has been largely replaced by Acacia.
Mount Bromo and Tengger caldera, Semeru National Park, 7°56.355′S 112°57.170′E7.93925°S 112.95283°E(alt 2500 m); located in East Java at the region of Probolinggo and Pasuruan, 70 km (43 mi) from Surabaya the capital city of East Java province. Mount Bromo is one of the great hiking and trekking destinations for overseas tourists. The breathtaking view of Bromo also attracts hundreds of photo enthusiasts to see the views there.
Culinary

Rujak Cingur, traditional dish from East Java made from cow's lips and vegetable
Some famous culinary come from East Java are:
Nasi Pecel (from Madiun)
Semanggi
Lontong Kikil
Lontong Balap
Lontong Kupang
Lontong Mie
Rawon
Rujak Cingur
Soto Lamongan
Soto Daging Madura
Sate Ayam Madura
Culinary from East Java have more "salty" taste than Central Java.

Central Java

2010-04-18T11:55:00.001-07:00

1.2.4 Central Java

Central Java
Central Java
Jawa Tengah

Motto: Prasetya Ulah Sakti Bhakti Praja (Javanese)
(A vow of devotion with all might to the country)

Capital
Semarang

Governor
Bibit Waluyo

Area
32,548.2 km2 (12,567 sq mi)
Population
32,864,000 (2009)
Density
1,009.7 /km2 (2,615 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Javanese (98%), Sundanese (1%), Chinese, Arab[1]

Religion
Islam, Christian, Hindu, Buddhism and traditional Javanese beliefs

Languages
Indonesian, Javanese, Sundanese

Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.jawatengah.go.id

Central Java (Indonesian: Provinsi Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java. The province of Central Java is 32,548.20 km2 in area; approximately a quarter of the total land area of Java. Its population is 32,864,000 (As of 2009), making it the third most-populous province in Indonesia after West Java and East Java, and constituting a bit less than one quarter of the crowded island's population.
Central Java is also a cultural concept that includes the Special Area and city of Yogyakarta. However, administratively the city and surrounding region has been part of a separate special region since Indonesian independence.
Contents
1 Geography
2 Administrative division
3 History
4 Demographics
4.1 Religion
4.2 Ethnicity
4.3 Language
5 Culture
5.1 Mapping the Javanese cultures
5.2 Creative arts
5.2.1 Architecture
5.2.2 Batik
5.2.3 Dance
5.2.4 Theater
5.2.5 Music
5.2.6 Literature
5.3 Food
6 Politics
6.1 List of governors of Central Java after World War II
6.2 April 17-18, 2004 provincial elections
7 Transportation
8 Economy
8.1 Agriculture
9 Education
10 Tourism
11 Coat of arms and symbols
12 Notes and references
13 Further reading
14 See also
15 External links

Geography

Mount Merbabu near Salatiga - much of Central Java's countryside is dominated by rice fields and volcanic peaks
Located in the middle of the island of Java, the Central Java province is bordered by West Java and East Java provinces. A small portion of its south region is the Yogyakarta Special Region province, fully enclosed by the Central Java province. Yogyakarta is historically and culturally part of the Central Java region, although it is currently a separate political entity. To the north and the south, the Central Java province faces the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. Central Java also includes offshore islands such as Karimun Jawa Islands in the north, and Nusakambangan in the southwest.
The average temperature in Central Java is between 18–28 degrees celsius and the relative humidity varies between 73–94 percent.[2] While a high level of humidity exists in most low lying parts of the province, it drops significantly in the upper mountains.[2] The highest average annual rainfall of 3,990 mm with 195 rainy days was recorded in Salatiga.[2]
The geography of Central Java is regular with small strips of lowlands near the northern and southern coast with mountain ranges in the centre of the region. To the west lies an active stratovolcano Mount Slamet, then a bit further to the east is the Dieng Volcanic Complex on the Dieng Plateau. At southeast of the Dieng plateau lies the high plateau of Kedu Plain, bordered on the east side by the twin volcanoes of Mount Merapi (the most active volcanoes in Indonesia) and Mount Merbabu. At the south of Semarang, lies Mount Ungaran, and to the north-east of the city lies Mount Muria on the most northern tip of Java. To the east near the border with East Java lies Mount Lawu, where its eastern slopes are in the East Java province.
Due to active volcanics history and therefore volcanic ash, Central Java is a very fertile region for agriculture. Sight of extensive paddy fields is common, except in the southeastern — Gunung Kidul region — partly due to the high concentration of limestone and its location in a rain shadow from the prevailing weather.
Two major rivers run through Central Java; Serayu in the west, which empties in the Indian Ocean, and the Solo River (Javanese: Bengawan Solo), which flows to the East Java province.
Administrative division
Main article: List of Central Java regencies and cities
On the eve of the World War II in 1942, Central Java was subdivided into 7 residencies (Dutch residentie or plural residenties, Javanese karésiḍènan or karésidhènan) which correspond more or less with the main regions of this area. These residencies were Banjoemas, Kedoe, Pekalongan, Semarang, and Djapara-Rembang added with the so called Gouvernement Soerakarta and Gouvernement Jogjakarta. However after the local elections in 1957 the role of these regencies were reduced until they finally disappeared.[3]
Nowadays Central Java (excluding Yogyakarta) is divided in 29 regencies (kabupaten) and 6 cities (kota, previously kotamadya and kota pradja). A regency can also be called a rural district while an autonomous city is an urban district. Below are regencies and autonomous cities of Central Java:
Regencies: Banjarnegara, Banyumas, Batang, Blora, Boyolali, Brebes, Cilacap, Demak, Grobogan, Jepara, Karanganyar, Kebumen, Kendal, Klaten, Kudus, Magelang, Pati, Pekalongan, Pemalang, Purbalingga, Purworejo, Rembang, Semarang, Sragen, Sukoharjo, Tegal, Temanggung, Wonogiri, Wonosobo
Cities: Magelang, Pekalongan, Salatiga, Semarang, Surakarta, Tegal
These contemporary regencies and cities can further be subdivided into 565 sub-districts (kecamatan). Furthermore sub-districts are subdivided into 7,804 rural communes or "villages" (desa) and 764 urban communes (kelurahan).[2]
History
Java has been inhabited by humans or their ancestors (hominina) since prehistorical times. In Central Java and the adjacent territories in East Java remains known as "Java Man" were discovered in the 1890s by the Dutch anatomist and geologist Eugène Dubois. Java Man belongs to the species Homo erectus.[4] They are believed to be about 1.7 millions years old.[5]
Then about 40,000 years ago, Australoid peoples related to modern Australian Aboriginals and Melanesians colonised Central Java. They were assimilated or replaced by Mongoloid Austronesians by about 3000 BC, who brought with them technologies of pottery, outrigger canoes, the bow and arrow, and introduced domesticated pigs, fowls, and dogs. They also introduced cultivated rice and millet.[6]
Recorded history began in Central Java in the 7th century AD. The writing, as well as Hinduism and Buddhism, were brought to Central Java by Indians from South Asia. Central Java was a centre of power in Java back then.
In 664 AD, the Chinese monk Hui-neng visited the Javanese port city of Ho-ling, where he translated various Buddhist scriptures into Chinese with the assistance of the Javanese Buddhist monk Jñānabhadra.[7] It is not precisely known what is meant by the name Ho-ling. It used to be considered the Chinese transcription of Kalinga but it now most commonly thought of as a rendering of the name Areng. Ho-ling is believed to be located somewhere between Semarang and Jepara.[8]

