Jakarta (; , Betawi language: Jakartè), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; DKI Jakarta) and formerly known as Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and an autonomous region at the provincial level. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta is the largest metropole in Southeast Asia and serves as the diplomatic capital of ASEAN. The Special Region has a status equivalent to that of a province and is bordered by two other provinces: West Java to the south and east; and Banten to the west. Its coastline faces the Java Sea to the north, and it shares a maritime border with Lampung to the west. Jakarta's metropolitan area is ASEAN's second largest economy after Singapore. In 2023, the city's GDP PPP was estimated at US$724.010 billion.
Jakarta is the economic, cultural, and political centre of Indonesia. Although Jakarta extends over only and thus has the smallest area of any Indonesian province, its metropolitan area covers , which includes the satellite cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, South Tangerang, and Bekasi, and has an estimated population of 32.6 million , making it the largest urban area in Indonesia and the second-largest in the world (after Tokyo). Jakarta ranks first among the Indonesian provinces in the human development index. Jakarta's business and employment opportunities, along with its ability to offer a potentially higher standard of living compared to other parts of the country, have attracted migrants from across the Indonesian archipelago, making it a melting pot of numerous cultures.
Jakarta is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Southeast Asia. Established in the fourth century as Sunda Kelapa, the city became an important trading port for the Sunda Kingdom. At one time, it was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies, when it was known as Batavia. Jakarta was officially a city within West Java until 1960 when its official status was changed to a province with special capital region distinction. As a province, its government consists of five administrative cities and one administrative regency. Jakarta is an alpha world city and the ASEAN secretariat's seat. Financial institutions such as the Bank Indonesia, Indonesia Stock Exchange, and corporate headquarters of numerous Indonesian companies and multinational corporations are located in the city. Jakarta, as Indonesia’s largest Muslim-majority city, is known for its tradition of religious tolerance and pluralism. The Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, stands as a symbol of the city’s commitment to interfaith harmony.
Jakarta's main challenges include rapid urban growth, ecological breakdown, air pollution, gridlocked traffic, congestion, and flooding due to subsidence and water extraction (sea level rise is relative, not absolute). Part of North Jakarta is sinking up to 17 cm (6.7 inches) annually, meanwhile the southern part is relatively safe. This has made the northern part of the city more prone to flooding and one of the fastest-sinking capitals in the world. In response to these challenges, in August 2019, President Joko Widodo announced plans to move the capital from Jakarta to the planned city of Nusantara, in the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The MPR approved the move on 18 January 2022. The Indonesian government is not abandoning Jakarta after announcing plans to move the country's capital, its planning minister said, pledging to spend US$40 billion, which is more than the cost to build Nusantara, to save the city in the next decade.
The Buni culture is a prehistoric clay pottery culture that flourished in coastal northern West Java, Jakarta, and Banten around 400 BC to 100 AD and survived until 500 AD.
Tarumanagara is the name mentioned in the Tugu inscription from Tarumanagara, a kingdom in coastal West Java. The strategic geographical position of coastal West Java, which corresponds to today modern Jakarta, is a commanding region that controls the Sunda Strait. This location is strategic in regard to Sumatra and also its connection to Asian continent of India and China.
After the fall of the Tarumanagara, the name of city was changed to 'Sunda Kelapa' or 'Coconut of Sunda,' growing to be the main harbour for the Sunda Kingdom due to its desirable location.
The name 'Jakarta' is derived from the word Jayakarta (Devanagari: जयकर्त), which is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit जय jaya (victorious), and कृत krta (accomplished, acquired), thus Jayakarta translates as 'victorious deed', 'complete act', or 'complete victory'. It was named for the Muslim troops of Fatahillah which successfully defeated and drove the Portuguese away from the city in 1527, eventually renaming it 'Jayakarta.' Tomé Pires, a Portuguese apothecary, wrote the name of the city in his Suma Oriental as Jacatra or Jacarta during his journey to the East Indies.
