Banten Peasant's Revolt
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Banten (, , Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
on the island of
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
. Its capital city is
Serang Serang (, , Sundanese: ) is a city and the capital of Banten province and was formerly also the administrative center of Serang Regency in Indonesia (the Regency's capital is now at Ciruas). The city is located towards the north of Banten pro ...
and its largest city is
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
. The province borders
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
and the
Special Capital Region of Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
on the east, the
Java Sea The Java Sea (, ) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its northwest links it to the South Ch ...
on the north, the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
on the south, and the
Sunda Strait The Sunda Strait () is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java island, Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of Ja ...
(which separates Java from the neighbouring island of
Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
) on the west and shares a maritime border with
Lampung Lampung, officially the Province of Lampung (; ), is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southern tip of the island of Sumatra. It has a short border with the province of Bengkulu to the northwest, and a longer border with the provi ...
to the west. The province covers an area of . It had a population of over 11.9 million in the 2020 census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. up from about 10.6 million in
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
.Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. The estimated mid-2024 population was 12.43 million.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Provinsi Banten Dalam Angka 2025'' (Katalog-BPS 1102001.36) Formerly part of the province of
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
, Banten was split off to become a separate province on 17 October 2000. The northern half (particularly the eastern areas near Jakarta and the Java Sea coast) has recently experienced rapid rises in population and
urbanization Urbanization (or urbanisation in British English) is the population shift from Rural area, rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. ...
, and the southern half (especially the region facing the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
) has a more traditional character but an equally fast-rising population. Present-day Banten was part of the Sundanese
Tarumanagara kingdom Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
from the fourth to the seventh centuries AD. After the fall of Tarumanegara, it was controlled by
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
-
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
kingdoms such as the
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
Empire and the
Sunda Kingdom The Sunda Kingdom ( , ) was a Sundanese people, Sundanese Hindu kingdom located in the western portion of the island of Java from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Lampung, and the western part of ...
. The
spread of Islam The spread of Islam spans almost 1,400 years. The early Muslim conquests that occurred following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE led to the creation of the caliphates, expanding over a vast geographical area; conversion to Islam was boosted ...
in the region began in the 15th century; by the late 16th century,
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
had replaced Hinduism and Buddhism as the dominant religion in the province, with the establishment of the
Banten Sultanate The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese people, Bantenese Islamic trading sultanate, kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Bantam (city), Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both w ...
. European traders began arriving in the regionfirst the
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
, followed by the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
and the
Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...
. The
Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( ; VOC ), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered company, chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world. Established on 20 March 1602 by the States Ge ...
, VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie), finally controlled the regional economy, gradually weakening the Banten Sultanate. On 22 November 1808, Dutch
Governor-General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
Herman Willem Daendels Herman Willem Daendels (21 October 1762 – 2 May 1818) was a Dutch military officer and colonial administrator who served as governor-general of the Dutch East Indies from 1808 to 1811. Early life Herman Willem Daendels was born on 21 October 1 ...
declared that the Sultanate of Banten had been absorbed into the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
. This began the
Bantam Residency Bantam Residency (), sometimes spelled Banten Residency, was an administrative division (Residency (administrative division), Residency) of the Dutch East Indies which existed from 1817 to 1942; it was located at the western point of Java and its c ...
, 150 years of direct Dutch rule. In March 1942, the
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
invaded the Indies and occupied the region for three years before their August 1945 surrender. The region was returned to Dutch control for the next five years before the Dutch left and it was ruled by the
Indonesian government The term Government of the Republic of Indonesia (, GOI, sometimes also referred to as Government of Indonesia or the Central Government () especially in laws) can have a number of different meanings. At its widest, it can refer collectively ...
. Banten became part of the province of West Java, but separatist efforts led to the creation of the separate province of Banten in October 17, 2000.


