West Java

Jawa Barat ( West Java German ) is a province on the Indonesian island of Java. It is bordered to the west by the city of Jakarta and Banten province to which was separated in 2000 from Jawa Barat, and to the east by Jawa Tengah.

The population of the densely populated province consists predominantly of Sundanese people who profess to be about 94 % to Islam. The largest cities are the capital of Bandung, Bogor and Bekasi in Greater Jakarta and the former Cirebon Sultanate.

Jawa Barat is the most industrialized province of Indonesia. It benefits from its proximity to the capital, Jakarta. Major industries include petroleum and natural gas processing and textile industries. An important role is played by the tourism, especially on the beaches of the north and south coasts. Bogor with its botanical garden and Cirebon are the most famous sights.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the region was Islamized and afterwards was one of the earliest places where Europeans settled. First, the province was part of the Sultanate of Mataram and was placed gradually under Dutch colonial administration. The capital city of Bandung was from 1677 to the Dutch colony, the more remote areas until the 19th century. After the Japanese occupation in World War II Jawa Barat in 1949 a province of the newly independent Indonesia.

Administrative divisions

Jawa Barat consists of the following 17 administrative districts ( kabupaten ) and 9 cities ( kota ):