After the Dutch East India Company took over the area in 1619, they renamed it 'Batavia,' after the Batavi, a Germanic tribe who were seen as the ancestors of the Dutch. The city was then also known as Koningin van het Oosten (Queen of the Orient), a name that was given for the urban beauty of downtown Batavia's Gracht, mansions and ordered city layout. After expanding to the south in the 19th century, this nickname came to be more associated with the suburbs (e.g. Menteng and the area around Merdeka Square), with their wide lanes, green spaces and villas. "Batavia zoals het weent en lacht", (17 October 1939), Het Nieuws van den Dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië, p. 6
During the Japanese occupation, the city was renamed as Jakarta Special City. After the Japanese surrender, the name was changed to 'Jakarta.'
The first European fleet, four Portuguese ships from Malacca, arrived in 1513 while looking for a route to obtain spices. The Sunda Kingdom made an alliance treaty with the Portuguese by allowing them to build a port in 1522 to defend against the rising power of the Demak Sultanate from central Java. In 1527, Fatahillah, a Pasai-born military commander of Demak attacked and conquered Sunda Kelapa, driving out the Portuguese. Sunda Kelapa was renamed Jayakarta, and became a fiefdom of the Banten Sultanate, which became a major Southeast Asian trading centre.
Through the relationship with Prince Jayawikarta of the Banten Sultanate, Dutch ships arrived in 1596. In 1602, an English East India Company (EIC) voyage led by Sir James Lancaster arrived in Aceh and sailed on to Banten, where they were allowed to build a trading post. This site became the centre of English trade in the Indonesian archipelago until 1682. Jayawikarta is thought to have made trading connections with the English merchants, who were rivals with the Dutch, by allowing them to build houses directly across from the Dutch buildings in 1615.
Commercial opportunities in the city attracted native and especially Chinese and Arab immigrants. This sudden population increase created burdens on the city. Tensions grew as the colonial government tried to restrict Chinese migration through deportations. Following a revolt, 5,000 Chinese were massacred by the Dutch and natives on 9 October 1740, and the following year, Chinese inhabitants were moved to Glodok outside the city walls. At the beginning of the 19th century, around 400 Arabs and Moors lived in Batavia, a number that changed little during the following decades. Among the commodities traded were fabrics, mainly imported cotton, batik and clothing worn by Arab communities.
The city began to expand further south as epidemics in 1835 and 1870 forced residents to move away from the port. The Koningsplein, now Merdeka Square was completed in 1818, the housing park of Menteng was started in 1913, and Kebayoran Baru was the last Dutch-built residential area. By 1930, Batavia had more than 500,000 inhabitants, including 37,067 Europeans. The city was expanded in 1935 through the annexation of the town of Meester Cornelis, modern Jatinegara.
On 5 March 1942, the Japanese captured Batavia from Dutch control, and the city was named Jakarta (Jakaruta tokubetsu-shi, under the special status that was assigned to the city). After the war, the Dutch name Batavia was internationally recognised until full Indonesian independence on 27 December 1949. The city, now renamed Jakarta, was officially proclaimed the national capital of Indonesia.
After securing full independence, Jakarta again became the national capital in 1950. With Jakarta selected to host the 1962 Asian Games, Sukarno, envisaging Jakarta as a great international city, instigated large government-funded projects with openly nationalistic and modernist architecture.; Projects included a cloverleaf interchange, a major boulevard (Jalan MH Thamrin-Sudirman), monuments such as Monas, Hotel Indonesia, a shopping centre, and a new building intended to be the headquarters of CONEFO. In October 1965, Jakarta was the site of an abortive coup attempt in which six top generals were killed, precipitating a violent anti-communist purge which killed at least 500,000 people, including some ethnic Chinese." Why ethnic Chinese are afraid ". BBC News. 12 February 1998. The event marked the beginning of Suharto's New Order. The first government was led by a mayor until the end of 1960 when the office was changed to that of a governor. The last mayor of Jakarta was Soediro until he was replaced by Soemarno Sosroatmodjo as governor.
In 1966, Jakarta was declared a 'special capital region' (Daerah Khusus Ibukota), with a status equivalent to that of a province separated from West Java. Based on law No. 5 of 1974 relating to regional governments, the Jakarta Special Capital Region was confirmed as the capital of Indonesia and one of the country's then 26 provinces. Lieutenant General Ali Sadikin served as governor from 1966 to 1977; he rehabilitated roads and bridges, encouraged the arts, and built hospitals and a large number of schools. He cleared out slum dwellers for new development projects — some for the benefit of the Suharto family,; — and attempted to eliminate rickshaws and ban street vendors. He began control of migration to the city to stem overcrowding and poverty. Foreign investment contributed to a real estate boom that transformed the face of Jakarta. The boom ended with the 1997 Asian financial crisis, putting Jakarta at the centre of violence, protest, and political manoeuvring.
