Yogyakarta

History

Mataram Kingdom (8th–10th century CE)

According to the Canggal inscription dated 732 CE, the area traditionally known as "Mataram" became the capital of the Medang Kingdom, identified as Mdang i Bhumi Mataram established by King Sanjaya of Mataram. The inscription was found in a Hindu temple in Central Java, 40 km away from Yogyakarta and 20 km away from the giant Borobudur temple complex. This Hindu temple itself was on the border between the area of the Hindu Sanjaya dynasty and the area of the Buddhist Shailendra dynasty.

Mataram became the centre of a refined and sophisticated Javanese Hindu-Buddhist culture for about three centuries in the heartland of the Progo River valley, on the southern slopes of Mount Merapi volcano. This time period witnessed the construction of numerous candi, including Borobudur and Prambanan.

Around the year 929 CE, the last ruler of the Sanjaya dynasty, King Mpu Sindok of Mataram, moved the seat of power of the Mataram Kingdom from Central Java to East Java and thus established the Isyana dynasty. The exact cause of the move is still uncertain; however, a severe eruption from Mount Merapi or a power struggle with the Sumatra-based Srivijaya kingdom probably caused the move.

Historians suggest that some time during the reign of King Wawa of Mataram (924–929 CE), Merapi erupted and devastated the kingdom's capital in Mataram.

Majapahit Empire (1293–1527)

During the Majapahit era, the area surrounding modern Yogyakarta was identified again as "Mataram" and recognised as one of the twelve Majapahit provinces in Java ruled by Bhre Mataram. During the reign of the fourth king of the Majapahit Empire, the Hindu Hayam Wuruk (1350–1389) of the Rajasa dynasty, the title of Bhre Mataram was held by the king's nephew and son-in-law Wikramawardhana, later the fifth king of Majapahit.

Mataram Sultanate (1587–1755)

Kotagede, now a district in southeastern Yogyakarta, was established as the capital of the Mataram Sultanate from 1587 to 1613.

During the reign of Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo (1613–1645), the Mataram Sultanate reached its zenith as the greatest kingdom in Java, and expanded its influence to Central Java, East Java, and half of West Java. After two changes of capital—to Karta and then to Plered, both located in present-day Bantul Regency—the capital of the Mataram Sultanate finally moved to Kartasura.

Yogyakarta secedes and European invasions (1745–1830)

A civil war in the Mataram Sultanate broke out between Pakubuwono II (1745–1749), the last ruler of Kartasura, and his younger brother and heir apparent to the throne, Prince Mangkubumi (later known as Hamengkubuwono I, the first Sultan of Yogyakarta, and the founder of the current ruling royal house). Pakubuwono II had agreed to cooperate with the Dutch East India Company, and ceded some Mataram territory to the Dutch. Prince Mangkubumi, stood against the agreement, citing concerns that the people would become slaves under Dutch rule. During the war, Prince Mangkubumi defeated Pakubuwono II's forces and declared sovereignty in the Sultanate of Yogyakarta, occupying the southern parts of the former Mataram Sultanate.

With Pakubowono II dead from illness, the Yogyakarta Sultanate was established as a result of the Treaty of Giyanti (Perjanjian Gianti), signed and ratified on 13 February 1755 among Prince Mangkubumi, the Dutch East India Company, and his nephew Pakubuwono III and his allies. Ascending to the newly created Yogyakarta throne with the name Sultan Hamengkubuwono I, Mangkubumi thus established the royal House of Hamengkubuwono, still the ruling house of Yogyakarta today. Sultan Hamengkubuwono I and his family officially moved into the Palace of Yogyakarta, still the seat of the reigning sultan, on 7 October 1756. These events consequently marked the end of the Mataram Sultanate, resulting in the births of the rival Yogyakarta Sultanate and the Surakarta Sunanate.

During the brief period of British rule over Java in 1811, rumours of plans by the Yogyakarta court to launch an attack against the British led to uneasiness among the Britons stationed in Java. On 20 June 1812, Sir Stamford Raffles led a 1,200-strong British force to capture the Yogyakarta kraton. The Yogyakarta forces, surprised by the attack, were easily defeated; the kraton fell in one day, and was subsequently sacked and burnt.

