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East Java is one of Indonesia provinces. It is located on the eastern part of Java Island and also includes Madura and Bawean islands. It state in the West neighbor of Bali, across the small Strait of Bali. East Java has a variety of attractions, from temple sites to scenic beaches, a sand-sea, highland-lakes, volcanoes, marine gardens and wildlife reserves. Magnificent mountain scenery include the crater and sea of sand at Mount Bromo, the “sulfur mountain” Welirang and rugged lien Plateau. Little of the former glory of Majapahit Empire, still stands in East Java to day with the exception of temple ruins and some archaeological discoveries. East Java’s claim to fame in modern history is its vanguard role in the struggle for independence against colonial forces in 1945.

The administrative center of the province is located in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia and a major industrial center and port. Its capital, Surabaya is second to Jakarta in size, population and commerce. East Java is also the most industrialized province in the nation. Its economy is based on agriculture, fishery, oil industries, coffee, mangoes and apples. Connected with the rest of Java by good motor roads and train services, there are also air services between Surabaya and other major cities in the country including Bali which is only half an hour’s flight a way. It is also easily accessible by road and regular ferry from Bali and Java. Madura Island, famous for its bull races, is part of the province of East Java, though it has its own traditions and language. Fossilized remains of prehistoric animals and the site of the Java man at Trinil, Ngawi, will tantalize the archaeologist, as well as numerous temple ruins dating from the 7th century AD.

Geographically
The wide of East Java area is 47,921 sq km. Two thirds of the area is mountainous with approximately 48 mountains. The highest peak, Mount Semeru is the highest in Java. The Brantas (314 km) and Bengawan Solo (540 km) are the two big rivers. This area is located between 5o 37′ and 8o 48′ South Latitude and between 110o 54′ and 115o 57′ East Longitude. East Java is bordered by:
North side: Java Sea
South side: Indian Ocean
West Side: Central Java Province
East side: Bali Strait

Administratively
The East Java Province consists of 29 regencies, 8 municipals and 2 administrative towns with Surabaya as its capital city.

Climate
Its topical climate means that October to April is the wet season, and May to September is the dry season with an average temperature of 20-30 C. The rainfall in East Java is relatively low, on average of 2,000 mm per year.

Demography
East Java province consists of various communities such as Javanese and Maduranese with their culture, tradition and customs.

Population
The population is almost 33 million people occupy about 48,000 square kilometers (including Madura island).

Cultural Attractions of East Java
Angklung: An ensemble of bamboo instruments quite popular in Banyuwangi.
Gandrung Dance: A classical dance dedicated to Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice. Popular in Banyuwangi as well.
Bull Race (Karapan Sapi): a regular attraction at the stadium of Pamekasan, Madura.
Labuhan Sesaji: a thanksgiving ceremony held by fishermen of Muncar, Banyuwangi, and Suro.
Reyog Trance Dance: traditional Ponorogo dance with 15 dancers wearing peacock-feather headdresses and tiger mask.
Tayub Dance: a popular social dance from Nganjuk, 120 km southwest of Surabaya. This dance is usually performed at wedding parties or other celebratory gatherings where the dancers use their scarfs to invite guests to join them.

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.