Etymology

The name "Banten" has several possible origins. The first is from the Sundanese phrase ''katiban inten,'' which means "struck down by diamonds". The phrase comes from the history of the
Bantenese people The Bantenese (; ) are an indigenous Sundanese people, Sundanese ethnic group native to Banten in the westernmost part of Java island, Indonesia. The area of Banten province corresponds more or less with the area of the former Banten Sultanate, ...
, who were
animists Animism (from meaning 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and in ...
before adopting
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
. After
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
began to spread in Banten, the community began to recognize and embrace Islam. The spread of Islam in Banten is described as being "struck down by diamonds". Another origin story is that the Indonesian Hindu god
Batara Guru Batara Guru (also called Bhattara Guru, Debata Batara Guru and Batara Siwa) is the name of a supreme god in Indonesian Hinduism. His name is derived from Sanskrit ''Bhattaraka'' which means “noble lord".R. Ghose (1966), Saivism in Indonesia du ...
traveled from east to west, arriving at Surasowan (present-day
Serang Serang (, , Sundanese: ) is a city and the capital of Banten province and was formerly also the administrative center of Serang Regency in Indonesia (the Regency's capital is now at Ciruas). The city is located towards the north of Banten pro ...
). When he arrived, Batara Guru sat on a stone which became known as ''watu gilang''. The stone glowed, and was presented to the king of Surasowan. Surasowan was reportedly surrounded by a clear, star-like river, and was described as a ring covered with diamonds ( Sundanese: ''ban inten''). This evolved into "banten". Another possibility is that "Banten" comes from the
Indonesian Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: * Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia ** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago ** Indonesian ...
word ''bantahan'' (rebuttal), because the local Bantenese people resisted the Dutch colonial government. The word "Banten" appeared before the establishment of the
Banten Sultanate The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese people, Bantenese Islamic trading sultanate, kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Bantam (city), Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both w ...
as the name of a river. The high plains on its banks were called ''Cibanten Girang'', shortened to ''Banten Girang'' (Upper Banten). Based on research in Banten Girang, the area has been settled since the 11th and 12th centuries. During the 16th century, the region developed rapidly towards Serang and the northern coast. The coastal area later became the Sultanate of Banten, founded by
Sunan Gunung Jati Sunan Gunungjati (1448–1568) was one of the ''Wali Songo'' or nine saints of Islam revered in Indonesia for the propagation of Islam as the dominant religion in the region. He founded the Sultanate of Banten and the Sultanate of Cirebon on t ...
, which controlled almost all of the former
Sunda Kingdom The Sunda Kingdom ( , ) was a Sundanese people, Sundanese Hindu kingdom located in the western portion of the island of Java from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Lampung, and the western part of ...
in West Java.
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
( Batavia) was captured by the Dutch, and
Cirebon Cirebon (, formerly rendered Cheribon or Chirebon in English) is a port city on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is the only coastal city of West Java, located about 40 km west of the provincial border with Central J ...
and the Parahiyangan region were captured by the
Mataram Sultanate The Sultanate of Mataram () was the last major independent Javanese people, Javanese kingdom on the island of Java (island), Java before it was Dutch Empire, colonised by the Dutch. It was the dominant political force radiating from the inte ...
. The Banten Sultanate was later converted into a
residency Residency may refer to: * Artist-in-residence, a program to sponsor the residence and work of visual artists, writers, musicians, etc. * Concert residency, a series of concerts performed at one venue * Domicile (law), the act of establishing or m ...
by the Dutch.


