Surabaya (pronounced
[surəˈbaja]) (formerly
Soerabaja or
Suroboyo) is
Indonesia's
second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million (5.6 million in the metropolitan area), and the capital of the
province of
East Java. It is located on the northern shore of eastern
Java at the mouth of the
Mas River and along the edge of the
Madura Strait.
To Indonesians, it is known as "the city of heroes" due to the importance of the
Battle of Surabaya in galvanizing Indonesian and international support for
Indonesian independence during the
Indonesian National Revolution.
Etymology
Statue of the shark and crocodile in the city's legend
Surabaya is locally believed to derive its name from the words
sura or
suro (
shark) and
baya or
boyo (
crocodile), two creatures which, in a local
myth, fought each other in order to gain the title of "the strongest and most powerful animal" in the area according to a
Jayabaya prophecy. This prophecy tells of a fight between a giant white shark and a giant white crocodile. Now the two animals are used as the city's logo, the two facing each other while circling, as depicted in a statue appropriately located near the entrance to the city zoo. This
folk etymology, though embraced enthusiastically by city leaders, is unverifiable.
Alternate derivations proliferate: from the Javanese
sura ing baya, meaning "bravely facing danger"; or from the use of
surya to refer to the sun. Some people consider this Jayabaya prophecy as a great war between Surabaya native people and invaders in 1945, while another story is about two heroes that fought each other in order to be the king of the city. The two heroes were Sura and Baya.
History
The earliest record of Surabaya was in a 1225 book written by Chau Ju-Kua, in which it was called
Jung-ya-lu,
[1] the ancient name of Surabaya.
Ma Huan documented the early fifteen-century visit of
Zheng He's
Treasure ship in his 1433 book
Ying-yai Sheng-lan: "after traveling south for more than twenty
li, the ship reached Sulumayi, whose foreign name is Surabaya. At the estuary, the outflowing water is fresh."
[2]
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Surabaya was a
sultanate and a major political and military power in eastern Java. It entered a conflict with, and was later captured by, the more powerful
Sultanate of Mataram in 1625 under
Sultan Agung. It was one of Mataram's fiercest campaigns, in which they had to conquer Surabaya's allies, Sukadana and
Madura and to lay
siege to the city before capturing it. With this conquest, Mataram then controlled almost the whole of Java, with the exception of the
Sultanate of Banten and the Dutch settlement of
Batavia.
Riverside scenery in Surabaya at the end of the 19th century
Handelstraat, Surabaya in 1930s, now Jembatan Merah area.
The expanding
East Indies Companies took the city over from a weakened Mataram in November 1743. Surabaya became a major trading center under the
Dutch colonial government, and hosted the largest naval base in the
colony. In 1917 a revolt occurred amongst the soldiers and sailors of Surabaya, led by the
Indies Social Democratic Association. The revolt was firmly crushed and the insurgents given harsh sentences.
Japan occupied the city in 1942 as part of the
occupation of Indonesia, and it was bombed by the
Allies in 1944. After that it was
seized by Indonesian nationalists. However, the young nation was soon put into conflict with the
British who were care takers of the
Dutch colony after the surrender of the Japanese.
The
Battle of Surabaya was one of the most important battles of the Indonesian revolution. It was started after British
Brigadier Mallaby was killed on October 30, 1945 near
Jembatan Merah (the "Red Bridge"), allegedly by a stray bullet. The Allies gave an ultimatum to the Indonesian freedom fighters inside the city to surrender, but this was refused. The ensuing battle, which took thousands of lives, took place on 10 November, and is nowadays celebrated as Heroes' Day (
Hari Pahlawan). The incident of the red-white flag (the Dutch national red-white-and-blue flag at the top of Yamato Hotel's tower that was torn into the Indonesian red-white flag) by
Bung Tomo is also recorded as a heroic feat during the struggle of this city.