The ninth-century Buddhist monument Borobudur built by the Sailendra near the 'nail of Java'.
The first dated inscription in Central Java is the Inscription of Canggal which is from 732 AD (or 654 Saka). This inscription which hailed from Kedu, is written in Sanskrit in Pallava script.[9] In this inscription it is written that a Shaivite king named Sri Sanjaya established a kingdom called Mataram. Under the reign of Sanjaya's dynasty several monuments such as the Prambanan temple complex were built.
In the meantime a competing dynasty arose, which adhered to Buddhism. This was the Sailendra dynasty, also from Kedu, which built the Borobudur temple.
After 820 there is no more mention of Ho-ling in Chinese records. This fact coincides with the overthrow of the Sailendras by the Sanjayas who restored Shaivism as the dominant religion. Then in the middle of the 10th century, for unknown reason, the centre of power moved to Eastern Java.[8]
A few centuries later, after the destruction of the great Hindu Majapahit Empire in the 15th - 16th centuries by the Central Javanese Muslim kingdom of Demak, the Javanese centre of power moved back to Central Java. In the meanwhile European traders began to frequent Central Javanese ports. The Dutch established a presence in the region through their East India Company.
After Demak itself collapsed, a new kingdom on the Kedu Plain emerged. This new kingdom, which was also a sultanate bore the old name of "Mataram". Under the reign of Sultan Agung, Mataram was able to conquer almost all of Java and beyond by the 17th century, but internal disputes and Dutch intrigues forced Mataram to cede more and more land to the Dutch. These cessions finally led to several partitions of Mataram. The first partition was after the 1755 Treaty of Giyanti. This treaty divided the old kingdom in two, the Sultanate of Surakarta and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. Then few years later Surakarta was divided again with the establishment of the Mangkunegaran after the Treaty of Salatiga (March 17, 1757).
During Napoleonic Wars in Europe, Central Java as part of the Netherlands East-Indies, a Dutch colony, was handed over to the British. In 1813, the Sultanate of Yogyakarta was also divided with the eastablishment of the Pakualamanan.

The shattered kingdom, Mataram in 1830, after the Java War.
After the British left, the Dutch came back as was decided by the Congress of Vienna. Between 1825 - 1830 the Java War ravaged Central Java. The result of the war was a consolidation of the Dutch power. The power and the territories of the divided kingdom of Mataram were greatly reduced.
However Dutch rule brought modernization to Central Java. In the 1900s the modern province of Central Java, the predecessor of the current one was created. It consisted of five regions or gewesten in Dutch. Surakarta and Yogyakarta were autonomous regions called Vorstenlanden (literally "princely states"). Then after the Indonesian independence the province of Central Java was formalized on August 15, 1950, excluding Yogyakarta but including Surakarta[2] Since then there have been no (major) changes in the administrative division of Central Java.
After the 30 September Movement's abortive coup of 1965, an anti-communist purge took place in Central Java, in which Communists and leftists (both actual and alleged) killed by the army and community vigilante groups. Others were interned in concentration camps, the most infamous of which was on the isle of Buru in the Moluccas (first used as a place of political exile by the Dutch). Many were executed years later but most were released in 1979[10]
In 1998, preluding the downfall of president Suharto, anti Chinese violence broke out in Surakarta (Solo) and surrounding areas. Much Chinese property and other buildings were burnt down. In 1999, public buildings in Surakarta were burnt again by supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri after the Indonesia parliament chose Abdurrahman Wahid instead of Soekarnoputri. They carried out 'sweeping actions' against Western foreigners who reside in this city after the September 11, 2001 attacks.[11]
The May 2006 Java earthquake in the south and Yogyakarta devastated many buildings and caused thousands of deaths and more than 37,000 injuries. Today, some areas are still under reconstruction.
Demographics
As of the 2005 census, Central Java's population stood at some 31,820,000. As of the 1990 census, the population was 28,516,786.[12] So the population has increased approximately 11.6% in 15 years.
The three biggest regencies in terms of population are: Brebes, Banyumas and Cilacap. Together these regencies make up approximately 16% of the Central Javanese population. Major urban population centers are greater Semarang, greater Surakarta and Brebes-Tegal-Slawi area.
Religion

A typical Javanese mosque with Meru-like roof (Masjid Sholihin in Surakarta)
See also: Religion in Indonesia
See also: Hinduism in Java
Officially, in 1990 the majority of the Central Javanese population or about 96%, was nominally Muslims. The second largest religion was Protestantism which was professed by 2% of the population.[13] The remainder of the population was either Catholic, Hindu or Buddhist.
Although the overwhelming majority of Javanese are Muslims, many of them also profess indigenous Javanese beliefs. Clifford Geertz, in his book about the religion of Java made a distinction between the so-called santri Javanese and abangan Javanese.[14] He considered santri Javanese as orthodox Muslims while abangan Javanese are nominal Muslims that devote more energy to indigenous traditions.
Dutch Protestants were active in missionary activities and were rather successful. The Dutch Catholic Jesuit missionary man, F.G.C. van Lith also achieved some success, especially in areas around the central-southern parts of Central Java and Yogyakarta in the beginning of the 20th century,[15] and he is buried at the Jesuit necropolis at Muntilan.
After the Overthrow of Sukarno in 1965, religious identification of citizens became compulsory. Therefore there has been a renaissance of Buddhism and Hinduism since then. As one has to choose a religion out of the five official religions in Indonesia; i.e. Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, the latter two became alternatives for people who didn't want to be Muslims or Christians.
Confucianism is also common amongst Chinese Indonesians. Since 2006 it is a recognised official religion.
Ethnicity
See also: Javanese people
The vast majority of the population in Central Java are ethnic Javanese, they constitute approximately 98% of the whole population.[1] In addition to the Javanese, small pockets of Sundanese communities are to be found near the border with West Java, especially in Brebes and Cilacap regencies. Sundanese toponyms are common in these regions such as Dayeuhluhur in Cilacap, Ciputih and Citimbang in Brebes and even Cilongok as far away in Banyumas.[16]
In urban centers, other minorities such as Chinese Indonesians and Arabs are common. The Chinese are even to be found in rural areas. The urban areas that are densely populated by Chinese Indonesian, are called pecinan, which means "China Town".
Language

