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Central Java

Central Java
Jawa Tengah
Province of Central Java
Provinsi Jawa Tengah
Motto: 
Prasetya Ulah Sakti Bhakti Praja (Javanese)
ꦥꦿꦱꦼꦠꦾꦲꦸꦭꦃꦱꦏ꧀ꦠꦶꦧꦏ꧀ꦠꦶꦥꦿꦗ
"The Powerful Devotion for the Country"
   Central Java in    Indonesia
Map
Interactive map of Central Java
Coordinates: 7°30′S 110°00′E / 7.500°S 110.000°E / -7.500; 110.000
Country Indonesia
RegionJava (Western Indonesia)
Established19 August 1945[1]
Capital
and largest city
Semarang
Government
 • BodyCentral Java Provincial Government
 • GovernorAhmad Luthfi (Gerindra)
 • Vice GovernorTaj Yasin Maimoen
 • LegislatureCentral Java Regional House of Representatives (DPRD)
Area
 • Total
34,347.43 km2 (13,261.62 sq mi)
 • Rank25th in Indonesia
Highest elevation3,428 m (11,247 ft)
Population
 (mid 2025 estimate)[2]
 • Total
38,233,930
 • Density1,113.153/km2 (2,883.052/sq mi)
Demographics
 • Ethnic groups (2010)[3]97.9% Javanese
1.4% Sundanese
0.4% Chinese
0.3% other
 • Religion (2022)[4]97.30% Islam 0.14% Buddhism
0.04% Hinduism
0.02% Kejawèn
0.04% Confucainism
 • Languages and dialectsIndonesian (official)
Javanese (native)
Sundanese
Time zoneUTC+7 (Indonesia Western Time)
ISO 3166 codeID-JT
GDP (nominal)2024[5]
 - TotalRp 1,817.8 trillion (4th)
US$ 114.6 billion
Int$ 382.8 billion (PPP)
 - Per capitaRp 48.0 million (31st)
US$ 3,024
Int$ 10,104 (PPP)
 - GrowthDecrease 4.95%[6]
HDI (2024)Increase 0.739[7] (20th) – high
Websitejatengprov.go.id

Central Java (Indonesian: Jawa Tengah, Javanese: ꦗꦮꦶꦠꦺꦔꦃ, romanized: Jawi Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in the south, East Java in the east, and the Java Sea in the north. It has a total area of 34,347.43 km2, with a population of 36,516,035 at the 2020 Census[8] making it the third-most populous province in both Java and Indonesia after West Java and East Java. The official population estimate in mid-2025 was 38,233,930 (comprising 19,203,430 males and 19,030,500 females), still increasing at the rate of 330,000 per year.[2] The province also includes a number of offshore islands, including the island of Nusakambangan in the south (close to the border of West Java), and the Karimun Jawa Islands in the Java Sea.

Central Java is also a cultural concept that includes the Yogyakarta Special Region, in turn including the city of Yogyakarta; however, administratively that city and its surrounding regencies have formed a separate special region (equivalent to a province) since the country's independence, and is administered separately. Although known as the "heart" of Javanese culture, there are several other non-Javanese ethnic groups, such as the Sundanese on the border with West Java. Chinese Indonesians, Arab Indonesians, and Indian Indonesians are also scattered throughout the province.

The province has been inhabited by humans since the prehistoric-era. Remains of a Homo erectus, known as "Java Man", were found along the banks of the Bengawan Solo, and date back to 1.7 million years ago.[9] What is present-day Central Java was once under the control of several Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, Islamic sultanates, and the Dutch East Indies colonial government. Central Java was also the centre of the Indonesian independence movement. As the majority of modern-day Indonesians are of Javanese descent, both Central Java and East Java have a major impact on Indonesia's social, political, and economic life.

History

[edit]

Prehistoric era

[edit]
Fossil of the Java Man, found in Sangiran, Sragen Regency

Java has been inhabited by humans or their ancestors (hominina) since prehistoric 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. It belongs to the species Homo erectus,[10] and are believed to be about 1.7 million years old.[10] The Sangiran site is an important prehistoric site on Java.