History


Early history

During the fifth century, Banten was part of the kingdom of
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
. The fourth-century Lebak inscription, discovered in 1947 in a lowland village on the Cidanghiyang River in , contains two lines of
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
poetry in the
Pallawa script The Pallava script, or Pallava Grantha, is a style of Grantha script named after the Pallava dynasty of Southern India (Tamilakam) and is attested to since the 4th century CE. In India, the Pallava script evolved from Tamil-Brahmi. The Grantha ...
which describes life in the kingdom under the reign of
Purnawarman Purnawarman or Purnavarman was the 5th-century king of Tarumanagara, a Hindu Indianized kingdom, located in modern-day West Java, Jakarta and Banten provinces, Indonesia. Purnawarman reigned during the 5th century, and during his reign he c ...
. The kingdom collapsed after an attack by
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
, and western Java became part of the
Sunda Kingdom The Sunda Kingdom ( , ) was a Sundanese people, Sundanese Hindu kingdom located in the western portion of the island of Java from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Lampung, and the western part of ...
. In the Chinese '' Chu-fan-chi'', written around 1225,
Chou Ju-kua Zhao Rukuo ( zh, t=趙汝适, s=赵汝适, p=Zhào Rǔkuò; 1170–1231), also romanised as Zhao Rugua, Chau Ju-kua, or misread as Zhao Rushi, was a Chinese government official and writer during the Song dynasty. He wrote a two-volume book titled ' ...
wrote that Srivijaya ruled Sumatra, the Malay peninsula, and western Java during the early 13th century. ''Chu-fan-chi'' identified the port of Sunda as strategic and thriving, with
pepper Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanacea ...
from Sunda among the highest quality. The population were made up of farmers, and their houses were built on wooden poles (''rumah panggung''). Robbery, however, was common. According to Portuguese explorer Tome Pires, Bantam (
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
) was an important early-16th-century port in the Kingdom of Sunda along with the ports of Pontang, Cheguide (Cigede), Tangaram (
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
), Calapa (
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
) and Chimanuk (on the
Cimanuk river The Manuk River (, means: ''Bird River'' in Sundanese) is a river in West Java, Indonesia, about 170 km east of the capital Jakarta. Hydrology The whole part of this river is located within West Java province. The river runs from south to ...
estuary). In 1527, as the Portuguese fleet arrived off the coast, newly-converted Javanese
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
under
Sunan Gunungjati Sunan Gunungjati (1448–1568) was one of the '' Wali Songo'' or nine saints of Islam revered in Indonesia for the propagation of Islam as the dominant religion in the region. He founded the Sultanate of Banten and the Sultanate of Cirebon on ...
captured the port of Banten and the surrounding area from the Sundanese and established the
Sultanate of Banten The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese Islamic trading kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both was Bantam. It is said to have been founded ...
. According to Portuguese historian
João de Barros João de Barros (; 1496 – 20 October 1570), nicknamed the "Portuguese Livy", is one of the first great Portuguese historians, most famous for his (''Decades of Asia''), a history of the Portuguese in India, Asia, and southeast Africa. Early y ...
,
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
was the center of the sultanate and a major
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
n port (rivaling
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
and
Makassar Makassar ( ), formerly Ujung Pandang ( ), is the capital of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, ...
). The town of Banten was in the middle of the bay, about across. It was 850
fathom A fathom is a unit of length in the imperial and the U.S. customary systems equal to , used especially for measuring the depth of water. The fathom is neither an international standard (SI) unit, nor an internationally accepted non-SI unit. H ...
s in length. A river, navigable by
junks A junk () is a type of Chinese sailing ship characterized by a central rudder, an overhanging flat transom, watertight bulkheads, and a flat-bottomed design. They are also characteristically built using iron nails and clamps. The term applie ...
, flowed through the center of the town; a small tributary extended to the town's edge. The present-day river is smaller, and only navigable by small boats. A fortress near the town had brick walls seven palms thick. Armed, wooden defence buildings were two stories high. The town square was used for military activities and folk art, with a market in the morning. The palace was on the south side of the square. Next to the palace is a tall, flat-roofed building known as Srimanganti, which was used by the king to meet his subjects. West of the square is the Great Mosque of Banten.