After three decades in power, support for President Suharto began to wane. Tensions peaked when four students were shot dead at Trisakti University by security forces. Four days of riots and violence in 1998 ensued that killed an estimated 1,200, and destroyed or damaged 6,000 buildings, forcing Suharto to resign. Much of the rioting targeted Chinese Indonesians. In the post-Suharto era, Jakarta has remained the focal point of democratic change in Indonesia. Jemaah Islamiyah-connected bombings occurred almost annually in the city between 2000 and 2005, with another in 2009. In August 2007, Jakarta held its first-ever election to choose a governor as part of a nationwide decentralisation program that allows direct local elections in several areas. Previously, governors were elected by the city's legislative body.
During the Jokowi presidency, the Government adopted a plan to move Indonesia's capital to Nusantara after 17 August 2024, but this has not occurred due to delays.
Between 2016 and 2017, a series of terrorist attacks rocked Jakarta with scenes of multiple suicide bombings and gunfire. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi claimed responsibility for the attacks on behalf of Islamic State.
Jakarta is situated on the northwest coast of Java, at the mouth of the Ciliwung River on Jakarta Bay, an inlet of the Java Sea. It is strategically located near the Sunda Strait. The northern part of Jakarta is plain land, some areas of which are below sea level, and subject to frequent flooding. The southern parts of the city are hilly. It is one of only two Asian capital cities located in the southern hemisphere (along with East Timor's Dili). Officially, the area of the Jakarta Special District is of land area and of sea area.Based on Governor Decree 2007, No. 171. taken from Statistics DKI Jakarta Provincial Office, Jakarta in Figures, 2008, BPS, the province of DKI Jakarta The Thousand Islands, which are administratively a part of Jakarta, are located in Jakarta Bay, north of the city.
Jakarta lies in a low and flat alluvial plain, ranging from with an average elevation of above sea level with historically extensive swampy areas. Some parts of the city have been constructed on reclaimed tidal flats that occur around the area. Thirteen rivers flow through Jakarta. They are Ciliwung River, Kalibaru, Pesanggrahan, Cipinang River, Angke River, Maja, Mookervart, Krukut, Buaran, West Tarum, Cakung, Petukangan, Sunter River and Grogol River. They flow from the Puncak highlands to the south of the city, then across the city northwards towards the Java Sea. The Ciliwung River divides the city into the western and eastern districts. These rivers, combined with the wet season rains and insufficient drainage due to clogging, make Jakarta prone to flooding.
Moreover, Jakarta is sinking about each year, and up to in the northern coastal areas. After a feasibility study, a ring Levee known as Giant Sea Wall Jakarta is under construction around Jakarta Bay to help cope with the threat from the sea. The dyke will be equipped with a pumping system and retention areas to defend against seawater and function as a toll road. The project is expected to be completed by 2025. In January 2014, the central government agreed to build two dams in Ciawi, Bogor and a tunnel from Ciliwung River to Cisadane River to ease flooding in the city. Nowadays, a , with capacity per second, underground water tunnel between Ciliwung River and the East Flood Canal is being worked on to ease the Ciliwung River overflows. In 2023, the New York Times reported that in some places Jakarta is sinking up to 12 inches (30 cm) annually.
Environmental advocates point out that subsidence is driven by the extraction of groundwater, much of it illegal. Furthermore, the government's lack of strict regulation amplifies the issue as many recently built high-rise buildings, corporations, and factories around Jakarta opt for illegally extracting groundwater. In fact, in a recent inspection of 80 buildings in Jalan Thamrin, a busy road lined with skyscrapers and shopping malls, 56 buildings had a groundwater pump, and 33 were pumping groundwater illegally. This could be halted by stopping extraction (as the city of Tokyo has done), increasing efficiency, and finding other sources for water use. Moreover, increasing regulation through higher taxes or limiting groundwater pumping has proven to help cities like Shanghai, Tokyo, and San Jose relieve their subsidence issue. The rivers of Jakarta are highly polluted and currently unsuitable for drinking water.
