Yogyakarta
Special
Region
(Daerah
Istimewa
Yogyakarta,
DIY)
is
officially
one
of
Indonesia's
32
provinces.
Yogyakarta
is
one
of
the
foremost
cultural
centers
of
Java.
This
region
is
located
at
the
foot
of
the
active
Merapi
volcano,
Yogyakarta
was
in
the
16th
and
17th
centuries
the
seat
of
the
mighty
Javanese
empire
of
Mataram
from
which
present
day
Yogyakarta
has
the
best
inherited
of
traditions.
The
city
itself
has
a
special
charm,
which
seldom
fails
to
captivate
the
visitor.
This
province
is
one
of
the
most
densely
populated
areas
of
Indonesia.
The
city
came
into
being
in
1755,
after
the
Mataram
division
into
the
Sultanates
of
Yogyakarta
and
Surakarta
(Solo).
Gamelan,
classical
and
contemporary
Javanese
dances,
wayang
kulit
(leather
puppet),
theater
and
other
expressions
of
traditional
art
will
keep
the
visitor
spellbound.
Local
craftsmen
excel
in
arts
such
batiks,
silver
and
leather
works.
Next
to
the
traditional,
contemporary
art
has
found
fertile
soil
in
Yogya's
culture
oriented
society.
ASRI,
the
Academy
of
Fine
Arts
is
the
center
of
arts
and
Yogyakarta
itself
has
given
its
name
to
an
important
school
of
modern
painting
in
Indonesia,
perhaps
best
personified
by
the
famed
Indonesian
impressionist,
the
late
Affandi.
Yogyakarta
is
often
called
the
main
gateway
to
the
Central
Java
as
where
it
is
geographically
located.
It
stretches
from
Mount
Merapi
to
the
Indian
Ocean.
There
is
daily
air
service
to
Yogya
from
Jakarta,
Surabaya
and
Bali
as
well
as
regular
train
service
and
easy
accessibility
by
road.
Yogyakarta
is
commonly
considered
as
the
modern
cultural
of
Central
Java.
Although
some
may
prefer
Solo
as a
good
runner
up,
Yogyakarta
remains
the
clear
front-runner
for
traditional
dance,
Wayang
(traditional
puppetry)
and
music.
Yogyakarta
has
more
than
just
culture
though.
It
is a
very
lively
city
and
a
shopper's
delight.
The
main
road,
Malioboro
Street,
is
always
crowded
and
famous
for
its
night
street
food-culture
and
street
vendors.
Many
tourist
shops
and
cheap
hotels
are
concentrated
along
this
street
or
in
the
adjoining
tourist
area
such
Sosrowijayan
Street.
The
key
attraction
of
Yogyakarta
is 'Kraton'
(the
Sultan's
Palace).
The
Sultan's
palace
is
the
centre
of
Yogya's
traditional
life
and
despite
the
advance
of
modernity;
it
still
emanates
the
spirit
of
refinement,
which
has
been
the
hallmark
of
Yogya's
art
for
centuries.
This
vast
complex
of
decaying
buildings
was
built
in
the
18th
century,
and
is
actually
a
walled
city
within
the
city
with
luxurious
pavilions
and
in
which
the
current
Sultan
still
resides.
Yogyakarta
is
also
the
only
major
city,
which
still
has
traditional
'Becak'
(rickshaw-style)
transport.
Geographically
Yogyakarta
Special
Region
is
geographically
located
almost
equidistant
from
Indonesia's
two
most
important
international
gateways,
about
600
km
from
Jakarta
and
1000
km
from
Bali.
Yogyakarta
also
has
excellent
transport
connections
by
bus,
train
or
plane
to
the
rest
of
Java,
Sumatra,
Bali
and
Lombok.
Yogyakarta's
Adisucipto
Airport
is
in
the
process
of
changing
its
status
in
order
to
receive
not
only
domestics'
flights
from
Bali
and
Jakarta,
but
also
direct
charter
and
scheduled
flights
from
other
countries.
Geographically,
Yogyakarta
Special
Province
is
situated
in
the
Southern
part
of
Central
Java
and
lies
between
7
degree
33'
and
8
degree
12',
South
altitude
between
110
degree
and
50'
East
longitude.
Some
regencies
of
central
Java
Province
surround
the
administrative
boundaries
of
this
region:
Southern
East:
Wonogiri
Regency
Eastern:
Klaten
Regency
Northwestern:
Magelang
Regency
Western:
Purworejo
Regency
The
Indonesian
Ocean
borders
the
Southern
part
of
Yogyakarta.
The
borderline
of
the
seashore
stretches
from
West
to
East
of
which
the
length
is
around
100
km,
started
from
Congot
Beach
in
Kulon
Progo
Regency
and
ended
at
Sadeng
Beach
in
Gunung
Kidul
Regency.
Because
of
its
location,
Yogyakarta
is
strategically
positioned
for
the
economic
activity
network
in
Java
as
well
as
for
the
tourist
destination
area.
