Yogyakarta Special Region (Daerah
Istimewa Yogyakarta, DIY) is officially one of
Indonesia's 32 provinces. Yogyakarta is one of the
foremost cultural centers of Java. This region is located
at the foot of the active Merapi volcano, Yogyakarta was in the
16th and 17th centuries the seat of the mighty Javanese
empire of Mataram from which present day Yogyakarta
has the best inherited of traditions. The city itself
has a special charm, which seldom fails to captivate
the visitor.
This
province is one of the most densely populated areas of Indonesia.
The city came into being in 1755, after the Mataram division
into the Sultanates of Yogyakarta and Surakarta
(Solo). Gamelan, classical and contemporary Javanese
dances, wayang kulit (leather puppet), theater and
other expressions of traditional art will keep the
visitor spellbound. Local craftsmen excel in arts such batiks,
silver and leather works. Next to the traditional, contemporary
art has found fertile soil in Yogya's culture
oriented society. ASRI, the Academy of Fine Arts is
the center of arts and Yogyakarta itself has given its
name to an important school of modern painting in
Indonesia, perhaps best personified by the famed Indonesian
impressionist, the late Affandi.
Yogyakarta
is often called the main gateway to the Central Java
as where it is geographically located. It stretches from Mount
Merapi to the Indian Ocean. There is daily air service to Yogya
from Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali as well as regular
train service and easy accessibility by road.
Yogyakarta is commonly considered as the modern
cultural of Central Java. Although some may prefer
Solo as a good runner up, Yogyakarta remains the clear front-runner
for traditional dance, Wayang (traditional puppetry) and
music.
Yogyakarta
has more than just culture though. It is a very lively
city and a shopper's delight. The main road, Malioboro Street,
is always crowded and famous for its night street food-culture
and street vendors. Many tourist shops and cheap
hotels are concentrated along this street or in the
adjoining tourist area such Sosrowijayan Street.
The key
attraction of Yogyakarta is 'Kraton' (the Sultan's Palace).
The Sultan's palace is the centre of Yogya's traditional life
and despite the advance of modernity; it still emanates
the spirit of refinement, which has been the hallmark
of Yogya's art for centuries. This vast complex of
decaying buildings was built in the 18th century, and
is actually a walled city within the city with
luxurious pavilions and in which the current Sultan still
resides. Yogyakarta is also the only major city, which still has
traditional 'Becak' (rickshaw-style) transport.
Geographically
Yogyakarta Special Region is geographically located almost equidistant from Indonesia's two most important international gateways, about 600 km from Jakarta and 1000 km from Bali. Yogyakarta also has excellent transport connections by bus, train or plane to the rest of Java, Sumatra, Bali and Lombok. Yogyakarta's Adisucipto Airport is in the process of changing its status in order to receive not only domestics' flights from Bali and Jakarta, but also direct charter and scheduled flights from other countries.
Yogyakarta Special Region is geographically located almost equidistant from Indonesia's two most important international gateways, about 600 km from Jakarta and 1000 km from Bali. Yogyakarta also has excellent transport connections by bus, train or plane to the rest of Java, Sumatra, Bali and Lombok. Yogyakarta's Adisucipto Airport is in the process of changing its status in order to receive not only domestics' flights from Bali and Jakarta, but also direct charter and scheduled flights from other countries.
Geographically,
Yogyakarta Special Province is situated in the
Southern part of Central Java and lies between 7 degree 33' and
8 degree 12', South altitude between 110 degree and 50' East
longitude. Some regencies of central Java Province
surround the administrative boundaries of this region:
Southern East: Wonogiri Regency
Eastern: Klaten Regency
Northwestern: Magelang Regency
Western: Purworejo Regency
Southern East: Wonogiri Regency
Eastern: Klaten Regency
Northwestern: Magelang Regency
Western: Purworejo Regency
The
Indonesian Ocean borders the Southern part of Yogyakarta.
The borderline of the seashore stretches from West to East of
which the length is around 100 km, started from Congot Beach
in Kulon Progo Regency and ended at Sadeng Beach in
Gunung Kidul Regency. Because of its location,
Yogyakarta is strategically positioned for the
economic activity network in Java as well as for the tourist
destination area. The special region of Yogyakarta lies midway
on the axis of several main tourist destination areas,
Jakarta and West Java westward, Central Java
northward, East Java and Bali eastward. It is linked
by regular rail, road and air services to other parts
of Indonesian archipelago.
Climate and Weather in Yogyakarta
The average
daily temperature range between 26 degree and 28 degree
Celsius with its minimum 18 degree C and maximum 35 degree C
respectively. Average humidity is 74% with its minimum
of 65% and maximum 84% respectively. The Yogyakarta
Special Region lays approximately 7 South of the
equator line and is bathed in tropical; sunshine along
the year. This region has a tropic climate the daily atmosphere
feels a little bit hot and humid. These are only two seasons
along the year, the wet or rainy seasons and dry
monsoon. Usually the wet seasons begin at September
and lasts about August. Generally there is no
rainfalls from may to August and there fore the atmosphere
feels hot and humid on the day and cool in the night and early
morning. The monthly rain falling Yogyakarta varies
between 3mm and 496mm in which those above 300mm take
place during the month of January up to April. The
heaviest rainfall usually occurs in February while the
lowest commonly happens between May and October
Average annually rainfall is about 1,900mm.
