Jakarta's main challenges include rapid urban growth, ecological breakdown, air pollution, gridlocked traffic, congestion, and flooding due to subsidence (sea level rise is relative, not absolute). Jakarta is sinking up to 17 cm (6.7 inches) annually, which has made the city more prone to flooding and one of the fastest-sinking capitals in the world. In response to these challenges, in August 2019, President Joko Widodo announced plans to move the capital from Jakarta to the planned city of Nusantara, in the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The MPR approved the move on 18 January 2022. (Full article...)
The Ciliwung (often written as Ci Liwung as the "ci" prefix simply translates as "river"; also as Tjiliwoeng in Dutch, Sundanese: ᮎᮤᮜᮤᮝᮥᮀ) is a 119km long river in the northwestern region of Java where it flows through two provinces, West Java and the special region of Jakarta. The natural estuary of the Ciliwung, known as the Kali Besar ("Big River"), was an important strategic point for trade in the precolonial and colonial periods and was instrumental in the founding of the port city of Jakarta, but has been lost from a reorganization of the watercourse of the rivers around the area into canals. (Full article...)
22 June 1527 – Fatahillah, on behalf of the Demak attacked and conquered the Portuguese in Sunda Kelapa (in present-day North Jakarta), after which it was renamed Jayakarta.
Ismail Marzuki (also known as Bang Ma'ing; 11 May 1914 – 25 May 1958) was an Indonesian composer, songwriter and musician who wrote around 202 to 240 songs between 1931 and 1958, including numerous popular patriotic songs. Among his best-known works are "Halo, Halo Bandung", "Gugur Bunga", and "Rayuan Pulau Kelapa". In 1968, he was honoured with the creation of the well-known Taman Ismail Marzuki (the Ismail Marzuki Park, often called TIM) which is a cultural centre in Menteng in central Jakarta. In 2004 he was declared one of the National Heroes of Indonesia. (Full article...)
Image 14Glodok commercial area. The area of Kota and Glodok remained Jakarta's central business and banking district during the 1950s. (from History of Jakarta)
Image 20Map of the administrative cities (Kota administratif) in Jakarta province; the Thousand Islands Regency (which is to the north) is shown on in the inset to the lower left. Each administrative city is further divided into districts (Kecamatan). (from Jakarta)
Image 21The northern part of Jakarta is below sea level, having been built on tidal flats and reclaimed swamp land. (from Jakarta)
Image 22Jayakarta in 1605 prior the establishment of Batavia. (from History of Jakarta)
Image 231960s saw the boom of the informal becak. (from History of Jakarta)
Image 35Jayakarta circa 1605–8, before its complete destruction by the Dutch, showing earlier pre-colonial structures before Batavia was founded (from Colonial architecture in Jakarta)
Image 36Ondel-ondel puppet performance attraction on the street of Jakarta (from Jakarta)
Image 67Coat of Arms of Batavia during Dutch colonial era, granted in 1930. (from Jakarta)
Did you know (auto-generated)
... that Tigor Silaban vowed to work far from Jakarta and not to open a private practice?
... that Indonesian politician Gembong Warsono criticized the governor of Jakarta over municipally owned companies, sidewalk use, and imported dumpsters?
... that Anggara Wicitra Sastroamidjojo, a regional councillor in Jakarta, Indonesia, received media attention for bringing his seven-month-old child into the legislative chamber?
... that the architect Friedrich Silaban submitted his design for the Istiqlal Mosque pseudonymously in order to conceal his Christian identity?