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Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million, Java is the world's most populous
island, and one of the most densely-populated places on the globe. Java is the home of 60
percent of the Indonesian population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in located
on western Java.
Much of Indonesian history took place on Java. It was the center of powerful Hindu-Buddhist
empires, the Islamic sultanates, and the core of the colonial Dutch East Indies. Java was
also the center of the Indonesian struggle for independence during the 1930s and 40s.
Java was also occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army from 1942 through the defeat of the Japanese
Empire in 1945, and this put a temporary end to all thoughts of independence. Java dominates
the Indonesian social, political, and economic life.
Formed mostly as the result of volcanic eruptions, Java is the 13th largest island in the world
and the fifth largest island in Indonesia. A chain of volcanic mountains forms an east-west
spine along the island. It has three main languages, though Javanese is dominant, and
it is the native language of about 60 million people in Indonesia, most of whom live on
Java. Most ot its residents are bilingual, with Indonesian as their first or second languages.
While the majority of the people of Java are Muslim, Java has a diverse mixture of religious
beliefs, ethnicities, and cultures.
Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is located on the northwest coast of Java. Surabaya (the
second largest city in Indonesia), is located in East Java. This is a quite remarkable island
geographically with no less than 121 active volcanoes. Add to that a host of major national
parks and, despite its very crowded nature, the island has lots to offer the visitor who
appreciates outdoor attractions.