The
special
region
of
Yogyakarta
lies
midway
on
the
axis
of
several
main
tourist
destination
areas,
Jakarta
and
West
Java
westward,
Central
Java
northward,
East
Java
and
Bali
eastward.
It
is
linked
by
regular
rail,
road
and
air
services
to
other
parts
of
Indonesian
archipelago.
Climate
and
Weather
in
Yogyakarta
The
average
daily
temperature
range
between
26
degree
and
28
degree
Celsius
with
its
minimum
18
degree
C
and
maximum
35
degree
C
respectively.
Average
humidity
is
74%
with
its
minimum
of
65%
and
maximum
84%
respectively.
The
Yogyakarta
Special
Region
lays
approximately
7
South
of
the
equator
line
and
is
bathed
in
tropical;
sunshine
along
the
year.
This
region
has
a
tropic
climate
the
daily
atmosphere
feels
a
little
bit
hot
and
humid.
These
are
only
two
seasons
along
the
year,
the
wet
or
rainy
seasons
and
dry
monsoon.
Usually
the
wet
seasons
begin
at
September
and
lasts
about
August.
Generally
there
is
no
rainfalls
from
may
to
August
and
there
fore
the
atmosphere
feels
hot
and
humid
on
the
day
and
cool
in
the
night
and
early
morning.
The
monthly
rain
falling
Yogyakarta
varies
between
3mm
and
496mm
in
which
those
above
300mm
take
place
during
the
month
of
January
up
to
April.
The
heaviest
rainfall
usually
occurs
in
February
while
the
lowest
commonly
happens
between
May
and
October
Average
annually
rainfall
is
about
1,900mm.
Populations
of
Yogyakarta
Based
on
2000,
the
total
population
of
Yogyakarta
special
Region
amounted
to
3.311.812.
Yogyakarta
Municipality
that
has
461,800
inhabitants
spread
over
32,50
kilometers
or
the
average
population
density
is
thus
over
14,200
persons
per
square
kilometer.
The
least
densely
populated
districts
is
in
Gunung
Kidul
regency
which
has
720.643
inhabitants
and
cover
1,485
square
kilometers
or
the
density
rate
is
485
persons
per
square
kilometer.
Since
a
very
long
time
ago
the
Provincial
territory
of
Yogyakarta
Special
Region
and
its
surrounding
has
been
decently
populated.
The
majority
residents
of
Yogyakarta
Special
Region
are
Javanese
whose
language
derives
from
ancient
Sanskrit.
However,
as
Yogyakarta
is
considered
to
be
"Indonesia's
academic
city"
due
to
the
numerous
centers
for
higher
learning,
many
of
the
inhabitants
are
student
who
come
from
all
over
Indonesia
to
study.
Culture
of
Yogyakarta
The
culture
Yogyakarta
province
with
its
status
as a
special
region
lies
in
the
Southern
part
of
Central
Java,
in
the
heartland
of
Javanese
culture.
As
the
former
capital
and
the
center
of
several
kingdoms
in
the
past,
this
region
and
its
people
are
very
rich
in a
variety
of
cultures.
It
is
widely
known
from
to
historical
records
that
the
civilization,
art
and
culture
had
developed
well
in
the
center
of
those
kingdoms
respectively
in
the
Ancient
Mataram
Kingdom
(8th
-
10th
Century)
era,
the
second
Mataram
Kingdom
(17th
-
18th
Century)
and
Sultanate
Ngayogyokarto
from
the
mid
of
18th
Century
up
today.
It
should
be
noted
that
the
cultural
heritage
from
the
past
includes
the
magnificent
temples,
the
ruins
of
palaces
and
monasteries,
the
various
kind
of
traditions,
cultural
events,
traditional
folk
and
performing
arts,
architecture
and
other
traditional
activities.
It
is
important
to
note
that
this
is
all
part
of
the
living
culture
of
Yogyakarta,
color
of
daily
activities
of
live
and
the
local
inhabitants
behavior,
particularly
the
Javanese
community
with
its
traditional
way
of
life
and
customs.
Therefore,
because
of
its
culture
richness
and
heritage,
Yogyakarta
has
long
been
known
as
the
cradle
of
Javanese
culture.
The
other
legendary
name
for
Yogyakarta
City,
among
the
elders
as
well
as
the
youth
generation
that
is
the
City
of
Art
and
Culture.
Traditional
and
modern
exhibition
are
held
almost
every
day
and
night
about
the
art
of
theater,
pantomime,
music,
classic
and
contemporary
dances,
poems,
etc.
Those
are
flow
in
the
heart
of
the
city.
Even
more,
there
are
abundant
of
cultural
ceremony,
such
as
Sekaten,
Gunungan,
Labuhan,
Malioboro
Fair,
etc,
which
make
the
city
has
high
value
of
tradition,
art,
and
culture.