Around 40,000 years ago, Australoid peoples related to modern Australian Aboriginals and Melanesians settled in Central Java. They were assimilated or replaced by Mongoloid Austronesians by about 3,000 BC, who brought technologies of pottery, outrigger canoes, the bow and arrow, and introduced domesticated pigs, fowls, and dogs. They also introduced cultivated rice and millet.[11]

Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic era

[edit]
A painting (c. 1916–1919) by G. B. Hooijer reconstructing the scene of Borobudur during its height

Recorded history began in what is now Central Java in the 7th century AD. The writing, as well as Hinduism and Buddhism, were brought by the Indians from South Asia, at the time of Central Java was a centre of power in Java. In 664 AD, the Chinese monk Hui-neng visited the Javanese port city he called Hēlíng (訶陵) or Ho-ling, where he translated various Buddhist scriptures into Chinese with the assistance of the Javanese Buddhist monk Jñānabhadra. It is not precisely known what is meant by the name Hēlíng. It used to be considered the Chinese transcription of Kalinga but it is now most commonly thought of as a rendering of the name Areng. Hēlíng is believed to be located somewhere between Semarang and Jepara.

The first dated inscription in Central Java was the Canggal from 732 AD. This inscription, from Kedu, is written in Sanskrit in Pallava script. 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. At the same time, a competing dynasty Sailendra arose, adhering to Buddhism and built the Borobudur temple. After 820 AD, there was no more mention of the Hēlíng in Chinese records. Coinciding with the overthrow of the Sailendras by the Sanjayas who restored Shaivism as the dominant religion. In the middle of the 10th century, however, the centre of power moved to eastern Java. Raden Wijaya founded the Majapahit Empire, and reaching its peak during the reign of Hayam Wuruk. The kingdom claimed sovereignty over the entire Indonesian archipelago, although direct control tended to be limited to Java, Bali and Madura. Gajah Mada was a military leader during this time, who led numerous territorial conquests. The kingdoms in Java had previously based their power on agriculture, but Majapahit had succeeded in seizing ports and shipping lanes, in a bid to become the first commercial empire on Java. The empire suffered a setback after the death of Hayam Wuruk and the entry of Islam into the archipelago.

In the late 16th century, Islam had surpassed Hinduism and Buddhism as the dominant religion in Java. The emergence of Islamic kingdoms in Java is also inseparable from the role of Walisongo. At first, the spread of Islam was quick and was accepted by ordinary people, until the entrance of da'wah and it was carried out by the rulers of the island. The Sultanate of Demak was the first recorded Islamic kingdom in Java, first led by one of the descendants of the Majapahit emperor Raden Patah, who converted to Islam. During this period, Islamic kingdoms began to develop from Pajang, Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Cirebon, and Banten. Another Islamic kingdom, the Sultanate of Mataram, grew into a dominant force in the central and eastern Java. The cities of Surabaya and Cirebon were subdued by Mataram. Only the Mataram and Banten Sultanates remained after the Dutch arrived in the early 17th century. Some Islamic kingdoms in Java can still be found in several regions, such as Surakarta (with two kingdoms of Kasunanan and Mangkunegaran), and Yogyakarta with the Yogyakarta Sultanate and Pakualaman.

Dutch colonial rule

[edit]
The shattered kingdom, Mataram in 1830, after the Java War.

By the late 16th century, European traders began to frequent central Javanese ports. The Dutch established a presence in the region through the East India Company. Following the fall of Demak to Mataram under the reign of Sultan Agung, Mataram was able to conquer almost all of Java by the 17th century, but internal disputes and Dutch intervention forced it to cede more land to the Dutch. These cessions led to several partitions of Mataram. The first was after the 1755 Treaty of Giyanti, which divided the kingdom in two, the Sultanates of Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Surakarta was divided again with the establishment of the Mangkunegaran following the 1757 Treaty of Salatiga.