Languages of Java
As the overwhelming majority of the population of Central Java are Javanese, the most dominant language is Javanese. There are several dialects which are spoken in Central Java, the two main dialects are western Javanese (also called Basa Ngapak which includes the "Banyumasan dialect" and the dialect of Brebes-Tegal-Pekalongan[17]) and central Javanese.
Sundanese is also spoken in some pockets near the border with West Java, especially in Brebes and Cilacap regencies. However, according to some sources, Sundanese used to be spoken as far away as in Dieng Plateau.[18] This former boundary of Sundanese coincides more or less with the isogloss dividing Central Javanese with Western Javanese.
In urban centers Indonesian is widely spoken.
Culture
See also: Javanese culture
Central Java is considered to be the heart of the Javanese culture. Home of the Javanese courts, Central Javanese culture formed what non-Javanese see as the "Javanese Culture" along with it stereotypes. The ideal conducts and morals of the courts (such as politeness, nobility and grace) influence the people tremendously. The people of Central Java are known as soft-spoken, very polite, extremely class-conscious, apathetic, down-to-earth, et cetera. These stereotypes formed what most non-Javanese see as "Javanese Culture", when in fact not all of the Javanese people behave that way. Moreover, most Javanese are far from the court culture.[19]
Mapping the Javanese cultures
The Javanese cultural area can be divided into three distinct main regions: Western Javanese, Central Javanese and Eastern Javanese culture or in their Javanese names as Ngapak, Kejawèn and Arèk.
The boundaries of these cultural regions coincide with the isoglosses of the Javanese dialects. Cultural areas west of Dieng Plateau and Pekalongan Regency are considered Ngapak whereas the boundary of the eastern cultural areas or Arèk lies in East Java. Consequently culturally, Central Java consists of two cultures, while the Central Javanese Culture proper is not entirely confined to Central Java.[19]
Creative arts
Architecture

Bank Indonesia (former Javaasche Bank) building in Surakarta
The architecture of Central Java is characterised by the juxtaposition of the old and the new and a wide variety of architectural styles, the legacy of many successive influences by the Indians, the Persians and the Arabs, the Chinese, and the Europeans. In particular, northern coastal cities such as Semarang, Tegal and Pekalongan can boast fine colonial European architecture. The European and Chinese influence can be seen in Semarang's temple of Sam Po Kong dedicated to Zheng He and the Domed Church built in 1753. The latter is the second oldest church in Java and the oldest in Central Java. Inland Surakarta, as a former capital, also has some fine European architecture.
Famous for its religious heritage, Central Java has some notable religious buildings. The Borobudur and the Prambanan temple complexes are among the largest Buddhist and Hindu structures in the world. In general, a characteristic Javanese mosque doesn't have a dome as its roof but a Meru-like roof instead, which is reminiscent of a Hindu or Buddhist temple. The tower of the famous Mosque of Kudus resembles a Hindu-Javanese or Balinese temple more than a traditional Middle-Eastern mosque.
Batik

Man’s ceremonial head cloth (Iket Kepala Prada Setangan, Destar), circa 1880, from Lasem, Rembang. Batik and applied gold leaf on machine-woven cotton.
Central Java is famous and well known for its exquisite batik, a generic wax-resist dyeing technique used on textile. There are different styles of batik motives. A centre of batik production is Pekalongan. Other centres are Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Batik in Pekalongan style which represent gaya pesisir (or coastal style) is different than the one in Surakarta and Yogyakarta, which represent batik from the heartland of Java (gaya kejawèn).[20]
Dance
You can even see the court influences in the art forms. The dances of the courts of Java are usually slow and graceful, with no excessive gestures. The people followed these kind of approach, and as a result, slow-paced and graceful movements can even be found in folk dances throughout Central Java (with some exceptions). You can enjoy the beauty of Central Javanese dances in “Kamajaya-Kamaratih” or “Karonsih”, usually performed in a traditional Javanese wedding.
Theater
Main article: Theater in Central Java

Wayang kulit or shadow puppets theater
There are several kinds of Central Javanese theater and performing arts. The most well known are is of course the Javanese wayang theater. There are several kinds of Central Javanese wayang, amongst others: wayang kulit, wayang klitik, wayang bèbèr, wayang golèk, and wayang wong. Wayang kulit are shadow puppets theater with leather puppets. The stories are loosely based on Mahabharata and Ramayana cycles. Wayang klitik are puppets theater with flat wooden puppets. The stories are based on Panji (king) stories. Panji was a native Javanese princes who set of in a 'journeys of desire'.[21] Wayang bèbèr is scroll theater, and it involves "performing" scenes of a story elaborately drawn and painted on rolled sheets. Wayang golèk consists of three dimensional wooden puppets. The narrative can be based on anything, but usually the stories are drawn from Islamic heroic narratives. Finally wayang wong is wayang theater involving live figures; actors who are performing a play. The narrative however must be based on Mahabharata or Ramayana.
In addition to wayang, there is another form of theater which is called ketoprak. Ketoprak is a staged play by actors accompanied with Javanese gamelan. The narrative is free but cannot be based on Mahabharata or Ramayana. Otherwise it will be some kind of wayang wong.
Music

Gamelan practice at Mangkunagara's palace in Surakarta
Central Javanese music is almost synonymous with gamelan. This is a musical ensemble typically featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums, and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings, and vocalists may also be included. The term refers more to the set of instruments than the players of those instruments. A gamelan as a set of instruments is a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together — instruments from different gamelan are not interchangeable. However, gamelan is not typically Central Javanese as it is also known somewhere else.
Contemporary Javanese pop music is called campursari. It is a fusion between gamelan and Western instruments, much like kroncong. Usually the lyrics are in Javanese, but not always. One notable singer is Didi Kempot, born in Sragen, north of Surakarta. Didi Kempot mostly sings in Javanese.
Literature