The attack on the kraton was the first of its kind in Indonesian history, leaving the Yogyakarta court humiliated. The sultanate found itself involved in conflict again during the Java War.

Republic of Indonesia era (1945–present)

In 1942, the Japanese Empire invaded the Dutch East Indies and ruled Java until they were defeated in 1945. Sukarno proclaimed the independence of the Indonesian Republic on 17 August 1945; Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX promptly sent a letter to Sukarno, expressing his support for the newly born nation of Indonesia and acknowledging the Yogyakarta Sultanate as part of the Indonesian Republic.

The Sultanate of Surakarta did the same, and both of the Javanese kingdoms were accordingly awarded privileged statuses as "Special Regions" within the Indonesian Republic. However, because of a leftist anti-royalist uprising in Surakarta, the Sunanate of Surakarta lost its special administrative status in 1946 and was absorbed into Central Java Province.

Yogyakarta's support was essential in the Indonesian struggle for independence during the Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949). The city of Yogyakarta became the capital of the Indonesian Republic from 1946 to 1948, after the fall of Jakarta to the Dutch. Later the Dutch also invaded Yogyakarta, causing the Republic's capital to be transferred once again, to Bukittinggi in West Sumatra on 19 December 1948. The General Offensive of 1 March 1949 resulted in an Indonesian political and strategic victory against the Dutch and the withdrawal of Dutch forces from Yogyakarta. On 29 June 1949 Yogyakarta was completely cleared of Dutch forces, under pressure from the United Nations.

For its significant contribution to the survival of the Indonesian Republic, Yogyakarta was given autonomy as a "special district",

Geography

The area of the city of Yogyakarta is 32.82 square kilometres (12.7 square miles). While the city spreads in all directions from the Kraton, the Sultan's palace, the core of the modern city is to the north, centred around Dutch colonial-era buildings and the commercial district. Jalan Malioboro, with rows of pavement vendors and nearby markets and malls, is the primary shopping street for tourists in the city, while Jalan Solo, further north and east, is the shopping district more frequented by locals. The large local market of Beringharjo and the restored Dutch fort of Vredeburg are on the eastern part of the southern end of Malioboro.

Surrounding the Kraton is a densely populated residential neighbourhood that occupies land that was formerly the Sultan's sole domain. Evidence of this former use remains in the form of old walls, scattered throughout the city, and the ruins of the Taman Sari water castle, built in 1758 as a pleasure garden. No longer in use by the Sultan, the garden was largely abandoned before being used for housing by palace employees and descendants. Reconstruction efforts began in 2004, and the site is now a popular tourist attraction.

Nearby to the city of Yogyakarta is Mount Merapi, with the northern outskirts of the city running up to the southern slopes of the mountain in Sleman Regency. Mount Merapi (literally "mountain of fire" in both Indonesian and Javanese), is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548, with the last eruption occurring in January 2024.

Climate

Yogyakarta features a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen: Am) as the precipitation in the driest months between June and September are below 100 millimetres (3.9 inches). The wettest month in Yogyakarta is January with precipitation totalling 392 millimetres (15.4 inches). The climate is influenced by the monsoon. The annual temperature is roughly about 26 to 27 Celsius. The hottest month is April with average temperature 27.1 Celsius.

Administrative districts

The city of Yogyakarta is an administrative part of the Yogyakarta Special Region which has the status of a province in Indonesia. In 2020, Yogyakarta City held the highest population density in Greater Yogyakarta, with 11,546 people per square kilometre, Sleman and Bantul Regencies holding the second place with a population density of 1,958.5 people/sq kilometre, and third place with 1,940 people/sq kilometre respectively. Within the Greater Yogyakarta area lies Yogyakarta city.

Yogyakarta is divided into fourteen district-level subdivisions called kemantren (Javanese: ꦏꦼꦩꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦺꦤ꧀), which makes Yogyakarta the only city in Indonesia to have such a designation, as it applied only within the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Below is a list of the kemantrens with their areas and their populations as at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages within each district, and its post codes.