During the Napoleonic Wars, Central Java as a Dutch colony was taken over by the British. In 1813, the Sultanate of Yogyakarta was divided with the establishment of the Pakualaman. Following the departure of the British, the Dutch returned as stipulated in the Congress of Vienna. The Java War between 1825 and 1830 ravaged Central Java, which resulted in a consolidation of the Dutch power. The power and the territories of the already divided Mataram were greatly reduced. After the war, the Netherlands enforced the Cultivation System which was linked to famines and epidemics in the 1840s, first in Cirebon and then Central Java, as cash crops such as indigo and sugar had to be grown instead of rice.

In the 1900s, the predecessor of the modern Central Java was created, named Gouvernement van Midden-Java. Before 1905, central Java consisted of 5 gewesten (regions) namely Semarang, Rembang, Kedu, Banyumas, and Pekalongan. Surakarta was still an independent vorstenland (autonomous region) which stood alone and consisted of two regions, Surakarta and Mangkunegaran, as well as Yogyakarta. Each gewest consisted of districts. At that time, the Rembang Gewest also included Regentschap Tubanand Regentschap Bojonegoro. After the enactment of the 1905 Decentralisatie Besluit (Decentralisation Decision), the governor was given autonomy and a regional Council was formed. In addition, autonomous gemeente (municipal) was formed, Pekalongan, Tegal, Semarang, Salatiga, and Magelang. In 1930, the province was designated as an autonomous region with a provinciale raad (provincial council). The province consists of several residenties (residencies), covering several regentschap (districts), divided into several kawedanan (districts). Central Java consisted of 5 residences: Pekalongan, Jepara-Rembang, Semarang, Banyumas, and Kedu.

Independence and contemporary era

[edit]

On 1 March 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army landed on Java, and the following week, the Dutch East Indies surrendered to Japan. During Japanese rule, Java and Madura were placed under the Japanese 16th Army. Many who lived in areas considered important to the war effort experienced torture, sex slavery, arbitrary arrest and execution, and other war crimes. Thousands of people were taken away as forced labourers (romusha) for Japanese military projects, including the Burma-Siam and Saketi-Bayah railways, and suffered or died as a result of ill-treatment and starvation. A later UN report stated that four million people died in Indonesia as a result of the Japanese occupation.[12] About 2.4 million people died in Java from famine during 1944–45.[13]

Aerial view of the city of Semarang, the capital of Central Java since the Dutch colonial era

Following the surrender of Japan, Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945. The final stages of warfare were initiated in October when, under the terms of their surrender, the Japanese tried to re-establish the authority they relinquished to the Indonesians in towns and cities. The fiercest fighting involving the Indonesian pemuda and the Japanese was in Semarang. Six days later, British forces began to occupy the city, after which retreating Indonesian Republican forces retaliated by killing between 130 and 300 Japanese prisoners. Five hundred Japanese and 2,000 Indonesians had been killed, and the Japanese had almost captured the city when British forces arrived.[14]

The province of Central Java was formed on 15 August 1950, excluding Yogyakarta but including Surakarta.[15] There has been no significant changes in the administrative division of the province ever since. In the aftermath of the 30 September Movement in 1965, an anti-communist purge took place in Central Java, in which the army and community vigilante groups killed Communists and leftists, both actual and alleged. Others were interned in concentration camps, the most infamous of which was on the isle of Buru in Maluku, first used as a place of political exile by the Dutch. Some were executed years later, but most were released in 1979[16] In 1998, near the downfall of Suharto, anti-Chinese violence broke out in Surakarta (Solo) and surrounding areas, in which Chinese property and other buildings were burnt down. The following year, public buildings in Surakarta were burnt by supporters of Megawati Sukarnoputri after Indonesia's parliament chose Abdurrahman Wahid instead of Megawati for the presidency.

The 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake in the south and Yogyakarta devastated many buildings and caused thousands of deaths and more than 37,000 injuries.

Geography

[edit]
Map of Central Java showing tree-cover loss years, with forest remaining since 2000 in green and loss years shaded yellow through purple.
Tree-cover loss year in Central Java, 2001-2024, from the Global Forest Change dataset.
Landscape of the Serayu River Valley, with Mount Slamet in the background
Mount Sindoro and Mount Sumbing viewed from the Dieng Pleteau

According to the slope level of land in Central Java, 38% of the land has a slope of 0–2%, 31% has a slope of 2–15%, 19% has a slope of 15–40%, and the remaining 12% has a slope of more than 40%.