Populations of Yogyakarta
Based on
2000, the total population of Yogyakarta special Region
amounted to 3.311.812. Yogyakarta Municipality that has 461,800
inhabitants spread over 32,50 kilometers or the average
population density is thus over 14,200 persons per
square kilometer. The least densely populated
districts is in Gunung Kidul regency which has 720.643
inhabitants and cover 1,485 square kilometers or the
density rate is 485 persons per square kilometer. Since a very
long time ago the Provincial territory of Yogyakarta Special
Region and its surrounding has been decently
populated.
The majority residents of Yogyakarta Special Region are Javanese whose language derives from ancient Sanskrit. However, as Yogyakarta is considered to be "Indonesia's academic city" due to the numerous centers for higher learning, many of the inhabitants are student who come from all over Indonesia to study.
The majority residents of Yogyakarta Special Region are Javanese whose language derives from ancient Sanskrit. However, as Yogyakarta is considered to be "Indonesia's academic city" due to the numerous centers for higher learning, many of the inhabitants are student who come from all over Indonesia to study.
Culture of Yogyakarta
The culture
Yogyakarta province with its status as a special region
lies in the Southern part of Central Java, in the heartland of
Javanese culture. As the former capital and the center of
several kingdoms in the past, this region and its
people are very rich in a variety of cultures. It is
widely known from to historical records that the
civilization, art and culture had developed well in
the center of those kingdoms respectively in the Ancient Mataram
Kingdom (8th - 10th Century) era, the second Mataram Kingdom
(17th - 18th Century) and Sultanate Ngayogyokarto from
the mid of 18th Century up today.
It should be
noted that the cultural heritage from the past includes
the magnificent temples, the ruins of palaces and monasteries,
the various kind of traditions, cultural events, traditional
folk and performing arts, architecture and other
traditional activities. It is important to note that
this is all part of the living culture of Yogyakarta,
color of daily activities of live and the local
inhabitants behavior, particularly the Javanese community with
its traditional way of life and customs. Therefore, because of
its culture richness and heritage, Yogyakarta has long
been known as the cradle of Javanese culture.
The other
legendary name for Yogyakarta City, among the elders
as well as the youth generation that is the City of Art and Culture.
Traditional and modern exhibition are held almost every
day and night about the art of theater, pantomime,
music, classic and contemporary dances, poems, etc.
Those are flow in the heart of the city. Even more,
there are abundant of cultural ceremony, such as
Sekaten, Gunungan, Labuhan, Malioboro Fair, etc, which
make the city has high value of tradition, art, and culture.
The History of Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta
was founded in 1755 and was the capital of Mataram
kingdom when the Dutch came along. The Dutch granted the
kings by title Sultan of Yogyakarta territory. Yogyakarta was
also the scene of Indonesia's most successful rebellions against
the Dutch - firstly with Prince Diponegoro who waged a
holy war against colonial rule from 1825 to 1830, and
also serving as the capital of the newly independent
republic after World War II when the Dutch reoccupied
Batavia (Jakarta).
People have
lived in Central Java and Yogyakarta area since
immemorial time as over the centuries they have been
attracted by the rich soil caused by the numerous volcanic eruptions.
The earliest recorded history dares from the 9th century
and was dominated by Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms that
gave rise to the magnificent temples such as Prambanan,
Ratu Boko, Kalasan, Sambisari and Borobudur found in
this area. Yogyakarta itself dates back to the 18th century.
In the early 18th century, Pakubuwono II ruled the Muslim Mataram
Kingdom of the time. After he passed away, there was a
conflict between his son and his brother, which was
encouraged by the Dutch who were trying to colonize the
region on a 'divide and rule' basis.
The Kingdom
was divided into two regions namely Surakarta
Hadiningrat kingdom under Sunan Pakubuwono III rule, and
Nyayogyakarta Hadiningrat kingdom under Sultan Hamengku Buwono I
rule. He was the founder of the present line of Sultans who
still live in the Kraton and play important role in
Javanese culture. The second kingdom was later called
Yogyakarta, now better known as Yogyakarta.
After the
independence of the Republic of Indonesia was
proclaimed, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and Sri Paku Alam VIII
launched a statement that the Kasultanan and Kadipaten (the two
royal regions), belonged to Republic of Indonesia as a
part of the whole area of Indonesia Republic. Since
then, it has been known as Yogyakarta Special Region and
was given a provincial status in 1950 in recognition of
its important role in it fighting for the independence
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JAVA TRIPS AND TOUR
email :
javatrips@gmail.com
PHONE / SMS / WhatsApp: (+62) 8121561972