Jakarta Tourism and Travel Guide

Jakarta /dʒəˈkɑrtə/, officially known as the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Khusus Ibu Kota Jakarta), is the capital and largest city of Indonesia, (though Jakarta is also a province) and one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world.Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre, and with a population of 10,075,310 as of 2014, it is the most populous city in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia. The official metropolitan area, known as Jabodetabek (a name formed by combining the initial syllables of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi), is the second largest in the world, yet the metropolis's suburbs still continue beyond it.Established in the fourth century, the city became an important trading port for the Kingdom of Sunda. It was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies (known as Batavia at that time). Today, the city has continued as the capital of Indonesia since the country's independence was declared in 1945. The city is currently the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat as well as houses important financial institutions such as the Bank of Indonesia, the Indonesia Stock Exchange, and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indonesian companies and multinational corporations. Jakarta's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, attract migrants from all over Indonesia, making the city a melting pot of many communities and cultures.Jakarta is listed as a global city in the 2008 Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) research. Based on survey by Brooking Institute, in 2011 economic growth in Jakarta ranked 17th among the world's 200 largest cities, a jump from its 2007 ranking of 171. Jakarta has grown more rapidly than Kuala Lumpur, Beijing and Bangkok.Present-day Jakarta is a flourishing city, with a constantly growing skyline which is one of the most skyscrapers in southern hemisphere. New developments are constantly being implemented including residential buildings and underground transportation projects. Providing continuous 24/7 service, the TransJakarta is one of the most extensive bus rapid transit systems worldwide, with 223 stations in operation. Strategically positioned in the archipelago, the city is also the principal gateway to the rest of Indonesia. From the capital city, sophisticated land, air, and sea transport is available to the rest of the country and beyond.