The northern coastal region of Central Java has a narrow lowland. In the Brebes area, it is 40 km wide from the coast, while in Semarang, it is only 4 km wide. This plain continues with the depression of Semarang-Rembang in the east. Mount Muria at the end of the Ice Age (around 10,000 years BC) was a separate island from Java, which eventually fused because of alluvial deposits from flowing rivers.[17] The city of Demak during the era of the Demak Sultanate was on the edge of the sea and became a thriving port. This sedimentation process is still ongoing on the coast of Semarang.[18]

In the south of the area are the Northern Cretaceous Mountains and the Kendeng Mountains, which are limestone mountains stretching from the east of Semarang from the Southwest end of Pati then east to the Lamongan and Bojonegoro in East Java.

Beach in Karimunjawa Island, Jepara Regency

The main range of mountains in Central Java is the North and South Serayu Mountains. The North forms a mountain chain that connects the Bogor range in West Java with the Kendeng Mountains in the east. The width of this mountain range is around 30–50 km; on the western end there is Mount Slamet, which is the highest mountain in Central Java as well as the second-highest mountain in Java, and the eastern part is the Dieng Plateau with peaks of Mount Prahu and Mount Ungaran. Between the series of North and South Serayu Mountains are separated by the Serayu Depression which stretches from Majenang in the Cilacap Regency, Purwokerto, to Wonosobo. East of this depression is the Sindoro and Sumbing volcano, and the east again (Magelang and Temanggung areas) is a continuation of depression which limits Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu.

The Southern Serayu Mountains are part of the South Central Java Basin located in the southern part of the province. This mandala is a geoantiklin that extends from west to east along 100 kilometres and is divided into two parts separated by the Jatilawang valley, namely the western and eastern regions. The western part is formed by Mount Kabanaran (360 m) and can be described as having the same elevation as the Bandung Depression Zone in West Java or as a new structural element in Central Java. This section is separated from the Bogor Zone by the Majenang Depression.

The eastern part was built by the Ajibarang anticline (narrow anticline) which was cut by the Serayu River stream. In the east of Banyumas, the anticline developed into an anticlinorium with a width reaching 30 km in the Lukulo area (south of Banjarnegara-Midangan) or often called the Kebumen Tinggi. At the very eastern end of Mandala, the South Serayu Mountains are formed by the dome of the Kulonprogo Mountains (1022 m), which is located between Purworejo and the Progo River.

The area of the south coast of Central Java also has a narrow lowland, with a width of 10–25 km. In addition, there are South Gombong Karst Areas. Sloping hills stretch parallel to the coast, from Yogyakarta to Cilacap. East of Yogyakarta is a limestone mountain area that extends to the southern coast of East Java.

Hydrology

[edit]
Lake Rawa Pening in Semarang Regency

The rivers that empty into the Java Sea include the Bengawan Solo River, Kali Pemali, Kali Comal, and Kali Bodri, while the ones that empty into the Indian Ocean include Serayu River, Bogowonto River, Luk Ulo River and Progo River. Bengawan Solo is the longest river on the island of Java (572 km); has a spring in the Sewu Mountains (Wonogiri Regency), this river flows to the north, crosses the City of Surakarta, and finally goes to East Java and empties into the Gresik area (near Surabaya).

Among the main reservoirs (lakes) in Central Java are Gunung Rowo Lake (Pati Regency), Gajahmungkur Reservoir (Wonogiri Regency), Kedungombo Reservoir (Boyolali and Sragen Regency), Rawa Pening Lake (Semarang Regency), Cacaban Reservoir (Tegal Regency), Malahayu Reservoir (Brebes Regency), Wadaslintang Reservoir (border of Kebumen Regency and Wonosobo Regency), Gembong Reservoir (Pati Regency), Sempor Reservoir (Kebumen Regency) and Mrica Reservoir (Banjarnegara Regency).