A sculpture of Rangga Warsita in front of Museum Radya Pustaka in Surakarta
Main article: Javanese literature
See also: Javanese poetry
It can be argued that Javanese literature started in Central Java. The oldest known literary work in the Javanese language is the Inscription of Sivagrha from Kedu Plain. This inscription which is from 856 AD, is written as a kakawin or Javanese poetry with Indian metres.[22] Then the oldest of narrative poems, Kakawin Ramayana, which tells the well-known story of Ramayana is believed to have come from Central Java. It can be safely assumed that this kakawin must have been written in Central Java in the 9th century.[23]
After the shift of Javanese power to East Java, it had been quiet from Central Java for several centuries, concerning Javanese literature until the 16th century. At this time the centre of power was shifted back to Central Java. The oldest work written in Modern Javanese language concerning Islam is the so-called "Book of Bonang" or also "The Admonitions of Seh Bari". This work is extant in just one manuscript, now kept in the University Library in Leiden, The Netherlands as codex Orientalis 1928. It is assumed that this manuscript originates from Tuban, in East Java and was taken to the Netherlands after 1598.[24] However this work is attributed to Sunan Bonang, one of the nine Javanese saints who spread Islam in Java (Wali Songo) and Sunan Bonang came from Bonang, a place in Demak Regency, Central Java. So it can be argued that this work also mark the beginning of Islamic literature in Central Java.
However the pinnacle of Central Javanese literature was created at the courts of the kings of Mataram in Kartasura and later in Surakarta and Yogyakarta, mostly attributed to the Yasadipura family. The most famous member of this family is Rangga Warsita who lived in the 19th century. He is the best known of all Javanese writers and also one of the most prolific. He is also known as bujangga panutup or "the last court poet".
After the Indonesian independence, the Javanese language as a medium was pushed to the background. Still one of the greatest contemporary Indonesian author, Pramoedya Ananta Toer was born in 1925 in Blora, Central Java. He was an Indonesian author of novels, short stories, essays, polemics, and histories of his homeland and its people. A well-regarded writer in the West, Pramoedya's outspoken and often politically charged writings faced censorship in his native land during the pre-reformation era. For opposing the policies of both founding president Soekarno, as well as those of its successor, the New Order regime of Soeharto, he faced extrajudicial punishment. During the many years in which he suffered imprisonment and house arrest, he became a cause célèbre for advocates of freedom of expression and human rights. In his works he writes much about life and social problems in Java.
Food

A Javanese yellow rice pyramid (tumpeng), usually eaten at special occasions.
Rice is the staple food of Central Java. In addition to rice, dried cassava known locally as gaplèk also serve as staple food. Javanese food tends to taste sweet. Cooked and stewed vegetables, usually in coconut milk (santen in Javanese) are popular. Raw vegetable which is popular in West Java is less popular in Central Java.
Saltwater fish, both fresh and dried is common, especially among coastal populations. Freshwater fish is not popular in Central Java, unlike in West Java, except perhaps for catfish known locally as lélé. Catfish is usually fried and served with chilli condiment (sambal) and raw vegetables.
Chicken, mutton and beef are common meat. Although the majority of Central Javanese are Muslims, pork is common, especially around Semarang and Surakarta. Dog meat, known by its euphemism daging jamu (literally "traditional medicine meat") is also occasionally eaten by certain parts of the population.
Tofu and tempe serve as common fish and meat replacement. Famous Central Javanese dishes include gudeg (sweet stew of jackfruit) and sayur lodeh (vegetables cooked in coconut milk).
Besides the aforementioned tofu, there is strong Chinese influence in many dishes. Some examples of Sino-Javanese food are noodles, bakso (meatballs), lumpia, soto (some kind of soup made with chicken or beef) et cetera. The widespread use of sweet soybeans sauce (kecap manis) in the Javanese cuisine can also be attributed to Chinese influence.
Politics
As a province Central Java is headed by a governor. The current governor Bibit Waluyo is in office since 2008.
List of governors of Central Java after World War II
1. 1945: Panji Suroso
2. 1945 – 1949: K.R.T. Mr. Wongsonegoro
3. 1949 – 1958: R. Boedijono
4. 1958 – 1960: R. M. T. Soekadji Mangoenkoesoema
5. 1960: R. M. Hadi Soebeno
6. 1960 – 1966: Mochtar
7. 1966 – 1974: Moenadi
8. 1974 – 1982: Soepardjo Rustam (Golkar)
9. 1982 – 1993: Muhammad Ismail (Golkar)
10. 1993 – 1998: Soewardi (Golkar)
11. 1998 - 2007: Mardiyanto (PDI-P)
12. 2007 - 2008: Ali Mufiz
13. 2008 - present : Bibit Waluyo (PDI-P)
April 17-18, 2004 provincial elections
On April 17-18, 2004, provincial elections were held in Central Java for the "Regional People's Representative Council" (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah). Out of the 24 contestants only 7 parties were able to reach the electoral threshold.[25]
There are exactly 100 seats in the regional parliament.[26] Out of these 100 representatives, 15 are women, 88 are Muslims while 12 are Christians (7 Catholics and 5 Protestants). There is no representative who professes either Hinduism or Buddhism.
Party Party List votes Vote percentage Total Seats Seat percentage
Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle (PDI-P)
5,262,749 29.83% 31 31%
Party of the Functional Groups (Golkar) 2,846,971 16.14% 17 17%
National Awakening Party (PKB) 2,595,263 14,17% 15 15%
United Development Party (PPP) 1,597,971 9.06% 10 10%
National Mandate Party (PAN)
1,336,477 7.75% 10 10%
Democratic Party (PD)
1,139,304 6.46% 10 10%
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)
858,283 4.84% 7 7%
All Others 2,007,315 11.37% 0 0%
Totals 17,644,333 100.0% 100 100.0%

