Java (Indonesian: Jawa) is an island in Indonesia and the site of its capital, Jakarta. Once the center of powerful Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms, Islamic sultanates, and the core of the colonial Dutch East Indies, Java now plays a dominant role in economic and political life of Indonesia. Home to a population of 130 million in 2006, is the world’s most populous island, ahead of Honshu, the main island of Japan. Java is also one of the most densely populated regions on Earth.
Formed mostly as a result of volcanic events, Java is the largest island in 13th in the world and the fifth largest island in Indonesia. A string of volcanic mountains form a backbone from east to west across the island. It has three main languages, but is dominant Javanese and is the mother tongue of 60 million people in Indonesia are, most of whom live in Java. Most residents are bilingual, with Indonesian as their first or second language. Although most of the people of Java are Muslim, Java has a diverse mix of religious beliefs, ethnicities and cultures.
The chain of volcanic mountains and highlands running along Java keeps its interior regions and separate peoples and relatively isolated. Prior to the advent of Islamic states and European colonialism, the rivers provide the main means of communication, but many rivers in Java are mostly short. The Board Brant and rivers could provide long-distance communications, and therefore support the valleys of the centers of major kingdoms. A system of roads, bridges and areas of permanent toll is believed to have been created in Java at least the mid seventeenth century. local authorities could disrupt the routes as well as the wet season and road use was highly dependent on constant maintenance. Subsequently, communication between the population of Java was difficult.