Economy

In 2017, the Gross Domestic Regional Product (GRDP) of Yogyakarta at current prices was 31.31 trillion rupiahs (around US$2.2 billion). The tertiary sector contributed an important share (around 78% of GDP). the tertiary sector included wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles, transportation and warehousing; provision of accommodation and eating and drinking; information and communication; financial services and insurance; real estate; corporate services; government administration, defence and compulsory social security; educational services; health services and social activities as well as other services. In 2017, economic growth of Yogyakarta reached 5.24 percent slightly faster compared to 2016, which the growth reached 5.11 percent.

The minimum wage for Yogyakarta is Rp 2.827.593 as of 2026.The standard minimum wage of Rp 2.417.495 for the entire province ranks them of having one of the lowest minimum wage of all Indonesian provinces.

A plan for the 2nd phase of Indonesian high speed train is currently being developed from Bandung to Yogyakarta and Surabaya. This proposal would connect to other high-speed rail in Indonesia. The plan is still under development as of 2025.

There is a ongoing trade in live fruit bats (Pteropus, Cynopterus) in the Yogyakarta area. Research led by EcoVerde Global Consulting showed ongoing trade in the animal markets with higher numbers per capita in economically less affluent areas and higher numbers in cities with larger Christian populations

Demographics

Religion

Islam is the majority religion in the city of Yogyakarta, adhered to by 83.81% of the population, with a number of Christians at 15.8% (Catholics 9.61% and Protestants 6.10%). A small percentage of the population follows Buddhism (0.25%), Hinduism (0.12%), and Confucianism (0.01%).

Since its founding, Yogyakarta has been a multicultural city inhabited by various ethnicities and religions. Several places of worship have existed for a long time, such as Kauman Great Mosque, Syuhada Mosque, Kotagede Mosque, HKBP Church, Kotabaru Catholic Church, Tjen Ling Kiong Temple, and Fuk Ling Miau Temple.

Yogyakarta is also the birthplace of one of Indonesia's largest Islamic organizations, Muhammadiyah, founded by K.H. Ahmad Dahlan in 1912 in Kauman, Ngupasan, Gondomanan, Yogyakarta. To this day, the Central Board of Muhammadiyah is still headquartered in Yogyakarta.

In 2018, the governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Hamengkubuwono X, called for religious freedoms to be preserved after a terrorist attack against churches and public buildings in Surabaya the same year.

Tourism

Malioboro street is a popular shopping and culinary area within the city, which has pedestrian zone. Yogyakarta Kraton is the palace and seat of the reigning Sultan of Yogyakarta also located in the city.

Sport

Yogyakarta has several supporting facilities in the field of sports. Kridosono Stadium is the oldest stadium in Yogyakarta, built during the colonial period along with the Kotabaru area. Besides Kridosono Stadium, there is also Mandala Krida Stadium, which is now the main stadium. This stadium is primarily used for football matches, as well as other events like drag races and Eid prayers. After a major renovation from 2013 to 2019, Mandala Krida Stadium now has more comprehensive facilities, including areas for rock climbing, beach volleyball, roller skating, tennis, motor racing, and archery. Not far from Mandala Krida Stadium, in the southeast area, there is Among Rogo Sports Hall, a multi-purpose sports arena frequently used for basketball and badminton championships.

Yogyakarta is the birthplace of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), the national governing body for football in the country. It was founded by Soeratin Sosrosoegondo on April 19, 1930, initially under the name Persatuan Sepak Raga Seluruh Indonesia. The original building now serves as the PSSI Monument.

PSIM Yogyakarta

PSIM Yogyakarta was founded on September 5, 1929. The name Mataram was chosen because Yogyakarta was the center of the Mataram Sultanate (Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat). PSIM uses Mandala Krida Stadium as its home ground. Currently, PSIM competes in the central region of Liga 2 Indonesia.