Seats in the regional parliament
Transportation
Central Java is connected to the interprovincial national way on the northern coast (Jalur Pantai Utara or Jalur Pantura) which runs from Anyer in Banten to Banyuwangi, East Java on the opposite of Bali. Losari, the Central Javanese gate at the western border on the northern coast, could be reached from Jakarta in 4 hours drive. On the southern coast, there is also a national way which run from Kroya at the Sundanese-Javanese border, through Yogyakarta to Surakarta and then to Surabaya via Kertosono in East Java. There is furthermore a direct connection from Tegal to Purwokerto. In addition to that there is a toll road from Semarang to Ungaran which runs for 14 kilometer.
Central Java was the province that first introduced a railway line in Indonesia. The very first line began in 1873 between Semarang and Yogyakarta by a private company,[27] but this route is now no longer used. Today there are five lines in Central Java: the northern line which runs from Jakarta via Semarang to Surabaya. Then there is the southern line from Kroya through Yogyakarta and Surakarta to Surabaya. There is also a train service between Semarang and Surakarta and a service between Kroya and Cirebon. At last there is a route between Surakarta and Wonogiri. All of these lines are single track lines, except the line between Yogyakarta and Surakarta which is double track.
On the northern coast Central Java is served by 8 harbours. The main port is Tanjung Mas in Semarang, other harbours are located in Brebes, Tegal, Pekalongan, Batang, Jepara, Juwana and Rembang. The southern coast is mainly served by the port Tanjung Intan in Cilacap.[28]
Finally on mainland Central Java there is three commercial airports and one on Karimunjawa isles. The airports on the mainland are: Adisumarmo International Airport in Surakarta, Achmad Yani Airport in Semarang and Tunggul Wulung Airport in Cilacap. Karimunjawa is served by Dewadaru Airport.
Economy
Agriculture
Much of Central Java is a fertile agricultural region, and the primary food crop is wet rice. An elaborate irrigation network of canals, dams, aqueducts, and reservoirs has greatly contributed to Central Java's the rice-growing capacity over the centuries. In 2001, productivity of rice was 5022 kilograms/ha, mostly contributed by irrigated paddy field (± 98%). Klaten Regency had the highest productivity with 5525 kilograms/ha.[29]
Other crops, also mostly grown in lowland areas on small peasant landholdings, are corn (maize), cassava, peanuts (groundnuts), soybeans, and sweet potatoes. Terraced hillslopes and irrigated paddy fields are familiar features of the landscape. Kapok, sesame, vegetables, bananas, mangoes, durian fruits, citrus fruits, and vegetable oils are produced for local consumption. Tea, coffee, tobacco, rubber, sugarcane and kapok; and coconuts are exported. Several of these cash crops at a time are usually grown on large family estates. Livestock, especially water buffalo, is raised primarily for use as draft animals. Salted and dried fish are imported.[29][30]
Education
Central Java is home to such notable state universities, as Diponegoro University, Semarang State University, and Walisongo Islamic University (Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo) in Semarang; Sebelas Maret State University in Surakarta; and Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto.
The Military Academy (Akademi Militer) is located in Magelang Regency while the Police Academy (Akademi Kepolisian) is located in Semarang. Furthermore in Surakarta the Surakarta Institute of Indonesian Arts (ISI Surakarta) is located. In addition to these, Central Java has hundreds of other private higher educations, including religious institutions.
For foreign students requiring language training Salatiga has been a location for generations of students attending courses.
Tourism

Palace of the Sunan in Surakarta
There are several interesting places to be found in Central Java. Semarang itself has lots of old picturesque buildings: Puri Maerokoco and Indonesian Record Museum are located in this city.
Borobudur, which is one of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites of Indonesia is also located in this province, in the Magelang regency. Candi Mendut and Candi Pawon can also be found near the Borobudur temple complex.
Candi Prambanan at the border of Klaten regency and Yogyakarta is the biggest complex of Hindu temples. It is also a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage SIte. In the region around the Dieng Plateau, one could find several temples. These are built before the era of the ancient Mataram.
Two interesting palaces, the Palace of the Sunan (Keraton Kasunanan) and Pura Mangkunegaran, are located in Surakarta, which is considered one of the centers of Javanese culture. The Grojogan Sewu waterfall is located in Karanganyar Regency, which has a beautiful scenery. Several Majapahit temples and Sangiran museum are also located in Central Java.
Coat of arms and symbols

Coat of arms of Central Java
The motto of Central Java is Prasetya Ulah Sakti Bhakti Praja. This is a Javanese phrase meaning "A vow of devotion with all might to the country".
The coat of arms of Central Java depicts a legendary flask, Kundi Amerta or Cupu Manik, formed in a pentagon representing Pancasila. In the center of the emblem stands a sharp bamboo spike (representing the fight for independence, and it has 8 sections which represent Indonesia's month of Independence) with a golden five-pointed star (representing faith in God), superimposed on the black profile of a candi (temple) with seven stupas, while the middle stupa is the biggest. This candi is reminiscent of the Borobudur. Under the candi wavy outlines of waters are visible. Behind the candi two golden mountain tops are visible. This twin mountains represents the unity between the people and the government. The emblem shows a green sky above the candi. Above, the shield is adorned with a red and white ribbon, the colours of the Indonesian flag. Lining the left and right sides of the shield are respectively stalk of rice (17 of them, representing Indonesia's day of Independence) and cotton flowers (5 of them, each one is 4-petaled, representing Indonesia's year of Independence). At the bottom, the shield is adorned with a golden red ribbon. On the ribbon the name "Central Java" (Jawa Tengah) is inscribed in black.
The floral symbol of the province is the Michelia alba, while the provincial fauna is Oriolus chinensis.

West Java

2010-04-18T11:54:00.001-07:00

1.2.3 West Java

West Java
Jawa Barat

Motto: Gemah ripah repeh rapih (Sundanese)
(The prosper along with its peaceful and harmonic inhabitant)[1]

Capital
Bandung

Governor
Ahmad Heryawan

Area
34,816.96 km2 (13,443 sq mi)
Population
41,483,729 (2007)
Density
1,191.5 /km2 (3,086 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Sundanese (74%), Javanese (11%), Betawi (5%), Cirebonese (5%)[2]

Religion
Islam (96.5%), Protestant (1.2%), Roman Catholic (0.7%), Buddhism (0.2%), Hinduism (0.1%)
Languages
Indonesian (official), Sundanese (regional)
Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.jabar.go.id

West Java (Indonesian: Jawa Barat, Sundanese: Jawa Kulon), acronym jabar with population around 41.48[3] million (2007), is the most populous province of Indonesia, located on Java Island. It is slightly larger in area than densely populated Taiwan, but nearly double the population. Its capital city is Bandung.
Contents
1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics and language
4 Culture
4.1 Music
4.1.1 Gamelan Orchestra
4.1.2 Zither Ensembles
4.1.3 Bamboo Ensembles
4.2 Puppetry
4.3 Dance
4.4 Folktales and Legend Stories
4.5 Literature
5 Government
6 Natural resource
7 July 2006 earthquake
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links

