Java lies between Sumatra to the west and Bali to the east. Borneo
lies to the north and Christmas Island to the south. It is the world's 13th
largest island. Java is surrounded by Java Sea in the north, Sunda Strait in
the west, Indian Ocean in the south and Bali Strait and Madura Strait in the
east.
Java is almost entirely of volcanic origin; it contains thirty-eight
mountains forming an east-west spine which have at one time or another been
active volcanoes. The highest volcano in Java is Mount Semeru (3,676 m). The
most active volcano in Java and also in Indonesia is Mount Merapi (2,968 m).
See Volcanoes of Java.
More mountains and highlands help to split the interior into a series
of relatively isolated regions suitable for wet-rice cultivation; the rice
lands of Java are among the richest in the world. Java was the first place
where Indonesian coffee was grown, starting in 1699. Today, Coffea arabica is
grown on the Ijen Plateau by small-holders and larger plantations.
The area of Java is approximately 139,000 km2. It is about 650
miles (1,050 km) long and up to 130 miles (210 km) wide. The island's longest
river is the 600 km long Solo River. The river rises from its source in
central Java at the Lawu volcano, then flows north and eastward to its mouth in
the Java Sea near the city of Surabaya. Temperatures throughout the year
average 22°C to 29°C and humidity average 75%. The northern coastal plains are
normally hotter averaging 34°C during the day in the dry season. The south
coast is generally cooler than the north, and highland areas inland are cooler
again. The wet season begins in October ending in April during which rain falls
mostly in the afternoons and intermittently during other parts of the year. The
wettest months are January and February.
West Java is wetter than East Java and mountainous regions receive
much higher rainfall. The Parahyangan highlands of West Java receive over 4,000
mm annually, while the north coast of East Java receives 900 mm annually.
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