Jakarta crowded city

About Jakarta
Jakarta or DKI Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a greater population than any other city in southeast Asia. More than 23 million people live here. Known as Sunda Kelapa (397-1527), Jayakarta(1527-1619), Batavia(1619-1942), and Djakarta(1942-1972). Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political center.

Transportation
Jakarta transportation system consist of International Airport Soekarno-Hatta, Harbour Tanjung Priok, Train, Busway, public vehicle called angkot or bus, bajaj (auto rickshaw), bemo, ojek (by motor). This transportation system is very cheap among other country in Asia. For example the cost of taking Bus only IDR ２,000 (1US$ = IDR 12,000).

Jakarta city



Traffic jam at Thamrin, Jakarta



Culture

As the economic and political capital of Indonesia, Jakarta attracts many foreign as well as domestic immigrants. As a result, Jakarta has a decidedly cosmopolitan flavor and a diverse culture. Many of the immigrants are from the other parts of the island of Java, bringing along a mixture of dialects of the Javanese and Sundanese languages, as well as their traditional foods and customs.

Jakarta is sometimes called "The Big Durian" by foreigners resident in the city. The durian is a tropical fruit with a distinctive odor and acquired taste. A bustling urban metropolis, Jakarta is known for its overcrowding, traffic congestion, and income disparity.

The Betawi (Orang Betawi, or "people of Batavia") is a term used to describe the descendants of the people living around Batavia and recognized as a tribe from around the 18th-19th century. The Betawi people are mostly descended from various Southeast Asia ethnic groups brought or attracted to Batavia to meet labor needs, and include people from various parts of Indonesia. The language and culture of these immigrants are distinct from those of the Sundanese or Javanese. The language is more based on East Malay dialect and enriched by loan words from Javanese, Chinese, and Arab. Nowadays, the Jakarta-dialects used by people in Jakarta is loosely based on Betawi Language.

There has also been a significant Chinese community in Jakarta for many centuries. Officially, they make up 6% of the Jakarta population, though this number may be under-reported.