Java is one out of the 13,000 islands that make up Indonesia. Java houses Indonesia’s capitol, Jakarta, and is the 13th largest island in the world.
Java is also the 5th most populated place in the world. Covering an area of 132,000 km (81,840 miles), Java has a population of about 114 million people.
Java is a part of the Sunda Island arc. Being almost completely a volcanic region, it contains 38 mountains which were active volcanoes at one time or the other. These volcanoes compounded together to form the island now known as Java. Out of these mountains 35 are actively volcanic. Eastern Java has the highest peak which is named Semeru which stands 3,670 meters (12,000 feet).
Northwest of Java is Sumatra and to the east is Bali. Northeast of Java is Borneo and to the South are the Christmas Islands. The Bengawan Solo River, the island’s longest river at approximately 600 km (372 miles), begins at Tawu Volcano and flows north and then eastward, ending at Java Sea close to Surabaya city. Java is divided into 3 parts West, East and Central Java.
West Java – Jakarta, capitol city of Indonesia. Other cities in West Java are Bandung, Bogor and Banten.
East Java – East Java has the cities of Surabaya, Biltar and Malang.
Central Java – Central Java has the cultural backbone of Java, the city of Surakarta. Other cities in central Java are Semarang and Yogakarta.
