What do we know about Indonesia? For the average Russian, this state is associated with an expensive resort country. Names such as Bali, Lampung, Sulawesi, Riau, caress the ears and inspire associations about the paradise islands, bungalows on stilts over the turquoise lagoon and the like.
We also know about Indonesia and other less pleasant information. This island state lies in a zone of increased seismic activity. And he is often trembled by typhoons and tropical cyclones.
In a word, at the mention of Indonesia, a Russian tourist imagines rural bucolics, which sometimes (more often in summer) turn into Armageddon under the blows of the elements. But such an idea of the country is not entirely true.
There are cities in Indonesia with more than a million inhabitants. And this is not only the capital. There are fourteen million-plus cities in Indonesia, according to the latest census of 2014. We will talk about some of them today.
Special status
According to the current legislation of Indonesia, the city (cat) in the country is a special administrative unit. They are equated to the territory of the third level.
That is, in fact, they are administratively equal to the district (kabupaten). The city municipality is headed by a mayor, who in Indonesian is called a valikota.
This autonomous administrative-territorial unit has a legislative body. It is called Dewan Pervakilan Rakyat Daer, which can be freely translated as a Regional Council of Representatives of the People.
This municipality body is elected. It may include city residents. The status of a "cat" in Indonesia has ninety-eight settlements (as of 2013).
In medieval Europe it was said that "the air of the city makes a man free." After all, the townspeople were not serfs. The man who lived in the "villa" for more than a year got rid of feudal dependence.
Of course, in Indonesia there is no serfdom. But the citizens in this country still differ in status from rural residents.
Jakarta
Let's start our review with the capital of Indonesia. The city of Jakarta differs from the rest of the cat in its administrative structure.
He has the status of the second, not third level. That is, Jakarta is equated to the province and is governed by the governor. But it is called the Special Capital District.
In fact, Jakarta consists of five cities, which are simply called: Central, Western, Eastern, Southern and Northern. These administrative units have somewhat reduced rights compared to other cats. They do not have legislative bodies. Also, mayors are not elected by residents. They are appointed by the Governor of Jakarta.
The capital is a kabupaten administrative area - a special region, which includes not only five cities, but also several islands off the coast that have no buildings. It should be said that the number of people in Jakarta in 2014 exceeded 10 million.
The largest administrative cat is Oriental. 2 million 842 thousand people live there. And the smallest number of inhabitants is Central Jakarta (953,000).
Capital for tourists
Let us give some more attention to the main city of Indonesia. Many foreign tourists flying to the paradise islands land at Jakarta International Airport. But most do not stay here. How many of them immediately resort to the help of local airlines and go to resorts! But they lose a lot.
This 10 millionth megalopolis on the island of Java can win the heart of any tourist. In Central Jakarta, in addition to diplomatic missions, there is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia - Istiklal.
The southern part of the capital is the most luxurious. There are skyscrapers, concentrated fashion stores. In Eastern tourists there is nothing to do. There is only one attraction - the Mini Indonesia Park.
The northern district adjoins the sea. Although the beaches here are of dubious cleanliness, there is an amusement park called Taman Impian Jaya Ankol.
And finally, the main natural attraction of the capital is the Thousand Islands. This national park fully lives up to its name.
It will also be interesting for tourists to visit the local Chinatown and Western Jakarta, where the spirit of Dutch colonialism is still preserved.
Indonesia: the largest cities. Surabaya
Not all foreign tourists land at the capital's airport. Most are met by the air harbor of Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city with a population of three million.
The name of this “cat” comes from the combination of two words - “crocodile” and “shark”. But, despite the bloodthirstiness of the toponym, Surabaya is a very beautiful city. And many tourists traveling in East Java stay for a long time in the provincial capital.
The metropolis is a charming mix of modernity and antiquity. The local mosque, Masjid al-Akbar, can compete in size with the metropolitan Istiklal. In addition, there is the opportunity to take the elevator to the dome and view Surabaya from a bird's eye view.
Other sights of the city include the Christian Church of Gereya Kelahiran with magnificent stained glass windows, Sampoern House - a complex of colonial buildings, the cable-stayed bridge Suramadu, which is thrown onto the island of Madura, and a submarine museum.
Surabaya Zoo is considered the largest in Southeast Asia and the best in terms of animal welfare. An interesting excursion and useful shopping can be combined if you go to the exotic Pasar Ampell market.
Denpasar
Many uninitiated people think that Bali is a resort city in Indonesia. In fact, this is an island on which several settlements are located. The largest of them and, accordingly, the capital of the Bali district is Denpasar.
This is not a very big city. Its population barely exceeds 500 thousand. But the fact is that the resorts of Kuta and Sanur practically merged with Denpasar, forming an agglomeration significant over the territory.
Therefore, tourists who do not want to understand the intricacies of Indonesian culture and history have the opinion that Bali is a city. Denpasar has for centuries been greatly influenced by Chinese culture. It is especially noticeable in the central part of the city.
Denpasar, whose name translates as “East of the market”, began to develop relatively recently. Therefore, in the middle of the city building there is still a rural one, hotels are located in the middle of rice fields, and administrative buildings are along country roads.
Most of the tourists in Bali prefer to relax in Kuta - a fashionable area - or Sanur, a party and affordable place for prices. Surf lovers stay in the village of Cangu, and seekers of solitude - on the Bukite Peninsula.
Bencalis
This city in Indonesia on the island of the same name is also the capital of the county and the district (kebupatena and ketsamatana) with the same name. Its population totals more than 66 thousand people.
But this indicator should be viewed through the prism of time. Just ten years ago, Benkalis was a small town with 20 thousand inhabitants.
The city is developing rapidly, and not only due to tourism. The port also brings profit, an important trading point in the Strait of Malacca.
Bandung
This is the third most populated city (two and a half million people) in Indonesia. Bandung's photo justifies his nickname, “Paris on Java.” But the local population calls him Kota Kembang, which means City of Flowers.
There are really a lot of them on the streets of this Europeanized metropolis. Foreign tourists rarely come to Bandung, preferring seaside resorts. But their lack is more than paid for by the residents of Jakarta, who adore coming here for the weekend.
The fact is that Bandung is located on the slopes of the volcano, at an altitude of 768 meters. Therefore, the climate at the mountain resort is very mild and pleasant.
Medan
Indonesia’s fourth largest city with two million inhabitants is also the capital of the province of North Sumatra. And although European tourists regard it as a transshipment base for exploring magnificent surroundings, such as Mount Ganung Sibayak, Lake Toba with the “island on the island” Samosir, the hot springs of Semangat Ganung, there is also something to see in the city itself.
The main attraction of Medan is the Masjid Raya Mosque in the Moroccan style. You can continue exploring the sacred buildings from the Hindu temple of Pura Agung, the Buddhist (the largest in Southeast Asia) Makh Maitreya, Tamil Sri Mahamarriaman and the Catholic Church of the Holy Virgin Mary.
Medan is an extremely multicultural city. In addition to Chinatown, there is also the “Little India” area.
Indonesia's smallest city
As we have already mentioned, 92 settlements have the status of “cat” in the country. And the last in terms of population is Sabang - with 40 thousand inhabitants. It is also the most western city.
It is located in Aceh province on the island of Sumatra. As they say in Russia “from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok”, referring to the entire territory of the country, in Indonesia they use the phraseological phrase “From Sabang to Merauke”.