Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is located on the northwest coast of the island of Java. Its history-driven cultural diversity – of Javanese, Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian and European influences – has left traces in its architecture, language and cuisine. The old town of Kota Tua is home to buildings from the Dutch colonial period, Glodok (Jakarta’s Chinatown) and the old port of Sunda Kelapa, where traditional wooden cargo sailing ships are moored.
Area: 661,5 km²
Population: 10.56 million (2020)
86 percent of Jakarta’s inhabitants are Muslims. Virtually all of them belong to the Sunni faith. There are only a few hundred Shiites in Jakarta. Many residents practice a syncretic form of Islam. Followers of this form call themselves Abangan.
The most important sectors of Jakarta’s economy are food and beverages, textiles, leather and tobacco processing. Increasingly, labor-intensive, export-oriented industries such as textile, toy and shoe manufacturing are gaining importance.