Climate

[edit]

The average temperature in Central Java is between 18–28 °C (64–82 °F) and the relative humidity varies between 73% and 94%.[15] While the humidity is high in most low-lying parts of the province, it drops significantly in the upper mountains.[15] The highest average annual rainfall of 3,990 mm with 195 rainy days was recorded in Salatiga.[15]

Government and Administrative divisions

[edit]
Administrative map of Central Java, showing the boundaries and names of all regencies, cities and districts.

On the eve of the World War II in 1942, Central Java was subdivided into seven residencies (Dutch: residentie or plural residenties, Javanese karésiḍènan or karésidhènan) which corresponded more or less with the main regions of this area. These residencies were:

Residency Containing present-day
Regencies and Cities
Population
mid 2025[2]
Banjoemas Cilacap, Banyumas, Purbalingga and Banjarnegara 6,027,030
Kedoe Kebumen, Purworejo, Wonosobo, Magelang and Temanggung
plus City of Magelang
5,460,330
Gouvernement Jogjakarta Kulon Progo, Bantul, Gunungkidal and Slemen
plus City of Yogyakarta
3,781,550
Gouvernement Soerakarta Boyolali, Klaten, Sukoharjo, Wonogiri, Karanganyar and Sragen
plus City of Surakarta
6,927,120
Djapara-Rembang Grobogan, Blora, Rembang, Pati, Kudus and Jepara 6,621,590
Semarang Demak, Semarang and Kendal
plus Cities of Salatiga and Semarang
5,366,070
Pekalongan Batang, Pekalongan, Pemalang, Tegal and Brebes
plus Cities of Pekalongan and Tegal
7,831,780

The Southeastern (Solo) area (or Gouvernement Soerakarta) used to be the Surakarta Sunanate until the monarchy was unrecognized by the Indonesian government. However, after the local elections in 1957, the role of these residencies were reduced in significance until they finally disappeared.[19] The only major boundary change since the creation of the province took place on 14 June 1965, when a new Batang Regency was formed from the eastern half of Pekalongan Regency.

Today, Central Java (excluding Special Region of Yogyakarta, which is the former Gouvernement Jogjakarta) is divided into 29 regencies (kabupaten) and six cities (kota, previously kotamadya and kota pradja), the latter being independent of any regency. These contemporary regencies and cities can further be subdivided into 565 districts (kecamatan). These districts are further divided into 7,804 rural villages (desa) and 764 urban villages (kelurahan).[15]