The City
As the main seaport and commercial center in the eastern region of Indonesia, Surabaya has become one of the largest cities in Southeast Asia. Today, Surabaya's population is around three million, and the surrounding rural area houses at least 7 million. The areas surrounding Surabaya include
Lamongan to the northwest,
Gresik to the west,
Bangkalan to the northeast,
Sidoarjo to the south, and
Mojokerto and
Jombang to the southwest. Gresik, Bangkalan, Mojokerto, Surabaya,
Sidoarjo and
Lamongan as an area is called as
Gerbang Kertosusila. On Wednesday, 10 June 2009 the
Suramadu Bridge between Surabaya and the island of
Madura; was completed and it is currently the longest bridge in the country. Madura can also be accessed by a
ferry service that operates regularly from Surabaya's port, Tanjung Perak (which literally means: "Silver Cape" in
Indonesian).
The Adhiwangsa,
Taman Beverly, and
Water Place Residences are three of the tallest skyscrapers in Surabaya.
Plaza Tunjungan,
Galaxy Mall,
Surabaya Plaza,
Supermal Pakuwon Indah,
Surabaya Town Square, and
Royal Plaza Surabaya are the famous shopping center while
Hi-Tech Mall, WTC, and Plasa Marina are the computers and mobile-phones shops center in Surabaya. Surabaya is home to the Eastern Armada, one of two in the
Indonesian Navy. Its strong maritime heritage is also reflected with the Submarine Monument, a real retired Russian submarine, called Pasopati, that was converted into a
museum ship in the city center.
Flooding is common in many areas of the city during the rainy season, mostly caused by clogged
sewers and inept bureaucracy. The fact that Surabaya is located in a
river delta and has a flat and relatively low elevation doesn't help the matter either.
Surabaya is the location of the only
synagogue in Indonesia, but it rarely obtains a
minyan. There is also a Jewish cemetery in the city.
[3][4]
Surabaya's zoo, opened in 1916, was the first in the world to have successfully bred
orangutans in captivity.
Cheng Hoo Mosque, Surabaya
Other points of interest include:
- Grand Mosque of Surabaya, the largest mosque in East Java.
- Cheng Ho Mosque, the first mosque in Indonesia built with Chinese-style architecture
- Jales Veva Jaya Mahe Monument, a large, admiral-like statue which commemorates the Indonesian Navy.
- Mpu Tantular Museum, has a large collection of ancient Javanese artifacts.
- Monkasel, abbreviated from Monumen Kapal Selam (English: Submarine Monument) [1]
- A Soviet-built submarine display (named KRI Pasopati (410)), which proudly served in Indonesian Navy since 1962. Launched in 1952 and since her decommisioning in 1990, now preserved as a monument. It is open as tourism attraction. The body/hull was slightly cut for stairs & door for easier public entrance & viewing. Right beside the monument there is a building where a short movie about the history of the submarine itself can be watched.
- Bonbin Surabaya is one of the famous zoos in Southeast Asia
- Heroic Monument is the main symbol and one of the attractive tourist destinations in Surabaya and Southeast Asia
- House of Sampoerna is a cigarette museum, and also one of the factory of Sampoerna brand cigarette. It also provides a City Sightseeing bus for free (Surabaya Heritage Track) which operates daily with the particular schedule. It also provides an English tour guide for the sightseeing.
Surabaya has 31
subdistricts. They are: Genteng, Bubutan, Tegalsari, Simokerto, Tambaksari, Gubeng, Krembangan, Semampir, Pabean Cantikan, Wonokromo, Sawahan, Tandes, Karang Pilang, Wonocolo, Rungkut, Sukolilo, Kenjeran, Benowo, Lakarsantri, Mulyorejo, Tenggilis Mejoyo, Gunung Anyar, Jambangan, Gayungan, Wiyung, Dukuh Pakis, Asem Rowo, Sukomanunggal, Bulak, Pakal and Sambikerep.
[5]
Surabaya has two huge townships developed by 2 famous developers. In West Surabaya, it has Citraland by
Ciputra Group. Citraland is for its
G-Walk, a spot for dining out, Ciputra Water Park, and University of Ciputra. In East Surabaya it has Pakuwon City by
Pakuwon Group. Pakuwon City has its own dining out spot, called Food Festival, and it is developing more facilities, such as East Coast Center. Surabaya consists of 163
villages.