Jakarta, faces significant air pollution, particularly during the dry season from August to December. Dry air during this period allows pollutants to remain suspended in the atmosphere for extended periods, contributing to poor air quality.
Every year faces recurring issues, such as floods and thunderstorms. A cyclonic vortex leads to moisture convergence over a large area, including western Java Island. Additionally, this vortex causes a mainly meridional monsoon flow, where near-surface winds blow almost perfectly from north to south over West Java. The impact of these predominant northerly winds hitting the rugged topography in southern West Java likely contributes to the increased convection that causes floods in Jakarta.
Average temperatures are very high with moderate rainfall. During the day, the temperature usually hovers around but drops to about in the evening. These are average temperatures, and some days can be hotter. It's advisable to dress appropriately to handle the heat. January is the rainiest month, with over of precipitation, whereas August is the driest, with around of rainfall. The average temperature in the coldest month (February) is , and in the warmest month (October), it is . Sea temperatures range from in August to in March, April, November, and December. Record low temperatures in Jakarta recorded , while the highest record reached .
The most famous landmark, which became the symbol of the city, is the obelisk of the National Monument (Monumen Nasional or Monas) in the centre of Merdeka Square. On its southwest corner stands a Mahabharata-themed Arjuna Victory chariot statue and fountain. Further south through Jalan M.H. Thamrin, one of the main avenues, the Selamat Datang monument stands on the fountain in the centre of the Hotel Indonesia roundabout. Other landmarks include the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta Cathedral, and the Immanuel Church. The former Batavia Stadhuis, Sunda Kelapa port in Jakarta Old Town is another landmark. The Thamrin Nine in Central Jakarta, at 382.9 metres is the tallest building in Indonesia. The most recent landmark built is the Jakarta International Stadium.
Some of the statues and monuments are nationalist, such as the West Irian Liberation Monument, the Tugu Tani, the Youth statue, and the Dirgantara Monument. Some statues commemorate Indonesian national heroes, such as the Diponegoro and Kartini statues in Merdeka Square. The Sudirman and Thamrin statues are located on the streets bearing their names. There is also a statue of Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta at the Proclamation Monument as well as at the entrance to Soekarno–Hatta International Airport.
Colonial buildings and structures include those that were constructed during the colonial period. The dominant colonial styles can be divided into three periods: the Dutch Golden Age (17th to late 18th century), the transitional style period (late 18th century – 19th century), and Dutch modernism (20th century). Colonial architecture is apparent in houses and villas, churches, civic buildings, and offices, mostly concentrated in the Jakarta Old Town and Central Jakarta. Architects such as J.C. Schultze and Eduard Cuypers designed some of the significant buildings. Schultze's works include Jakarta Art Building, the Indonesia Supreme Court Building and Ministry of Finance Building, while Cuypers designed Bank Indonesia Museum and Mandiri Museum. In the early 20th century, most buildings were built in Neo-Renaissance style. By the 1920s, the architectural taste had begun to shift in favour of rationalism and modernism, particularly Art Deco architecture. The elite suburb Menteng, developed during the 1910s, was the city's first attempt at creating ideal and healthy housing for the middle class. The original houses had a longitudinal organisation, with overhanging eaves, large windows, and open ventilation, all practical features for a tropical climate. These houses were developed by N.V. de Bouwploeg, and established by P.A.J. Moojen. After independence, the process of nation-building in Indonesia and demolishing the memory of colonialism was as important as the symbolic building of arterial roads, monuments, and government buildings. The National Monument in Jakarta, designed by Sukarno, is Indonesia's beacon of nationalism. In the early 1960s, Jakarta provided highways and super-scale cultural monuments as well as Senayan Sports Stadium. The parliament building features a hyperbolic roof reminiscent of German rationalist and Corbusian design concepts. Built-in 1996, Wisma 46 soars to a height of and its nib-shaped top celebrates technology and symbolises stereoscopy.
The urban construction boom continued during the 21st century. The Golden Triangle of Jakarta is one of the fastest evolving CBD's in the Asia-Pacific region. According to CTBUH and Emporis, there are 88 skyscrapers that reach or exceed , which puts the city in the top 10 of world rankings. It has more buildings taller than 150 metres than any other Southeast Asian or Southern Hemisphere cities.