Central Java regencies and cities

[edit]
Code Coat of arms Name Capital Area
(km2)[20]
Population
(mid 2025)[2]
Level 3 Level 4 Location map
#
33.
SNI English Bahasa Indonesia Javanese (Hanacaraka) Dis. UV RV
01 CLP pus Cilacap Regency Kabupaten Cilacap ꦕꦶꦭꦕꦥ꧀ Cilacap 2,325,17 2,046,390 24 15 269
02 PWT pus Banyumas Regency Kabupaten Banyumas ꦧꦚꦸꦩꦱ꧀ Purwokerto 1,391.15 1,865,270 27 30 301
03 PBG pus Purbalingga Regency Kabupaten Purbalingga ꦥꦸꦂꦧꦭꦶꦁꦒ Purbalingga 805.76 1,047,760 18 15 224
04 BNR pus Banjarnegara Regency Kabupaten Banjarnegara ꦧꦚ꧀ꦗꦂꦤꦼꦒꦫ Banjarnegara 1,144.90 1,067,610 20 12 266
05 KBM pus Kebumen Regency Kabupaten Kebumen ꦏꦼꦧꦸꦩꦺꦤ꧀ Kebumen 1,333.90 1,431,780 26 11 449
06 PWR pus Purworejo Regency Kabupaten Purworejo ꦥꦸꦂꦮꦉꦗ Purworejo 1,081.76 801,670 16 25 469
07 WSB pus Wonosobo Regency Kabupaten Wonosobo ꦮꦤꦱꦧ Wonosobo 1,011.62 931,140 15 29 236
08 MKD pus Magelang Regency Kabupaten Magelang ꦩꦒꦼꦭꦁ Mungkid 1,129.98 1,351,950 21 5 367
09 BYL pus Boyolali Regency Kabupaten Boyolali ꦧꦺꦴꦪꦭꦭꦶ Boyolali 1,096.61 1,109,330 22 6 261
10 KLN pus Klaten Regency Kabupaten Klaten ꦏ꧀ꦭꦛꦺꦤ꧀ Klaten 701.51 1,300,940 26 10 391
11 SKH pus Sukoharjo Regency Kabupaten Sukoharjo ꦱꦸꦏꦲꦂꦗ Sukoharjo 493.60 950,420 12 17 150
12 WNG pus Wonogiri Regency Kabupaten Wonogiri ꦮꦤꦒꦶꦫꦶ Wonogiri 1,905.82 1,057,050 25 43 251
13 KRG pus Karanganyar Regency Kabupaten Karanganyar ꦏꦫꦔꦚꦂ Karanganyar 802.85 968,480 17 15 162
14 SGN pus Sragen Regency Kabupaten Sragen ꦯꦿꦒꦺꦤ꧀ Sragen 994.57 1,011,820 20 12 196
15 PWD pus Grobogan Regency Kabupaten Grobogan ꦒꦿꦺꦴꦧꦺꦴꦒꦤ꧀ Purwodadi 2,023.85 1,519,380 19 7 273
16 BLA pus Blora Regency Kabupaten Blora ꦨ꧀ꦭꦺꦴꦫ Blora 1,957.29 914,170 16 24 271
17 RBG pus Rembang Regency Kabupaten Rembang ꦉꦩ꧀ꦧꦁ Rembang 1,038.32 670,100 14 7 287
18 PTI pus Pati Regency Kabupaten Pati ꦥꦛꦶ Pati 1,576.69 1,381,910 21 5 401
19 KDS pus Kudus Regency Kabupaten Kudus ꦏꦸꦢꦸꦱ꧀ Kudus 447.45 891,720 9 9 123
20 JPA pus Jepara Regency Kabupaten Jepara ꦗꦼꦥꦫ Jepara 1,020.12 1,244,310 16 11 184
21 DMK pus Demak Regency Kabupaten Demak ꦢꦼꦩꦏ꧀ Demak 970.08 1,265,050 14 6 243
22 UNR pus Semarang Regency Kabupaten Semarang ꦱꦼꦩꦫꦁ Ungaran 1,019.27 1,098,570 19 27 208
23 TMG pus Temanggung Regency Kabupaten Temanggung ꦠꦼꦩꦔ꧀ꦒꦸꦁ Temanggung 864.83 821,120 20 23 266
24 KDL pus Kendal Regency Kabupaten Kendal ꦏꦼꦟ꧀ꦝꦭ꧀ Kendal 1,006.17 1,076,480 20 20 266
25 BTG pus Batang Regency Kabupaten Batang ꦨꦠꦁ Batang 857.27 857,070 15 9 239
26 KJN pus Pekalongan Regency Kabupaten Pekalongan ꦥꦏꦭꦺꦴꦔꦤ꧀ Kajen 892.58 1,030,340 19 13 272
27 PML pus Pemalang Regency Kabupaten Pemalang ꦥꦼꦩꦭꦁ Pemalang 1,135.76 1,559,310 14 12 212
28 SLW pus Tegal Regency Kabupaten Tegal ꦠꦼꦒꦭ꧀ Slawi 983.71 1,694,240 18 6 281
29 BBS pus Brebes Regency Kabupaten Brebes ꦧꦽꦧꦼꦱ꧀ Brebes 1,754.77 2,087,330 17 5 292
71 MGG pus Magelang City Kota Magelang ꦩꦒꦼꦭꦁ N/a 18.56 122,670 3 17 N/a
72 SKT pus Surakarta City Kota Surakarta ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦡ N/a 46.80 529,080 5 51 N/a
73 SLT pus Salatiga City Kota Salatiga ꦯꦭꦠꦶꦒ