Climate
Surabaya features a
tropical wet and dry climate, with distinct
wet and
dry seasons. The city’s wet season runs from November through May, while the dry season covers the remaining five months. Unlike a number of cities and regions with a tropical wet and dry climate, average high and low temperatures are very consistent throughout the course of the year, with an average high temperature of around 31 degrees Celsius and average low temperatures of around 26 degrees Celsius. Surabaya on average sees approximately 1500 mm of precipitation annually.
| [hide]Climate data for Surabaya |
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30
(86) | 30
(86) | 30.6
(87) | 31.1
(88) | 31.1
(88) | 30.6
(87) | 30.6
(87) | 31.1
(88) | 31.7
(89) | 32.8
(91) | 32.2
(90) | 31.1
(88) | 31.1
(88) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 25
(77) | 25
(77) | 25
(77) | 26.1
(79) | 26.1
(79) | 25
(77) | 24.4
(76) | 25
(77) | 25
(77) | 26.1
(79) | 25.6
(78) | 25.6
(78) | 25.6
(78) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 280
(11.02) | 250
(9.84) | 230
(9.06) | 140
(5.51) | 100
(3.94) | 50
(1.97) | 20
(0.79) | 10
(0.39) | 10
(0.39) | 40
(1.57) | 120
(4.72) | 130
(5.12) | 1,470
(57.87) |
| Source: .[6] |
Transport
Juanda International Airport - Apron
The city is served by
Juanda International Airport. For trains, the city has several stations. They are Surabaya Kota (better known as Semut) , Pasar Turi, and Gubeng. The main bus terminal is Purabaya (also known as Bungurasih, the area where it is located).
Transportation in Surabaya is supported by the infrastructure of land transport, sea and air that could serve the local trip, regional, and international. The transport of the city is supported by public transport of the city transport, taxis, and the city bus. Surabaya is also a transit city between
Jakarta and
Bali for ground transportation. Many tourists go through the city of Surabaya for sightseeing before they go back to
Jakarta or continue their journey to
Bali. Another bus routes are between
Jakarta and the neighboring island of
Madura.
Tanjung Perak is the main port of the city and is one of the busiest ports in the country. Nowadays, it is also one of the top ten busiest cargo ports in
Southeast Asia. Although the port is nearly traditionally administered, it is also used to carry modern cargo ships worldwide. The other port of the city is located in
Gresik, a city which is located less than an hour drive from Surabaya city centre to
Gresik via highway. In the future,
Gresik will be the location for the new harbor and Tanjung Perak will be demolished and will be redeveloped as a recreation area for Surabaya.
Juanda International Airport is the second busiest airport in
Indonesia in terms of transit passengers. Many passengers transit through the airport. It is famous as a transit airport between West and East
Indonesia and it is also a
hub airport of many airlines. In the future, the international airport activities will be removed to the new airport somewhere at
Lamongan. However, domestic airport activities will remain at the old airport.
Suramadu Bridge
For connecting Surabaya and
Madura Island over Madura Strait has been built
Suramadu Bridge. Suramadu is abrreviation of Surabaya-Madura. A 16-kilometer and 40-meter highway will be built since September 2011 from Suramadu Bridge to Madura International Seaport-City (MIS-C) in Pernajuh village,
Kocah district,
Bangkalan,
Madura with cost about Rp.60 billion ($7 million). This container port is built to east the burden on the overloaded
Tanjung Perak Port.
[7]
Economy
Plaza Tunjungan, The largest shopping center in Surabaya and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia.
The city is one of the busiest ports in the country. Its principal exports include
sugar,
tobacco and
coffee. It has a large
shipyard, and numerous specialized naval schools.
As the provincial capital, Surabaya is also home to many offices and business centres. Surabaya's economy is also influenced by the recent growth in foreign industries and the completion of the Suramadu bridge. Surabaya is currently in the process of building high rise skyscrapers such as apartments, condominiums, and hotels as a way of attracting foreign people to the city.