Between 1961 and 1980, the population of Jakarta doubled, and during the period 1980–1990, the city's population grew annually by 3.7%. The 2010 census counted some 9.58 million people, well above government estimates. The population rose from 4.5 million in 1970 to 9.5 million in 2010, counting only legal residents, while the population of Jabodetabek rose from 8.2 million in 1970 to 28.5 million in 2010. As of 2014, the population of Jakarta stood at 10 million, with a population density of 15,174 people/km2. In 2014, the population of Jabodetabek was 30 million, accounting for 11% of Indonesia's overall population. It is predicted to reach 35.6 million people by 2030 to become the world's biggest megacity. The gender ratio was 102.8 (males per 100 females) in 2010, and 101.3 in 2014.
A significant Chinese community has lived in Jakarta for many centuries. They traditionally reside around old urban areas, such as Pinangsia, PIK, Pluit and Glodok (Jakarta's Chinatown) areas. They also can be found in the old of Senen and Jatinegara. As of 2001 they self-identified as being 5.5% of the population, which was thought of as under-reported; this explains the 6.6% figure ten years later.
The Sumatran residents are diverse. According to the 2020 census, roughly 361,000 Batak; 300,960 Minangkabau and 101,370 Ethnic Malays lived in the city. The number of Batak people has grown in ranking, from eighth in 1930 to fifth in 2000. Toba Batak is the largest subset in Jakarta. Working Minangkabau in the 1980s in high proportions were well-embedded merchants, artisans, doctors, teachers or journalists.Board of Editors, Contributions to Southeast Asian Ethnography, 1987 Minang merchants are found in traditional markets, such as Tanah Abang and Senen.
The Chinese in Jakarta mainly speak Indonesian and English due to a strict language ban during the Soeharto New Order era; older people may be fluent in Hokkien dialect and Mandarin, meanwhile the younger generation are fluent in Indonesian and English, some educated in Mandarin. With the recent urbanisation of Chinese communities from several rural areas in Indonesia, other Chinese dialects have been brought into the Chinese community in Jakarta, such as Hakka language, Teochew language and Cantonese. Hokkien, which is mainly from Sumatra (Medan, Bagansiapiapi, Batam) is mostly spoken in Northern Jakarta, such as in Pantai Indah Kapuk, Pluit, and Kelapa Gading, meanwhile Hakka and Teochew, which are derived from the Chinese communities in Pontianak and Singkawang, are mainly spoken in West Jakarta, like in Tambora and Grogol Petamburan. The Batak in Jakarta mostly speak Indonesian, while the older generation tend to speak their native languages, such as Batak language, Mandailing, and Karo, depending on which ancestral towns and places in North Sumatra they came from. The Minangkabau mainly speak Minangkabau together with Indonesian.
STOVIA ( School tot Opleiding van Indische Artsen (School for Education of Native Physicians), now University of Indonesia) was the first college in Jakarta, established in 1851. Jakarta houses many students from around Indonesia, many of whom reside in dormitories or home-stay residences. For basic education, a variety of primary and secondary schools are available, tagged with the public ( national), private ( national and bi-lingual national plus), and international labels. Four of the major international schools are the British School Jakarta, Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School, IPEKA Integrated Christian School, and the Jakarta Intercultural School. Other international schools in Jakarta metropolitan area include the ACG School Jakarta, AIS Indonesia, Bina Bangsa School, Deutsche Schule Jakarta, Global Jaya School, Jakarta Indonesia Korean School, Jakarta Japanese School, Jakarta Multicultural School, Jakarta Taipei School, Lycée français de Jakarta, New Zealand School Jakarta, North Jakarta Intercultural School, Sekolah Pelita Harapan, and Singapore Intercultural School.
Most pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Jakarta are affiliated with the traditionalist Nahdlatul Ulama,Pemerintah Provinsi Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta, Ensiklopedi Jakarta: Culture & Heritage, Vol. 1, Dinas Kebudayaan dan Permuseuman, 2005 modernist organisations mostly catering to a socioeconomic class of educated urban elites and merchant traders. They give priority to education, social welfare programs, and religious propagation. Many Islamic organisations have headquarters in Jakarta, including Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesian Ulema Council, Muhammadiyah, Indonesia Institute of Islamic Dawah, and Jaringan Islam Liberal.