Colonial era

When the Dutch arrived in Indonesia, the Portuguese had long been in Banten. The English established a
factory A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...
in Banten, followed by the Dutch. The French and the Danish also came to trade in Banten. In the competition among European traders, the Dutch emerged victorious. The Portuguese left Banten in 1601 after their fleet was destroyed by the Dutch off the coast during the
Dutch–Portuguese War The Dutch–Portuguese War (; ) was a global armed conflict involving Dutch forces, in the form of the Dutch East India Company, the Dutch West India Company, and their allies, against the Iberian Union, and after 1640, the Portuguese Empire. Beg ...
. In 16th century, Chinese junk ships regularly traded with Jambi, Patani, Siam and Cambodia. Local Muslim women who dealt in the cloth trade willingly married Han Chinese men in Palembang and Jambi and also local Muslim women in Banten married Han Chinese men. The Han Chinese men usually converted to Islam to please their Muslim wives. Although the Dutch won the war, they preserved the
Banten Sultanate The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese people, Bantenese Islamic trading sultanate, kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Bantam (city), Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both w ...
. The maritime sultanate relied on trade, and the pepper monopoly in
Lampung Lampung, officially the Province of Lampung (; ), is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southern tip of the island of Sumatra. It has a short border with the province of Bengkulu to the northwest, and a longer border with the provi ...
made the Banten authorities intermediaries. The sultanate grew rapidly, becoming a commercial center. As sea trade increased throughout the archipelago, Banten became a multi-ethnic region. Assisted by the British, Danish and Chinese, Banten traded with
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Siam Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
,
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
,
the Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of 7,641 islands, with a total area of roughly 300,000 square kilometers, which ar ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
and
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. The reign of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa was the sultanate's height. Under his reign, Banten had one of the strongest navies in the region, built to European standards with help from European shipbuilders and attracted Europeans to the sultanate. To secure its shipping lanes, Banten sent its fleet to
Sukadana Sukadana () is a town and regency seat of North Kayong Regency (Kabupaten Kayong Utara), on the island of Borneo. North Kayong regency is one of the regencies of West Kalimantan province in Indonesia. The nearest airport is Rahadi Osman Airpor ...
(the present-day
Ketapang Regency Ketapang Regency is a regency in the south of the province of West Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo in Indonesia. Ketapang Regency occupies an area of 31,588 km2, and at the census in 2010 it had 427,460 inhabitants following the splitting ...
in
West Kalimantan West Kalimantan () is a province of Indonesia. It is one of five Indonesian provinces comprising Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital and largest city is Pontianak. It is bordered by East Kalimantan and Central ...
) and conquered it in 1661. Banten also tried to escape the pressure of the
Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( ; VOC ), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered company, chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world. Established on 20 March 1602 by the States Ge ...
(VOC), which had blockaded incoming merchant ships. A power struggle developed around 1680 between Ageng Tirtayasa and his son, Abu Nashar Abdul Qahar (also known as Sultan Haji). The disagreement was exploited by the VOC, who supported Haji and causing a civil war. Strengthening his position, Haji sent two envoys to meet King
Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest su ...
in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
in 1682 to obtain support and weapons. In the ensuing war, Ageng withdrew from his palace to Tirtayasa (present-day
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
); on 28 December 1682, the region was seized by Haji with Dutch assistance. Ageng and his other sons, Pangeran Purbaya and Syekh Yusuf from
Makassar Makassar ( ), formerly Ujung Pandang ( ), is the capital of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, ...
, retreated to the southern Sunda interior. On 14 March 1683, Sultan Ageng was captured and imprisoned in Batavia. The VOC continued to pursue and suppress Sultan Ageng's followers, led by Prince Purbaya and Sheikh Yusuf. On 5 May 1683, the VOC sent Lieutenant
Untung Surapati Untung Suropati also Untung Surapati (c. 1660 – 5 December 1706) was a warfighter in the East Indies who led a few rebellions against the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Some of his exploits were written in Babad Tanah Jawi. Early life ...
and his Balinese troops, joining forces led by VOC Lieutenant Johannes Maurits van Happel to subdue the and
Dayeuhluhur Dayeuhluhur is a district within the Cilacap Regency of Central Java. History Dayeuhluhur began as a '' Kadipaten'' or Duchy of Daya Luhur under Gagak Ngampar. Dayeuhluhur is place the popular Sondanese epic of Ciung Wanara in Cijolang River a ...
