Jawa Timur (East Java) is one of the Indonesia's 28 provinces located on the eastern part of Java island. It also includes Madura and Bawean island. The administrative center of the province is located in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia and a gateway into eastern part of Indonesia.
Demography
According to the result of 2000 census, East Java ranks in second place for provincial population in Indonesia. Its more than 34 million inhabitants is only superseded by West Java. People of East Java includes: Javanese, Madura, and some minorities, such as Chinese, Indians, and Arabs. They speak hybrid Bahasa Indonesia, which has several influences from Javanese language.
Major religion in East Java is Islam. This comes from earlier history that Islam spread from northen cities in Java where many businessman from Gujarat, India, arrived and also introduced Islam. The eastern part of East Java, from Surabaya to Pasuruan, then following various cities along the coast line, and turn back in Banyuwangi to Jember, is well known as "horseshoe area" in context with earlier muslim communities living there.
Cities
There are 29 kabupaten (municipals) and 9 cities in East Java:
- Kota Madiun
- Kabupaten Madiun
- Kabupaten Ponorogo
- Kabupaten Magetan
- Kabupaten Pacitan
- Kabupaten Ngawi
- Kota Kediri
- Kabupaten Kediri
- Kota Blitar
- Kabupaten Blitar
- Kabupaten Trenggalek
- Kabupaten Tulungagung
- Kabupaten Nganjuk
- Kota Malang
- Kabupaten Malang
- Kota Batu
- Kota Pasuruan
- Kabupaten Pasuruan
- Kota Probolinggo
- Kabupaten Probolinggo
- Kabupaten Lumajang
- Kabupaten Bojonegoro
- Kabupaten Tuban
- Kabupaten Lamongan
- Kota Surabaya
- Kota Mojokerto
- Kabupaten Mojokerto
- Kabupaten Gresik
- Kabupaten Jombang
- Kabupaten Sidoarjo
- Kabupaten Pamekasan
- Kabupaten Bangkalan
- Kabupaten Sampang
- Kabupaten Sumenep
- Kabupaten Jember
- Kabupaten Situbondo
- Kabupaten Bondowoso
- Kabupaten Banyuwangi
History
Jawa Timur has history account dated back to centuries ago, with its famous kingdom of Singosari which is now a city, and it is located near Malang. Majapahit kingdom also had originated from Jawa Timur.
Natural resources
- Salt (Madura Island)
- Marble (Tulung Agung)
- Chalk (Gresik, the city is also famous of its cement industries.)
- Tobacco (Bojonegoro)
Education
East Java hosts some famous universities in Indonesia, both owned by government or private universities. Three major cities for universities, because they have government's universities, are Surabaya, Malang, and Jember. Among them, Airlangga University and Institut Teknologi Sepuluh November are the most famous and both are located in Surabaya.
See also more complete list of universities in East Java.
Other interesting non-formal approach education that is available in most cities in East Java is pesantren. This kind of education is built and organized by Islamic clerics., mostly with association to one muslim organization. Jombang is a famous city for its pesantren.
Media
Being one of populuous province, East Java is attractive for media business to invest. Local newspapers with provincial news reach their reader earlier than their competitor from Jakarta. In the spirit of "providing more news from around readers", most of newspapers even issue municipial sections which is different among their distribution area.
- Jawa Pos Group is one of major newspaper group in Indonesia, is based in Surabaya.
- Surabaya Post is one of historical newspaper that had provincial circulation.
Beside that, there are two popular Javanese magazines that are published in Surabaya:
- Penyebar Semangat (Spreader of Spirit) is historical and popular Javanese magazine.
- Jaya Baya, the other Javanese magazine which used the name one of famous Prabu Jaya Baya.
National parks
- Meru Betiri National Park - Between Jember and Banyuwangi districts, this park covers 580 sq km. Hard to get to , it contains fantastic coastal rainforest and scenery and is home to abundant wildlife.
- Alas Purwo National Park - This 434 sq km park is formed by the Blambangan Peninsula (south eastern Java). Comprised of 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.
External links
- Jatim Goes to E-government (Bahasa Indonesia)