Semarang
(pronounced
[səˈmaraŋ]) is a city on the north coast of the island of
Java,
Indonesia. It is the capital and largest city of the province of
Central Java.
It has an area of 305.17 km² and a population of approximately 1.5
million people, making it Indonesia's 9th most populous city. However,
disregarding
Greater Jakarta, only
Surabaya,
Bandung, and
Medan are larger. Greater Semarang (aka
Kedungsapur) has a population of close to 5 million (see Greater Semarang section), and is located at
6°58′S 110°25′E. A major port during the
Dutch colonial era, and still an important regional center and port today, the city has a dominant
Javanese population.