Jogja Overview
⊆ 1:17 PM by Ratna Dewi | Jogja .
Jogjakarta is one of the Republic of Indonesia's provinces that located at the midle southern Java island. Its formal name is Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. Daerah Istimewa is a special status given by the Government of Indonesia at least for 2 reasons. First, Jogja was an independent sultanat (kingdom/emperor) that voluntary joined the Republic of Indonesia just couple days after the independence proclamation. Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX as the former Sultan (=king) of Jogja declared his authority as a part of the new Republic.
Second, as a province Jogja has a unique government system. To acknowledge the existence of Jogjakarta Sultanat, Sultan will automatically be elected as the governor of the province. No public election like another place, the governor position is always on Sultan hand. Some the democrats tried to change the system. 
They campaigned that governor public election is a must. But before the movement could change any system or rule, Sultan Hamengku Buwono X put his power down and let Jogjanese elect their new governor in 2008.
Jogja is 3,186 km2 and divided into 5 kabupatens (=district); Jogja City, Sleman, Bantul, Kulon Progo and Gunung Kidul. This well-known province has many beautifull places as the second tourism destination of Indonesia after Bali.
Prambanan Temple is one of its famous objects, beside the most active volcano named Merapi. For culinary lover, Jogja has gudeg, bakpia, yangko or krecek to satisfy your appetite.
The second in tourism, but Jogja is number in educational destination. It's titled as Students City where students all around Indonesia come to study at many choices of university in this city. Jogja has 2 state university; Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and Yogyakarta State University (UNY) plus more than hundred of private universities. Numerous universities is not the only point, the most important thing is the quality and also completest discipline that 'invite' thousand students come and stay for several years.
Text by: Eko Sudjarwo
Photo: Jalanbareng, ugm, coffsenglish,