The Catholic Church community has a Metropolis, the Archdiocese of Jakarta that includes West Java and Banten provinces as part of the ecclesiastical province. Jakarta also hosts the largest Buddhist adherents in Java, where most of the followers are Chinese. Schools of Buddhism practised in Indonesia vary, including Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayana, and Three Teachings. The city also has Hindu community, which mainly are Balinese people and Indian people. There is also a Sikhism and Baháʼí Faith community presence in Jakarta.
The Wealth Report 2015 by Knight Frank reported that 24 individuals in Indonesia in 2014 had wealth of at least US$1 billion and 18 live in Jakarta. The cost of living continues to rise. Both land prices and rents have become expensive. Mercer's 2017 Cost of Living Survey ranked Jakarta as the 88th costliest city in the world for expatriates. Industrial development and the construction of new housing thrive on the outskirts, while commerce and banking remain concentrated in the city centre. Jakarta has a bustling luxury property market. Knight Frank, a global real estate consultancy based in London, reported in 2014 that Jakarta offered the highest return on high-end property investment in the world in 2013, citing a supply shortage and a sharply depreciated currency as reasons.
Traditional markets include Blok M, Mayestik Market, Tanah Abang, Senen, Pasar Baru, Glodok, Mangga Dua, Cempaka Mas, and Jatinegara. Special markets sell antique goods at Jalan Surabaya and gemstones in Rawabening Market.
Jakarta is trying to attract more international tourists through MICE tourism, and arranging increasing numbers of conventions. In 2012, the tourism sector contributed Rp. 2.6 trillion (US$268.5 million) to the city's total direct income of Rp. 17.83 trillion (US$1.45 billion), a 17.9% increase from the previous year 2011.
Some festivals such as the Jalan Jaksa Festival, Kemang Festival, Festival Condet and Lebaran Betawi include efforts to preserve Betawi arts by inviting artists to display performances. Jakarta has several performing art centres, such as the classical concert hall Aula Simfonia Jakarta in Kemayoran, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) art centre in Cikini, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta near Pasar Baru, Balai Sarbini in the Plaza Semanggi area, Bentara Budaya Jakarta in the Palmerah area, Pasar Seni (Art Market) in Ancol Dreamland, and traditional Indonesian art performances at the pavilions of some provinces in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Traditional music is often found at high-class hotels, including Wayang and Gamelan performances. Javanese wayang wong performances can be found at Wayang Orang Bharata Theatre.
Arts and culture festivals and exhibitions include the annual ARKIPEL – Jakarta International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival, Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest), Djakarta Warehouse Project, Jakarta Fashion Week, Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week, Jakarta Fashion & Food Festival (JFFF), Jakarnaval, Jakarta Night Festival, Kota Tua Creative Festival, Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF), Indonesia Comic Con, Indonesia Creative Products and Jakarta Arts and Crafts exhibition. Art Jakarta is a contemporary art fair, which is held annually. Flona Jakarta is a flora-and-fauna exhibition, held annually in August at Lapangan Banteng Park, featuring flowers, plant nurseries, and pets. Jakarta Fair is held annually from mid-June to mid-July to celebrate the anniversary of the city and is mostly centred around a trade fair. However, this month-long fair also features entertainment, including arts and music performances by local musicians. Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival (JJF) is one of the largest jazz festivals in the world, the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, and is held annually in March.
Several foreign art and culture centres in Jakarta promote culture and language through learning centres, libraries, and art galleries. These include the Chinese Confucius Institute, the Dutch Erasmus Huis, the British Council, the French Institut Français d'Indonésie, the German Goethe-Institut, the Japan Foundation, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Centre.
Trendy restaurants, cafe and bars can be found at Menteng, Kemang, SCBD, Kuningan, Senayan City, Pantai Indah Kapuk, and Kelapa Gading. Lenggang Jakarta is a food court, accommodating small traders and street vendors, where Indonesian foods are available within a single compound. At present, there are two such food courts, located at Monas and Kemayoran. Thamrin 10 is a food and creative park located at Menteng, where varieties of food stall are available.