History
The oldest human inhabitant archaeological findings in the region were unearthed in Anyer (the western coast of Java) with evidences of bronze and iron metallurgical culture dated back to the first millennium AD.[4] The prehistoric Buni (the present-day Bekasi) clay pottery were later developed with evidences found from Anyer to Cirebon. Some artifacts (dated from 400 BC — AD 100) such as food and drink containers were found mostly as burial gifts.[4] There is also archeological evidence in Batujaya Archaeological Site dating from the 2nd century, and according to Dr Tony Djubiantono, the head of Bandung Archeology Agency, Jiwa Temple in Batujaya, Karawang, West Java was also built around this time.
Recorded history of West Java administration was started from the fourth century with the existence of Tarumanagara kingdom. Seven inscribed stones written in Wengi letters (used in the Indian Pallava period) and in Sanskrit language describe most of the kings of Tarumanagara.[4] Records of Tarumanegara's administration lasted until the sixth century, which coincides with the attack of Srivijaya as stated in the Kota Kapur inscription (AD 686).
The Sunda kingdom then came into the ruling power of the region, the reference to which were found in the Kebon Kopi II inscription (AD 932).[4]
An ulema known today as Sunan Gunung Jati settled in Banten Girang, with the intention of spreading the world of Islam in this still pagan town. In the meantime, the Sultanate of Demak from central Java grew into an immediate threat to Sunda kingdom. To defend against the threat, Prabu Surawisesa Jayaperkosa signed a treaty (known as the Luso Sundanese Treaty) with the Portuguese in 1512. In return, the Portuguese was granted an accession to build fortresses and warehouses in the area, as well as trading agreement with the kingdom. This first international treaty of West Java with the Europeans was commemorated by the placement of the Padrao stone monument at the riverbank of the Ciliwung River in 1522.
Although the treaty with Portuguese had been established, it could not come to realization. Sunda Kalapa harbour fell under the alliance of the Sultanate of Demak and the Sultanate of Cirebon (former vassal state of Sunda kingdom) in 1524 after their troops under Paletehan alias Fadillah Khan had conquered the city. In 1524/1525, their troops under Sunan Gunung Jati also seized the port of Banten and established the Sultanate of Banten which was affiliating with the Sultanate of Demak. The war between the Sunda kingdom with Demak and Cirebon sultanates then continued for five years until a peace treaty were made in 1531 between King Surawisesa and Sunan Gunung Jati. From 1567 to 1579, under the last king Raja Mulya, alias Prabu Surya Kencana, Sunda kingdom declined essentially under the pressure from the Sultanate of Banten. After 1576, the kingdom could not maintain its capital at Pakuan Pajajaran (the present-day Bogor) and gradually the Sultanate of Banten took over the former Sunda kingdom's region. The Mataram Sultanate from central Java also seized the Priangan region, the southeastern part of the kingdom.
In the sixteenth century, the Dutch and the British trading companies established their trading ships in West Java after the falldown of Sultanate of Banten. For the next three hundred years, West Java fell under the Dutch East Indies' administration. West Java was officially declared as a province of Indonesia in 1950, referring to a statement from Staatblad number 378. On October 17, 2000, as part of nationwide political decentralization, Banten was separated from West Java and made into a new province.
Geography

View of the mount and the crater of Tangkuban Parahu, Bandung
West Java borders Jakarta and Banten province to the west, and Central Java to the east. To the north is Java Sea. To the south is the Indian Ocean. Unlike most other provinces in Indonesia which have their capitals in coastal area, the provincial capital Bandung is located in a mountainous area. Banten province was formerly part of West Java province, but was created a separate province in 2000.
The province's landscape is one of volcanic mountains, steep terrain, forest, Mountains Rivers, fertile agricultural land, and natural sea harbours.[5]
Demographics and language
According to the 2005 Socio-Economic Survey, West Java's population is 39,960,869, making it the most populous province in Indonesia. It has an area of 34,736 km2; aside from the province of Jakarta, it is the most densely populated province in the country with an average of 1,150 people per km2.
In addition to Indonesian, the official national language, the other widely-spoken language in the province is Sundanese. In some areas near the southern borders with Central Java, Javanese is also spoken. The main language spoken in Cirebon and nearby areas (Majalengka, Indramayu, Sumber) is Cirebonese, a dialect of Javanese.[6] Indonesian is widely spoken as a second language, except in some remote rural areas.
Culture
Sundanese share Java Island with other Malayan people: Javanese people. They primarily live in their home province of West Java. Although Sundanese live in the same island with Javanese, they consider themselves a distinct cultural area called Sunda. Someone moving from West Java Province to Central or East Java Provinces is literally said to be moving from Sunda to Java.
Music

Gamelan Degung Orchestra
Gamelan Orchestra
The musical arts of Sunda, which is an expression of the emotions of Sundanese culture, express politeness and grace of Sundanese. The music some of the most beautiful sounds in the world. Degung orchestra consists of Sundanese gamelan.
In addition to the Sundanese forms of Gamelan in Parahyangan, the region of Cirebon retains its own distinct musical traditions. Amongst Cirebons' varying Gamelan ensembles the two most frequently heard are Gamelan Pelog (a non-equidistant heptatonic tuning system) and Gamelan Prawa (a semi-equidistant pentatonic tuning system). Gamelan Pelog is traditionally reserved for Tayuban, Wayang Cepak, and for listening and dance music of the Kratons in Cirebon. Whereas Gamelan Prawa is traditionally reserved for Wayang Purwa.
Cirebon also retains specialized Gamelan ensembles including: Sekaten, which is played in the Kratons to mark important times in the Islamic calendar. Denggung, also a Kraton ensemble which is believed to have a number of "supernatural powers". And Renteng, an ensemble found in both Cirebon and Parahyangan that is known for its loud and energetic playing style.
Zither Ensembles
Tembang Sunda is a genre of Sundanese vocal music accompanied by a core ensemble of two kacapi (zither) and a suling (bamboo flute). Tembang means song or poem and Sunda is a geographical, historical, and cultural construct which signifies home for the Sundanese people of Indonesia. The music and poetry of tembang Sunda are closely associated with the Parahyangan (literally the abode of the gods), the highland plateau that transverses the central and southern parts of Sunda. The natural beauty of Priangan, a lush agricultural region surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, politeness and grace of Sundanese is reflected in many songs of the tembang Sunda.[7]
Kacapi suling is tembang Sunda minus vocal.
Tarawangsa is a genuine popular art is performed on ensemble consists of tarawangsa (a violin with an end pin) and the jentreng (a kind of seven-stringed zither). It is accompanied by a secret dance called Jentreng. The dance is a part of a ritual celebrating the goddess of paddy Dewi Sri. Its ceremonial significance is associated with a ritual of thanksgiving associated with the rice harvest. Tarawangsa can also be played for healing or even purely for entertainment.
Bamboo Ensembles
The three main types of Sundanese bamboo ensembles are angklung, calung, and arumba. The exact features of each ensemble vary according to context, related instruments, and relative popularity.

