Java Sea: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:43, 3 September 2006

Revision as of 11:24, 23 September 2006

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[[Image:java sea.jpg|rightthumb|260px|Map of the Java Sea]]

The '''Java Sea''' ([[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]: '''JawaLaut Sea'Jawa'') is a large (310,000 km²), shallow sea on the [[Sunda Shelf]]. It was formed as sea levels rose at the end of the last [[ice age]]. [http://www.fieldmuseum.org/research_collections/zoology/zoo_sites/seamaps/default.htm]

The Java Sea lies in the midst of the [[Indonesia]]n islands of [[Borneo]] to the north, [[Java (island)|Java]] to the south; [[Sumatra]] to the west, and [[Sulawesi]] (Celebes) to the east. To the northwest, the [[Karimata Strait]] links it to the [[South China Sea]]. It is considered by some authorities, for example ''[[The World Factbook]]'', to be part of the [[Indian Ocean]]. Others include it in the [[Pacific Ocean]].

Fishing is an important economic activity in the Java Sea. There are over 3,000 species of marine life in the area.

The area around the Java Sea is a popular [[tourist]] destination. [[Scuba diving]] offers a chance to explore and photograph underwater caverns, wrecks, [[coral]], [[sponge]]s, and other marine life. A number of national parks exist in the area. Near [[Jakarta]], is theThe [[Thousand Islands (Indonesia)|Thousand Islands]] are located north of the mainland [[Jakarta]].

The Java Sea was the site of one of the costliest (to the [[Allies]]) [[Battle of the Java Sea|naval battle]]s of [[World War II]], in February and March of 1942. The naval forces of the [[Netherlands]], [[Britain]], [[Australia]], and the U.S. were nearly completely destroyed trying to defend Java from [[Japan]]ese attack.

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