Education

Yogyakarta is home to Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia's largest university and one of its most prominent. Other public universities in Yogyakarta include Yogyakarta State University, Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University, The Indonesian Institute of the Arts and Poltekkes Kemenkes Yogyakarta. There is also one public university in Yogyakarta providing education through distance learning or distance education at Universitas Terbuka or Indonesia Open University. The city is also the location of several well-known private universities such as Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, College of Health Sciences Ahmad Yani Yogyakarta, Islamic University of Indonesia, Atma Jaya University, Duta Wacana Christian University, Ahmad Dahlan University and Sanata Dharma University.

The city is also home to the Indonesian Air Force Academy, located on the Adisucipto Airport complex.

Primagama, one of the largest tutoring institutions in Indonesia, is headquartered in the city.

Transportation

Airport

Yogyakarta is served primarily by Yogyakarta International Airport in Kulon Progo Regency, which connects the city with other major cities in Indonesia, such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Lombok, Makassar, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Pekanbaru, Palembang, and Pontianak. It also internationally connects the city with Kuala Lumpur (operated by AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia). Another airport is Adisutjipto Airport in Sleman Regency, which only serves limited commercial planes.

Rail

Yogyakarta was first served by rail in 1872. The city is located on one of the two major railway lines that run across Java between Jakarta in the west and Surabaya in the east.

Yogyakarta has two passenger railway stations, Yogyakarta Station which serves business and executive class trains, and Lempuyangan Station which serves economy class trains; both stations are located in the centre of the city. Yogyakarta Station is the terminus of two commuter train services: KRL Commuterline Yogyakarta–Solo, which runs to Solo Balapan Station in the city of Surakarta and Prambanan Express (Prameks), which runs to Kutoarjo Station in Kutoarjo. Other commuter trains run from Madiun Jaya (Madiun Station-Lempuyangan Station), and Joglosemar (Semarang Poncol Station-Lempuyangan Station). Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link links Yogyakarta International Airport to the city center.

Roads

The city has an extensive system of public city buses, and is a major departure point for inter-city buses to other cities in Java and Bali, as well as taxis, andongs, and becaks. Motorbikes are by far the most commonly used personal transportation, but an increasing number of residents own automobiles. Yogyakarta and surrounding areas also have a circle highway known as the Ring Road and overpasses including Janti Overpass, Lempuyangan Overpass, and a recently built Jombor Overpass.

Buses

Since early 2008, the city has operated a bus rapid transit system, Trans Jogja, also known as "TJ". Trans Jogja is modelled after the TransJakarta system in the capital, but unlike TransJakarta, there is no special lane for Trans Jogja buses, which instead run on main streets. There are currently twenty Trans Jogja lines, with routes through the main streets of Yogyakarta, some of which overlap. The lines extend from the Pakem Bus Terminal in the north to the Palbapang Bus Terminal in the south, and from Godean in the west to the Prambanan bus shelter in the east via Adisucipto International Airport.

Health facilities

Notable hospitals in Yogyakarta include:

• Yogyakarta City General Public Hospital (RSUD Kota Yogyakarta)
• Bethesda Hospital
• Dr. Soetarto Army Hospital
• Dr. Sardjito General Hospital
• Panti Rapih Hospital
• PKU Muhammadiyah Hospital.

Media

Kedaulatan Rakyat (KR) is the major newspaper in Yogyakarta. First published in 1945, the paper is one of the oldest continuously published newspapers in Indonesia.

Twin towns – sister cities

Yogyakarta is twinned with:

• Baalbek, Lebanon
• Commewijne, Suriname
• Gangbuk District, Seoul, South Korea
• Huế, Vietnam
• Le Mont-Dore, New Caledonia
• Paramaribo, Suriname

Notable people

• K. H. Ahmad Dahlan (1868–1923) - founder of Muhammadiyah
• Diponegoro (1785–1855) - Javanese prince and National Hero of Indonesia
• Siti Munjiyah (1896–1955) - women's movement activist
• Wikan Sakarinto (born 1975) - academic and politician
• Suharto (1921–2008), second and longest-serving President of Indonesia and military dictator