Global fast-food chains are present and usually found in Shopping malls, along with local brands like Sederhana, J'CO, Es Teler 77, Kebab Turki, CFC, and Japanese HokBen and Yoshinoya. Foreign cuisines such as Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine, Thai cuisine, Singaporean, Indian cuisine, American cuisine, Australian, Malaysian, French cuisine, Mediterranean cuisines like Maghrebi cuisine, Turkish cuisine, Italian cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, and modern fusion food restaurants can all be found in Jakarta.
The Senayan sports complex has several sports venues, including the Bung Karno football stadium, Madya Stadium, Istora Senayan, an aquatic arena, a baseball field, a basketball hall, a shooting range, several indoor and outdoor tennis courts. The Senayan complex was built in 1960 to accommodate the 1962 Asian Games. For basketball, the Kelapa Gading Sport Mall in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, with a capacity of 7,000 seats, is the home arena of the Indonesian national basketball team. The BritAma Arena serves as a playground for Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta, the 2017 runner-up of the Indonesian Basketball League. Jakarta International Velodrome is a sporting facility located at Rawamangun, which was used as a venue for the Asian Games. It has a seating capacity of 3,500 for track cycling, and up to 8,500 for shows and concerts, which can also be used for various sports activities such as volleyball, badminton and futsal. Jakarta International Equestrian Park is an Equestrianism sports venue located at Pulo Gadung, which was also used as a venue for the Asian Games.
The Jakarta Car-Free Days are held bi-weekly on Sunday on the main avenues of the city, Jalan Sudirman, and Jalan Thamrin, from 6 am to 11 am. The briefer Car-Free Day, which lasts from 6 am to 9 am, is held every other Sunday. The event invites local pedestrians to do sports and exercise and have their activities on the streets that are usually full of traffic. Along the road from the Senayan traffic circle on Jalan Sudirman, South Jakarta, to the "Selamat Datang" Monument at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Jalan Thamrin, north to the National Monument in Central Jakarta, cars are blocked from entering. During the event, morning gymnastics, calisthenics and aerobic exercises, futsal games, jogging, bicycling, skateboarding, badminton, karate, on-street library and musical performances take over the roads and the main parks.
Jakarta's most popular home football club is Persija Jakarta, which plays in Liga 1. Another football team in Jakarta is Persitara which competes in Liga 3 and plays in Tugu Stadium.
The Jakarta Marathon each November is recognised by AIMS and IAAF. It was established in 2013. It brings sports tourism. In 2015, more than 15,000 runners from 53 countries participated.
Jakarta successfully hosted the first Jakarta ePrix race of the Formula E championship in June 2022 at Ancol Circuit, North Jakarta.
Newspapers other than in Indonesian, mainly for a national and global audience, are also published daily. Examples are the English-language newspapers The Jakarta Post and online-only Jakarta Globe. Chinese language newspapers also circulate, such as Indonesia Shang Bao (印尼商报), Harian Indonesia (印尼星洲日报), and Guo Ji Ri Bao (国际日报). The only Japanese language newspaper is The Daily Jakarta Shimbun (じゃかるた新聞).
Around 75 radio stations broadcast in Jakarta, 52 on the FM band, and 23 on the AM band. Radio entities are based in Jakarta, for example, national radio networks MNC Trijaya FM, Prambors FM, Trax FM, I-Radio, Hard Rock FM, Delta FM, Global FM and the public radio RRI; as well as local stations Gen FM, Radio Elshinta and PM2FAS.
Jakarta is the headquarters for Indonesia's public television TVRI as well as private national television networks, such as Metro TV, tvOne, Kompas TV, RCTI and NET. Jakarta has local television channels such as TVRI Jakarta, JakTV, Elshinta TV and KTV. Many TV stations are analogue PAL, but some are now converting to digital signals using DVB-T2 following a government plan to digital television migration.
Executive governance consists of five administrative cities (), each headed by a mayor (w alikota) and one administrative regency () headed by a regent ( bupati). Unlike other cities and regencies in Indonesia where the mayor or regent is directly elected, Jakarta's mayors and regents are chosen by the governor. Each city and regency is divided into administrative districts.