Surabaya is the main trading port in
East Java. Enriched by its facilities, and geography advantages, Surabaya has great economic potential.
Demographics
Surabaya is the second most populous city in Indonesia, after
Jakarta, with 2,765,908 recorded in the chartered city limits (kota) in 2010 census.
[8] Like many other large Indonesian metropolises, many residents reside outside the city limits in a metropolitan area called
Gerbangkertosusila. The city is highly
urbanized, due to the many industries located in the city, resulting in many slum areas. As the main education center, Surabaya has been the home for many students from around Indonesia, thus they have created their own community.
Ethnicity
Jembatan Merah, near Kya-Kya Kembang Jepun.
Kya-Kya Kembang Jepun,
Chinatown in Surabaya.
Surabaya is a multi-ethnic city: foreign nationalities represented include Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, Arab, and European. In addition to
Javanese and
Madurese natives, the city also has representatives of other Indonesian areas:
Sunda,
Minangkabau,
Batak,
Banjar,
Balinese, and
Bugis.
The majority of Surabaya citizens work in retail, whether in the expensive stores in the center city or the many small shops and stalls throughout the metropolis.
Surabaya is an old city that has expanded over time, and its population still grows at approximately 1.2% per year. In recent years, people have been moving from the crowded city center to suburban subdivisions featuring golf courses and strict security.
Language
Most citizens speak a dialect of
Javanese called
Suroboyoan. A stereotype of this dialect concerns its equality and directness in speech. The usage of
register is less strict than the
Central Javan dialect. The Surabaya dialect is actively promoted in local media, such as in local TV shows, radio and traditional dramas called
Ludruk.
Time
In
Indonesia, the keeping of standard time is divided into three
time zones, Surabaya follow the Western Indonesian Time/WIT (
Indonesian:
Waktu Indonesia Barat/
WIB) (
UTC+7).
Religion
Islam is the most dominant religion in the city. Other religions include
Christianity,
Hinduism,
Buddhism,
Confucianism
Islam is the main religion in Surabaya.
[9]
The city is also home to the
Orthodox Christian Center Surabaya which was opened on the 15th of October 2008 by Father Yohanes Bambang Cahyo Wicaksono an
Orthodox Priest.
[10] The city is also home to two
Orthodox Christian Community centres and there are plans to establish a kindergarten, High School and University in the medium term. The head Orthodox Church in Indonesia, St Nikolas is also based in Surabaya.
[11] On the 12th of January a new Orthodox Orthodox Community center was opened in the Dinoyo district, beside St. Nikolaos Orthodox Church.
[12]
The city is the home of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Surabaya.
Education
Surabaya has several major universities and other institutions with religious or technical specialties. One of them is
Airlangga University (Unair), the oldest, largest, and also best public university in eastern Java, with eleven departments in a variety of fields, including an especially well-regarded medical school, faculty of pharmacy and psychology department. The
Tenth of November Institute of Technology is one of the country's most selective technology institutions, and is well-known for its robotics, mechanical engineering, and marine engineering programs.
As one of the
Indonesian military's major naval ports, Surabaya is the site of the national Naval Military Academy.
Environment
The wide of former mangrove plants is 200 to 350 meters, but now the covered area is only around 4 to 5 meters from the coastline. The property developers occupied 80 percent of the 2,000 hectares of mangrove forest on Surabaya's eastern coast with 40 percent of them in damage conditions.
[17]
But in May 2011, Surabaya has received an award as The Best
ASEAN Sustainable Environment City among 45 cities. The appreciation was received by Indonesia along with United Nations appreciation.
[18]
Sister relationships
Surabaya has
sister relationships with a number of towns worldwide:
Seattle, U.S., since 1992
Beijing, China, since 2006
Kochi, Japan
Mashhad, Iran
Busan, South Korea
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Izmir, Turkey since 1996- Guangzhou, China, since 2005
- Xiamen, China, since 2006 [2]
Porto Alegre, Brazil since 2008
Johor Bahru, Malaysia since 2008- Fuzhou, China, since 2009 [3]
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Alexandria, Egypt [4]- Kuching, Malaysia
