Banten

Banten is one of the young provinces in Republic of Indonesia. This region is situated in west Java. It can be reached about an hour from Jakarta. It's feel unbelievable, after the busy toll-way and hectic Jakarta as metropolitan city; we enter small and charming Banten. This city has a lot of treasure to whom that likes history. Such as the ruins of Surosowan Palace, Kaibon Palace, 'Masjid Agung Banten' [Banten Great Mosque, enlisted in Moslem's pilgrimage in Indonesia], Speelwijk fortress and Chinese temple Avalokiteshvara, and the harbor of Banten, Karanghantu [devil rock's harbor] that still used nowadays already existed since centuries ago. From this place, Sultan Banten's troopers took fight against the pirates and take defense from the Dutch.

Along with the prevailing regional government changing, in respect to the insistence of Banten People's aspiration to demand the separation from West Java Province, and after long process based on Law Number 23 Year 2000 concerning on Formation of Banten Province dated 17th October, 2000, established Banten Province as the 30th Province. Banten Province consists of 4 Regencies and 2 Cities, 94 Districts, 128 sub districts and 1,339 Villages. Geographically, the location of Banten Province is strategic because of the link between Java Island and Sumatra Island as well as the capital of Republic of Indonesia and West Java Province as a potential market of Banten's products.

The economic sector, that have a great potential resources and various to be developed, namely sectors in agriculture, industry/trade, tourism, mining/exploration, and also supported by the availability of variety natural resources in great amount. Industry sector contribute more than 52 % from total of Banten's GRDP, because in Banten there are 17 Industrial Zones equipped by good facilities and managed by professional private companies.

Banten is one of the newest provinces in Indonesia and also one of the richest. The province combines many of the most important Industrial Zones in Indonesia and also has the extended recreation areas along the western coast of Java and in south the Ujung Kulon National Park and the mountainous areas that are home to the Baduy people. Banten has the easiest access to Jakarta being merely an enclave in this province.

This province uses its own unique culture and language, both called Sundanese that is also used to call its people. The ancient kingdoms of Banten are Tarumanegara, Pajajaran, Banten and Cirebon would make interesting studies for the student of archaeology. Cirebon is located on the border between West and Central Java, having a mixed culture originating from the ancient Cirebon and Banten kingdoms, resulting in similar customs and dialects of the two people, although Banten city is located at the extreme western part of the province. Banten city on Banten Bay was one of the first places to begin trade with the Dutch. There is little to see of the past glories of this area today with the exception of the Grand Mosque, which was completed in 1599 and is certainly worth a visit.

The Province has a great number of attractions, from the wildlife reserve of Ujung Kulon on the southwestern tip of Java and the isolated communities of the mysterious Baduy to the unspoiled beaches. The villages are busy and attractive and the pace of life gets slower as we move towards the National Park in the southwest. From any point along the western coast we can see the "son of Krakatau" volcano, which rises impressively from the sea. Banten offers many different recreational experiences. The trip to Anyer area from Jakarta is now quick and easy because of the toll road, which connects Merak port with Jakarta. As we move further south along the west Java coast the lifestyle becomes more relaxed and after Labuan we move into more rural areas where the road conditions worsen and the lifstyle is relaxed. Here access to the forest areas begins and we can move back in time and enjoy the peace of nature. There is a bus each day from Labuan to Taman Jaya, which is on the edge of Ujung Kulon national park. There are simple cabins can be hired and a ranger can then take us on a walk into the park. It takes about six hours to reach a camping site.

Geography
The total area of Banten is 8,800.83 Km2, consisting of 4 Regencies and 2 Cities, which are divided into as follows:

- Serang Regency: 1.724,09 km2
- Lebak Regency: 2.859,96 km2
- Pandeglang Regency: 2.746,88 km2
- Tangerang Regency: 1.110,38 km2
- Cilegon Town: 175,50 km2
- Tangerang Town: 177,20 km2 _

Banten region is surrounded by Java Sea in the North. Sunda Straits in the West, and facing the India Ocean in the South. These make Banten as a region with very great of sea product resources.

Demography
Total population in 2001 was 8,258,055 persons, consists of 4,231,079 men (51.24%) and 4,026,976 (48.76%). The densely populated regency is in Tangerang with its total population 2,873,256 persons. The highest density Region is Tangerang City 7,362.26 persons/Km2 in 1990 until 2001 period. Population growth from increased at 2.99%/year. Total workforce or aged 15 years above in 2001 was 3,330,224 or 52.57%.

The coastal city of Banten, 75 kilometers west of Jakarta on the northern coast of Java, was one of the Asia's largest cosmopolitan trading harbors in the 16th and 17th century. Ships visited its port from Malacca, China, Vietnam, India, Arab, Portugal and Netherlands. At its peek, it was almost as important as Amsterdam. Nowadays Banten is only a small fishing village. There are still old buildings left which are worth a visit for someone who is interested in the history of Indonesia before and during the colonial times.

Banten in the fifth century was part of the Tarumanagara kingdom. A stone inscription, called Prasasti Cidanghiang, coming from Tarumanagara era can be found at Lebak area at the bank of Cidanghiang river, in Pandeglang Regency, Banten. The Prasasti Cidanghiang, found in 1947, contains 2 lines of poetic sentences in Sanskrit written in Pallava characters. The inscription proclaims Purnawarman as the standard for rulers around the world.[2]

After Tarumanagara power declined, probably due to a series of invasions from Srivijaya kingdom, all Tarumanagara territory, including Banten, was controlled by Sunda kingdom. Banten was part of Sunda kingdom; based on travel records of Prince Bujangga Manik, a Hindu Sundanese monk who visited all of the holy Hindu sites in Java Island and Bali Island at the beginning of the sixteenth century AD. These manuscripts are saved in the Bodleian Library of Oxford University of England since the 16th century.[3]

In this era of Sunda kingdom, Banten became one of the important ports of the kingdom. Portuguese historical record indicate that Sunda kingdom included the city of Dayo Pakuan Pajajaran (currently Bogor city), the town and lands and port of Banten, the port of Pontang, the port of Cigede, the port of Tangaram (Tangerang), the port of Sunda Kalapa, and the port of Cimanuk.[4]

In 1524/1525, Sunan Gunung Jati from Cirebon Sultanate (former vassal Sunda kingdom) together with Demak Sultanate armies seized port of Banten from the control of Sunda kingdom, and established Banten Sultanate affiliating to Demak Sultanate. Islam preachers have penetrated and introduced people the peaceful way of life of Islam and as result many people in the region embraced Islam as their belief.

During 1552-1570, Maulana Hasanudin ruled as the first Sultan of Banten.

Banten then become a part of West Java province in 1925 when Dutch Colonial established West Java province, the first province in Indonesia, referring to a statement from Staatblad number 378.

In the present day, the area of Sultanate of Banten is a province. The province was established on 17 October 2000 through the Law Number 23/2000, but the peak of celebration to the establishment happened on 4 October 2000 when tens of thousands of citizen of Banten came to the People's Representative Council (DPR) building at South Jakarta, at the same time as the plenary meeting of the parliament to authenticate the law of forming the Province of Banten. Therefore the society of Banten mutually agree to set 4 October 2000 as day of the establishment of Banten Province.