It’s clear that there is information you need to know about Jakarta before coming here. Everybody knows that there are places on our planet that are easier to live in than Jakarta. But let’s get acquainted more closely with this city, because apart from the hustle and bustle, Jakarta has exciting things to learn.
Information and Facts about Jakarta!
The history of name change
The first fun information about Jakarta is this city had changed its name five times. It was known as Sunda Kelapa from the year 397 to 1527. Jayakarta from 1527 to 1619. Then in 1619 it was named Batavia and remained so till 1942. It was changed to Djakarta in 1942. And finally, it got its present name, Jakarta in 1972.
The city which not a city.
Jakarta is the largest city and capital of Indonesia. But the fact is, it’s a province! It’s coextensive with the metropolitan district of Greater Jakarta (Jakarta Raya) and nearly coextensive with the daerah khusus ibukota (special capital district) of Jakarta—the latter also includes a few small offshore islands in the Java Sea.
The tropical baby
After spending some time in Jakarta, you’d notice that the climate is often unpredictable. Don’t be surprised as Jakarta is prone to tropical monsoons. From October to May is the wet season and the dry season is last from June through September. The city is tropical and humid with temperatures ranging from 75 to 93 °F (24 to 34 °C) and a humidity level between 75 and 85 percent most of the year.
The extreme traffic jams
The avoidable facts about Jakarta is it suffers extreme traffic congestion. So it’s better to use public transportations and avoid driving your car since a 1-hour trip can anytime turn into a 3 – 4 hour nightmare on road here.
The huge population
The facts that might be quite surprising is the area of Jakarta itself is approximately 7,659 square km with a population of around 11,074,811 (2022). You can imagine how densely populated Jakarta is, right? But it’s okay, people in Jakarta are friendly so you don’t have to worry.
Unity in Diversity
Jakarta’s official language is Bahasa Indonesia, which is also the most dominant language. English is its second language and man older people, mostly from the colonial era are speaking Dutch and Portuguese. But if you meet people from various tribes and ethnicities, don’t be surprised at the diverse culture as the population of Jakarta consists of Javanese, Native Jakarta / Betawi, Sundanese, Madurese, Batak, Minangkabau, Malay, Chinese, Arabic, and Tamil.
The “Kaki Lima” Street Food
Jakarta is famous for street food called “kaki lima”. But what makes it fun is the history behind its name. This name was coined in the 1800s. So, we need to look back to Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who was governor of the Dutch East Indies wanted to make better traffic, and that included sidewalks that were 31cm tall and 150cm wide or 5 feet. Then food sellers were quick to use this new sidewalk. And since then, the term “kaki lima” is used. Such unique facts!
The 150cm sunk
For over the last decade Jakarta had faced many different natural calamities and hence the city’s depth had now sunk by 150 centimeters! Yeah, you read the information right. It’s sunk.
The Flood
If you go out of your house or apartment and suddenly the road is submerged in water, it’s a thing that, yeah, is quite common in Jakarta during the rainy season. For your information, Jakarta lies on a low, flat alluvial plain with historically extensive swampy areas; the parts of the city farther inland are slightly higher. And the fact that the city is sunk, so, we warn you again, don’t be surprised.
The city of shopping malls
There are about 130 shopping malls all over Jakarta. Malls can provide many entertainment options such as places to eat, clothes, cafes, or other miscellaneous things. That’s why Jakarta people love to visit the shopping malls so much that the malls are open every day.
Those are some unique and exciting information and facts that you need to know about Jakarta. What number do you think is the most exciting? Do check out our Indonesia quick facts for more info!