Angklung with eight pitches
Angklung is a generic term for sets of tuned, shaken bamboo rattles. Angklung consists of a frame upon which hang several different lengths of hollow bamboo. Angklungs are played like handbells, with each instrument played to a different note. Angklung rattles are played in interlocking patterns, usually with only one or two instruments played per person. The ensemble is used in Sundanese processions, sometimes with trance or acrobatics. Performed at life-cycle rituals and feasts (hajat), angklung is believed to maintain balance and harmony in the village. In its most modern incarnation, angklung is performed in schools as an aid to learning about music.
The Angklung got more international attention when Daeng Soetigna, from Bandung, West Java, expanded the angklung notations not only to play traditional pélog or sléndro scales, but also diatonic scale in 1938. Since then, angklung is often played together with other western music instruments in an orchestra. One of the first well-known performances of angklung in an orchestra was during the Bandung Conference in 1955.
Like those in angklung, the instruments of the calung ensemble are of bamboo, but each consists of several differently tuned tubes fixed onto a piece of bamboo; the player holds the instrument in his left hand and strikes it with a beater held in his right. The highest-pitched calung has the greatest number of tubes and the densest musical activity; the lowest-pitched, with two tubes, has the least. Calung is nearly always associated with earthy humor, and is played by men.
Arumba refers to a set of diatonically tuned bamboo xylophones, often played by women. It is frequently joined by modern instruments, including a drum set, electric guitar, bass, and keyboards.
Puppetry

Wayang Golek
Wayang golek is a traditional form of puppetry from Sunda. Unlike the better-known leather shadow puppets (wayang kulit) found in the rest of Java and Bali, wayang golek puppets are made from wood and are three-dimensional, rather than two. They use a banana palm in which the puppets stand, behind which one puppeteer (dalang) is accompanied by his gamelan orchestra with up to 20 musicians. The gamelan uses a five-note scale as opposed to the seven-note western scale. The musicians are guided by the drummer, who in turn is guided by signals from the puppet master dalang gives to change the mood or pace required. Wayang golek are used by the Sundanese to tell the epic play "Mahabarata" and various other morality type plays.
Dance

Tari Merak
Sundanese dance shows the influence of the many groups that have traded and settled in the area over the centuries, but remains uniquely distinctive, with its variation from graceful to dynamic syncopated drumming patterns, quick wrist flicks, sensual hip movements, and fast shoulder and torso isolations. Jaipongan is probably the most popular traditional social dance of Sundanese people. It can be performed in solo, in group, or in pair. The Tari Merak (Dance of the Peacock) is a female dance inspired by the movements of a peacock and its feathers blended with the classical movements of Sundanese dance. The Tari Merak symbolises the beauty of nature.
Folktales and Legend Stories
There are and folktales transcribed from Pantun Sunda stories).[8] Among the most well known folktale and stories are:
Mundinglaya Dikusumah, which tells of Mundinglaya visiting Jabaning Langit to find layang Salaka Domas. It is a symbolic story of Surawisesa visiting Malaka to establish a pace treaty with Portuguese before 1522.
Lutung Kasarung, tells the life of a beautiful princes, in the era of Pasir Batang kingdom, a vassal of Sunda kingdom. She faces the evil of her older sister willing to seize her right as a queen.[9]
Ciung Wanara, tells of the fight of two princes of Sunda kingdom and the history of Brebes river or Cipamali river as a boundary between Sunda and Java territories.
Sangkuriang, which tells the story of the creation of Mount Tangkuban Parahu and the ancient lake Bandung.[10]
Literature
Old Sundanese literature, among others, are:
Bujangga Manik, which was written on 29 palm leaves and kept in the Bodleian Library in Oxford since 1627, mentioning more than 450 names of places, regions, rivers and mountains situated on Java island, Bali island and Sumatra island.[11]
Carita Parahyangan, telling Sundanese kings and kingdoms from the pre-Islamic period.[11]
Siksakandang Karesian, providing the reader with all kinds of religious and moralistic rules, prescriptions and lessons.[11]
Government
West Java is subdivided into regencies (kabupaten), each with a local capital:
Bogor Regency, Cibinong
Sukabumi Regency, Pelabuhan Ratu
Cianjur Regency, Cianjur
Bandung Regency, Soreang
West Bandung Regency, Ngamprah
Garut Regency, Garut
Tasikmalaya Regency, Singaparna
Ciamis Regency, Ciamis
Kuningan Regency, Kuningan
Cirebon Regency, Sumber
Majalengka Regency, Majalengka
Sumedang Regency, Sumedang
Indramayu Regency, Indramayu
Subang Regency, Subang
Purwakarta Regency, Purwakarta
Karawang Regency, Karawang
Bekasi Regency, Cikarang
List of cities (kota) in West Java:
Bogor
Sukabumi
Bandung
Cirebon
Bekasi
Depok
Cimahi
Tasikmalaya
Banjar
Natural resource
Based on the data from Indonesia State Secretary, total rice field in West Java Province in 2006 was 9,488,623 km which produce 9,418,882 tons paddy in 2006, consisting of 9,103,800 tons rice field paddy and 315,082 tons farmland paddy. Palawija production, reached 2,044,674 tons with productivity 179.28 quintal per ha. Nevertheless, the widest plant’s width is for corn commodity which reaches 148,505 ha, West Java also produce horticulture consists of 2,938,624 tons vegetables, 3,193,744 tons fruits, and 159,871 tons medicines plants/ bio pharmacology.
Forest in West Java reaches 764,387.59 ha or 20.62% from total size of the province. It consists of productive forest 362,980.40 ha (9.79%), protected forest 228,727.11 ha (6.17%), and conservation forest 172,680 ha (4.63%). Mangrove forest reaches 40,129.89 ha, and spread in 10 regencies where coasts are available. Besides, there is also another protected forest of about 32,313.59 ha organized by Perum Perhutani Unit III West Java and Banten.
From the productive forest, in 2006 West Java harvested crop of about 200,675 m3 wood, although the need of wood in this province every year is about 4 million m3. Until 2006, populace forest’s width 214,892 ha with wood production is about 893,851.75 m3. West Java also produce non forest’s crop which is potential enough to be developed as forestry work, such as Sutera alat jamur, pine, gerah dammar, maleleuca, rattan, bamboo, and swallow bird’s net.
In fishery sector, the excellent commodities are goldfish, nila fish, milkfish, freshwater catfish, windu shrimp, green mussel, gouramy, patin, seaweed and vaname shrimp. In 2006, this province harvested 560,000 tons fish from fishery cultivation crop and brackish or 63.63% from fishery production total in West Java.
In poultry husbandry field, dairy cow, domestic poultry, and ducks are excellent commodity in West Java. 2006’s data stated now there are 96,796 dairy cows (25% national population), 4,249,670 sheep, 28,652,493 domestic poultries, and 5,596,882 ducks (16% of the national population). Now there are only 245,994 beef cattle in West Java (3% national population), whereas the need every year is about 300,000 beef cattle.
This province has many excellent objects in plantation fields, such as tea, clove, coconut, rubber, cacao, tobacco, coffee, sugar palm and akar wangi. From all those commodities, clove, coconut, rubber, cacao, tobacco, and coffee are of national excellent commodities from West Java. From area side, the best productivity, that is plan area’s width equals with plant’s width that produces tobacco and sugar palm commodities. From production side, the highest productivity is oil palm (6.5 tons per ha) and sugar palm (5.5 tons per ha).
West Java also produces excellent mine production. In 2006, it contributes 5,284 tons zeolite, 47,978 tons bentonite, iron sand, pozolan cement, feldspar, and jewel barn/ gemstone. Precious stone mining potential generally are found in Garut, Tasikmalaya, Kuningan, and Sukabumi Regency areas.
Raw natural resources include chalk, several offshore oilfields in the Java Sea, and lumber. Most of the province is very fertile, with a mix of small farms and larger plantations. There are several hydropower dams, including Jatiluhur, Saguling, and Cirata.
July 2006 earthquake
On 17 July 2006, the region was shocked by an earthquake that measured 7.7 on the Richter scale and that was followed by a small-scale tsunami.[12] The earthquake was followed by 2 big aftershocks which measured up to 5.9 and 6.1 on the Richter scale respectively.

