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Tangerang

Largest city in Banten, Indonesia

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Al-Azhom mosque in Banten, Indonesia
JahlilMA · CC BY-SA 4.0

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The city is an industrial and manufacturing hub for the island of Java and is home to over 1,000 factories. It has an area of 164.55 km2 (63.53 sq mi) and an official 2010 Census population of 1,798,601, which had risen to 1,895,486 at the 2020 Census, making it the eighth most populated suburb in the world at the latter date. In 2024, the population was estimated to be 1,927,815, consisting of 968,776 men and 959,039 women.

As one of the cities around Jakarta, Tangerang partly functions as a dormitory city with numerous residents commuting to Jakarta for work. Many high-class and middle-class satellite cities have been developed in Tangerang, complete with their own shopping malls, private schools and convenience centers. The government is working on expanding the toll road system to accommodate more traffic flow to and from the area. However, the city also contains many industrial areas, such as Jatake, and business districts, such as Alam Sutera, in its own right.

Since the 2000s, property developers and investors have favored Tangerang to create new economic and commercial centers. Recent and ongoing developments within and around Tangerang City include BSD City, Gading Serpong, Alam Sutera, Modernland, and Lippo Village. Some of those areas are the locations of prominent private universities, such as Bina Nusantara and Bunda Mulia campuses in Alam Sutera area. The Indonesia campus of Monash University is located in BSD area. The British School Jakarta (in South Tangerang City) is located not far from the border of Tangerang City. Moreover, the first IKEA in Indonesia is also operating in Tangerang.

History

Origins

According to F. de Haan's writings taken from the VOC archives, reports that the Banten Sultanate had created a large country located west of the Untung Jawa River, and to fill the new land the Sultan of Banten had displaced 5,000 to 6,000 inhabitants.

In the Dag Register dated December 20, 1668, it was reported that the Sultan of Banten had appointed Raden Sena Pati and Kyai Demang as rulers. On suspicion of seizing the kingdom, Raden Sena Pati and Kyai Demang were sacked by the Sultan.

Prince Dipati was appointed to the region. For the dismissal, Ki Demang pitted Banten against the VOC. But he was killed in Kademangan.

The next VOC archive, the Dag Register dated March 4, 1680, explains that the ruler of Tangerang at that time was Kyai Dipati Soera Dielaga. Kyai Soeradilaga and his son Subraja asked for the protection of the VOC, followed by 143 retinues and soldiers. He and his retinue were given a place on the east side of the river, bordering the VOC. During the fighting with Banten, Soeradilaga and his war experts succeeded in repelling Bantenese troops. For his services, he was given the honorary title of Raden Aria Suryamanggala, while Prince Subraja was given the title of Kyai Dipati Soetadilaga.

Subsequently, Raden Aria Soetadilaga was appointed Regent of Tangerang I with an area covering the Angke River and Cisadane River. The title he used was Aria Soetidilaga I. Then, with an agreement signed on April 17, 1684, Tangerang became part of the territory of the VOC; Banten did not have the right to intervene in regulating governance in Tangerang. One of the articles of the agreement reads: "And it must be known with certainty the extent to which the boundaries of the territory that have been understood since the past will still be determined, namely the area bounded by Tangerang from the Java Sea coast to the mountains to the South Sea. That all land along Tangerang will belong to or be occupied by the VOC".

With the agreement, the regent's territory expanded to the west of the Tangerang river. To monitor Tangerang, it was deemed necessary to add more guard posts along the Tangerang river border, because the Bantenese often attacked suddenly. According to a map made in 1692, the oldest post is located at the mouth of the Cisadane River, to the north of Kampung Baru. However, when a new post was established, the location shifted to the south at the mouth of the Tangerang River. According to the archives of Gewone Resolutie van het Casteel Batavia, on April 3, 1705, there were plans to demolish the buildings in the post because they only had bamboo walls. Then the building was proposed to be replaced with a wall. Governor-General Hendrick Zwaardecroon strongly agreed with the proposal, and was even instructed to build a wallei fence around the buildings in the guard posts, so that the Bantenese could not attack. The new fort that would be built was planned to have a wall 20 feet thick or more. There will be placed 30 Europeans under the leadership of a Vandrig and 28 Makassarese who will live outside the fort. The basic material for the fort is bricks obtained from Tangerang Regent Aria Soetadilaga I.

After the fort was completed it was manned by 60 Europeans and 30 Blacks as well as Makassarese recruited as VOC soldiers. This fort later became the base of the VOC in the face of the rebellion from Banten. Then in 1801, it was decided to repair and strengthen the post or garrison, with a new building located 60 meters to the southeast, precisely located east of Jalan Besar PAL 17. Indigenous people at that time were more familiar with this building as "Fortress". .Since then, Tangerang is known as the Citadel. This fort since 1812 has not been maintained anymore, even according to the "Superintendent of Public Building and Work" dated March 6, 1816 stated:

"... The fort and barracks in Tangerang are now neglected, no one wants to see them anymore. Many doors and windows were broken and people even took it for their own sake."

Indonesian revolution

In October 1945, Laskar Hitam, a Muslim militia, was established in Tangerang. The goal of this movement was to establish an Islamic nation in Indonesia. This movement later became a part of DI/TII rebel group. On 31 October 1945, Laskar Hitam kidnapped Otto Iskandardinata, the Republic of Indonesia's Minister of State. He was presumed to have been murdered at Mauk beach, Tangerang on 20 December 1945.

Recent history

Tangerang city was formed as an autonomous city on 27 February 1993 out of the Tangerang Regency. The city was previously an administrative city within that regency.

In 2007, the city government passed an anti-prostitution law, which meant that women who are perceived to be dressed too provocatively may be arrested. Some news outlets reported that some women decided to wear the hijab to avoid being prosecuted under this law. In addition the city government began requiring municipal employees to abide by Islamic dress codes.

In 2021, a fire at Tangerang prison killed at least 41 inmates and injured 80 people.

In September 2024, Alice Guo went back to the Philippines following her arrest in Tangerang.

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