Aside from representatives to the provincial parliament, Jakarta sends 21 delegates to the national lower house parliament. The representatives are elected from Jakarta's three national electoral districts, which also include overseas voters. It also sends 4 delegates, just like other provinces, to the national upper house parliament.
The Jakarta Smart City (JSC) program was launched on 14 December 2014 with the goal of smart governance, smart people, smart mobility, smart economy, smart living, and a smart environment in the city using the web and various smartphone-based apps.
The Kodam Jaya (, abbreviated Kodam Jaya) is the territorial army of the Indonesian Army, which serves as a defence component for Jakarta and its surrounding areas (Greater Jakarta). It is led by an army Major General with the title of "Jakarta Military Regional Commander" (, abbreviated Pangdam Jaya). The Jakarta Military Command is located at East Jakarta and oversees several military battalions ready to defend the capital city and its vital installations. It also assists the Jakarta Metropolitan Police during certain tasks, such as supporting security during , VVIP security, and riot control.
The provincial government consistently runs a surplus of between 15 and 20% of planned spending, primarily because of delays in procurement and other inefficiencies. Regular under-spending is a matter of public comment. In 2013, the budget was around Rp 50 trillion ($US5.2 billion), equivalent to around $US380 per citizen. Spending priorities were on education, transport, flood control, environment, and social spending (such as health and housing). Jakarta's regional budget (APBD) was Rp 77.1 trillion ($US5.92 billion), Rp 83.2 trillion ($US6.2 billion), and Rp 89 trillion ($US6.35 billion) for the year of 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively.
The only administrative regency (kabupaten) of Jakarta is the Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu), formerly a district within North Jakarta. It is a collection of 105 small islands located on the Java Sea. It is of high conservation value because of its unique ecosystems. Marine tourism, such as diving, water bicycling, and windsurfing, are the primary tourist activities in this territory. The main mode of transportation between the islands is speed boats or small ferries.
+ Jakarta's cities/municipalities (Kota Administratif)
! Name of City or Regency !width="70" | Area in km2 ! style="width:100px;" | Pop'n 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. ! style="width:100px;" | Pop'n 2020 censusBadan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. ! style="width:100px;" | Pop'n mid 2023 estimateBadan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2024, Kota Subussalam Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1175) ! style="width:100px;" | Pop'n density (per km2) in mid 2023 !HDI 2021 estimates |
The province comprises three of Indonesia's 84 national electoral districts to elect members to the People's Representative Council. The Jakarta I Electoral District consists of the administrative city of East Jakarta, and elects 6 members to the People's Representative Council. The Jakarta II Electoral District consists of the administrative cities of Central Jakarta and South Jakarta, together with all overseas voters, and elects 7 members to the People's Representative Council. The Jakarta III Electoral District consists of the administrative cities of North Jakarta and West Jakarta, together with the Thousand Islands Regency, and elects 8 members to the People's Representative Council.Law No. 7/2017 ( UU No. 7 Tahun 2017) as amended by Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 1/2022 and Regulation of General Elections Commission No. 6/2023.
Government-run hospitals are of a good standard but are often overcrowded. Government-run specialised hospitals include Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, as well as community hospitals and puskesmas. Other options for healthcare services include private hospitals and clinics. The private healthcare sector has seen significant changes since the government began allowing foreign investment in the private sector in 2010. While some private facilities are run by nonprofit or religious organisations, most are for-profit. Hospital chains such as Siloam Hospitals, Pondok Indah Hospital Group, Mayapada, Mitra Keluarga, Medika, Medistra, Ciputra, Radjak Hospital Group, RS Bunda Group, and Hermina operate in the city.
According to PALYJA, the service coverage ratio increased substantially from 34% (1998) to 65% (2010) in the western half of the concession. According to data by the Jakarta Water Supply Regulatory Body, access in the eastern half of the city served by PTJ increased from about 57% in 1998 to about 67% in 2004 but stagnated afterward. However, other sources cite much lower access figures for piped water supply to houses, excluding access provided through public hydrants: one study estimated access as low as 25% in 2005, while another estimated it to be as low as 18.5% in 2011. Those without access to piped water get water mostly from wells that are often salty and unsanitary. As of 2017, according to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jakarta had a crisis over clean water.
In addition to its sister cities, Jakarta cooperates with:
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