Banten

2010-04-18T11:52:00.001-07:00

1.2.2 Banten

Banten

Motto: Iman Taqwa
(Faith and Piety)

Capital
Serang

Governor
Ratu Atut Chosiyah

Area
9,160.7 km2 (3,537 sq mi)
Population
9,782,800 (2009)
Density
1,067.9 /km2 (2,766 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups
Bantenese (47%), Sundanese (23%), Javanese (12%), Betawi (10%), Chinese (1%) [1]

Religion
Islam (96.6%), Protestant (1.2%), Catholic (1%), Buddhism (0.7%), Hindu (0.4%)

Languages
Indonesian, Javanese, Sundanese

Time zone
WIB (UTC+7)

Web site www.banten.go.id

Banten is a province of Indonesia, located at the western end of Java Island. Banten has an area of 9,160.7 km² and population of 9,782,900 (2009)[2] Banten was established in October 2000 after being separated from West Java province. The capital of the province is Serang.
Contents
1 History
2 Administrative division
3 Demographics
4 Language
5 Culture
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

History
Banten in the fifth century was part of the Tarumanagara kingdom. A stone inscription, called Prasasti Cidanghiang, dated from Tarumanagara era can be found at Lebak area at the bank of Cidanghiang River, in Pandeglang Regency, Banten. The Prasasti Cidanghiang, found in 1947, contains 2 lines of poetic sentences in Sanskrit written in Pallava characters. The inscription proclaims Purnawarman as the standard for rulers around the world.[3]
After Tarumanagara power declined, probably due to a series of invasions from Srivijaya kingdom, all Tarumanagara territory, including Banten, was controlled by Sunda kingdom. Banten was part of Sunda kingdom; based on travel records of Prince Bujangga Manik, a Hindu Sundanese monk who visited all of the holy Hindu sites in Java Island and Bali Island at the beginning of the sixteenth century AD. These manuscripts are saved in the Bodleian Library of Oxford University of England since the 16th century.[4]
In this era of Sunda kingdom, Banten became one of the important ports of the kingdom. Portuguese historical record indicate that Sunda kingdom included the city of Dayo Pakuan Pajajaran (currently Bogor city), the town and lands and port of Banten, the port of Pontang, the port of Cigede, the port of Tangaram (Tangerang), the port of Sunda Kalapa, and the port of Cimanuk.[5]
In 1524/1525, Sunan Gunung Jati from Cirebon Sultanate (former vassal Sunda kingdom) together with Demak Sultanate armies seized port of Banten from the control of Sunda kingdom, and established Banten Sultanate affiliating to Demak Sultanate.
During 1552-1570, Maulana Hasanudin ruled as the first Sultan of Banten.
Banten then become a part of West Java province in 1925 when Dutch Colonial established West Java province, the first province in Indonesia, referring to a statement from Staatblad number 378.
In the present day, the area of Sultanate of Banten is a province. The province was established on 17 October 2000 through the Law Number 23/2000, but the peak of celebration to the establishment happened on 4 October 2000 when tens of thousands of citizen of Banten came to the People's Representative Council (DPR) building at South Jakarta, at the same time as the plenary meeting of the parliament to authenticate the law of forming the Province of Banten. Therefore the society of Banten mutually agrees to set 4 October 2000 as day of the establishment of Banten Province.
Administrative division
Banten is subdivided into 4 regencies* (kabupaten):
Lebak (Rangkasbitung)*
Pandeglang (Pandeglang)*
Serang (Baros)*
Tangerang (Tigaraksa)*
and 4 cities** (kota):
Serang**
Cilegon**
Tangerang**
South Tangerang**
Demographics
As of the 2005, the population of Banten is estimated to be 9,308,944. As of the 1990 census, the population was 5,967,907 (increased approximately 55.986% in 15 years).[6] The two biggest regencies in terms of population are Tangerang, and Serang. Tangerang Regency is inhabited mostly by Sundanese meanwhile Serang Regency is inhabited mostly by Javanese. Together, these regencies make up approximately 55.76% of the Banten population. Major urban population centers are Serang, Cilegon, Tangerang and South Tangerang cities.
Banten consists of Bantenese, Sundanese and Javanese.[1] Sundanese toponyms are common in these regions which often begin with the morpheme ci-, which means "river" or "water".[7] In urban centers, other minorities such as Chinese Indonesians and Arabs are common.[6]
Language
The most dominant language is Sundanese.[8][9] The indigenous people living in Banten Province speak a Sundanese dialect derived from archaic Sundanese language. The dialect is classified as informal or harsh layer in modern Sundanese language, having different layers as Javanese language.[10]
However, in the towns of Serang and Cilegon, the Banten dialect of the Javanese language is also used by Javanese ethnic group.[9] And, in Northern part of Tangerang, Indonesian language with Betawi dialect is also used by Betawi immigrants. Besides Sundanese, Javanese and Betawi dialect, Indonesian language is also widely spoken especially by other ethnic immigrants from other parts of Indonesia especially in urban centers.
Culture
Golok is the traditional weapon in Banten and Kujang is used by Kanekes (Baduy) people of Banten.