## Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, located in northwest Java, is one of the megacities of the world. Its 1994 population was about 11 million, a figure which is expected to be doubled in another 20 years. This fast developing metropolis grew out of the 15th century pepper trading port of Sunda Kelapa. The name was changed in 22 June 1527 to Jayakarta after the port was taken over by the powerful Banten and Demak Sultanates. This still is the official birthday of Jakarta.

Jakarta (as Batavia) was under Dutch governance for more than 300 years until the Indonesian independence. The city is a mosaic of these historical periods. Jakarta still has the old port of sailing ships and the modern port area, with the old Batavia inland from the old port area. Further south is the part of the city with large squares and buildings around the national monument or Monas. Starting from the coast Jakarta progressively expanded south and west and at present built up areas have reached the foothills. The Ciliwung River runs northwards through the centre of the city. Several other rivers and a number of Dutch-built canals also flow through the city. A recently constructed network of fast roads and expressways are visible. Also clearly seen are the two airports, the bigger one to the northwest is the international one, a number of golf courses, water reservoirs, and a patchwork of built-up areas (greyish-green) and areas with considerable vegetative cover (red). The coastline is being modified. A number of coral islands, many of which have been developed as tourist resorts, are seen offshore.

Jakarta has to deal with the usual problems of a megacity: pollution and shortage of water resources. There is air pollution, and the coastal waters receive considerable amount of sediment and polluted matter. Such sediment plumes are clearly visible. The new road systems are attempts to improve the transport system of this very large city. The city also requires an increasingly large amount of water, part of which is extracted from subsurface aquifers. It is feared that too much extraction may lead to sinking of the ground surface and intrusion of salt water into the subsurface.

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