regions; on 14 December 1683, they captured Sheikh Yusuf. Heavily outnumbered, Prince Purbaya surrendered. Surapati was ordered by Captain Johan Ruisj to pick up Purbaya and bring him to Batavia. They met with VOC forces led by Willem Kuffeler, but a dispute between them destroyed Kuffeler's forces; Surapati and his followers became fugitives from the VOC. Lampung was given to the VOC on 12 March 1682 by Sultan Haji as compensation for the company's support, and a 22 August 1682 letter gave the VOC the province's pepper monopoly. The sultanate also had to reimburse the VOC for losses caused by the war. After Sultan Haji's death in 1687, the VOC's influence in the sultanate began to increase; the appointment of a new sultan required the approval of the governor-general in Batavia. Sultan Abu Fadhl Muhammad Yahya ruled for about three years before he was replaced by his brother, Pangeran Adipati (Sultan Abul Mahasin Muhammad Zainul Abidin). The civil war in Banten left instability for the next government, due to dissatisfaction with the VOC's interference in local affairs. Popular resistance peaked again at the end of the reign of Sultan Abul Fathi Muhammad Syifa Zainul Arifin. The sultan sought VOC assistance against the rebellion, and Banten became a
vassal state A vassal state is any state that has a mutual obligation to a superior state or empire, in a status similar to that of a vassal in the feudal system in medieval Europe. Vassal states were common among the empires of the Near East, dating back to ...
of the company in 1752. In 1808, at the peak of the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
, Governor-general
Herman Willem Daendels Herman Willem Daendels (21 October 1762 – 2 May 1818) was a Dutch military officer and colonial administrator who served as governor-general of the Dutch East Indies from 1808 to 1811. Early life Herman Willem Daendels was born on 21 October 1 ...
ordered the construction of the
Great Post Road The Great Post Road (, ) is the name for the historical road that runs across Java and connects Anyer with Panarukan. It was built during the administration of Herman Willem Daendels (1808–1811), Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, ...
to defend Java from British attack. Daendels ordered the sultan of Banten to move his capital to
Anyer Anyer, also known as Anjer or Angier, is a coastal town in Banten, formerly West Java, Indonesia, west of Jakarta and south of Merak. A significant coastal town late 18th century, Anyer faces the Sunda Strait. History The town was a considerab ...
and provide labor to build a port in
Ujung Kulon Ujung Kulon National Park is a national park at the westernmost tip of Java, located in Sumur District of Pandeglang Regency, part of Banten province in Indonesia. It once included the volcanic island group of Krakatoa in Lampung province, altho ...
. The sultan defied Daendels' order, and Daendels ordered an attack on Banten and the destruction of Surosowan Palace. The sultan and his family were held in the palace before their imprisonment in Fort Speelwijk. Sultan Abul Nashar Muhammad Ishaq Zainulmutaqin was then exiled to Batavia. On 22 November 1808, Daendels announced from his
Serang Serang (, , Sundanese: ) is a city and the capital of Banten province and was formerly also the administrative center of Serang Regency in Indonesia (the Regency's capital is now at Ciruas). The city is located towards the north of Banten pro ...
headquarters that the sultanate had been absorbed into the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
. The sultanate was abolished in 1813 by the British after the invasion of Java. That year, Sultan Muhammad bin Muhammad Muhyiddin Zainussalihin was disarmed and forced to abdicate by
Thomas Stamford Raffles Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (5 July 1781 – 5 July 1826) was a British Colonial Office, colonial official who served as the List of governors of the Dutch East Indies, governor of the Dutch East Indies between 1811 and 1816 and lieut ...
; this ended the sultanate. After the British returned Java to the Dutch in 1814 as part of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, Banten became a ''residentie'' (residency) of the Dutch East Indies.


Japanese occupation and independence

The
Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...
invaded the East Indies, expelling the Dutch, and occupied Banten in March 1942. During their three years of occupation, the Japanese built the
Saketi–Bayah railway The Saketi–Bayah railway was a single track and gauge railway, located in the west of Java, Indonesia. It branched off the Rangkasbitung-Labuan railway, going from Saketi in central Banten to Bayah, Lebak, Bayah on the southern Bantenese coast. ...
in southern Lebak to transport
brown coal Lignite (derived from Latin ''lignum'' meaning 'wood'), often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, Combustion, combustible sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35% and is considered ...
from the Bayah mines. The project involved a workforce of about 1,000
rōmusha (compare ''corvée''), is a Japanese language word for a "paid conscripted laborer." In English, it usually refers to non-Japanese who were forced to work for the Japanese military during World War II. The U.S. Library of Congress estimates that ...
(local forced labourers) and a few engineers and technicians (mainly Dutch), supervised by the Japanese. The rōmusha working in the mines were taken from Central and
East Java East Java (, , ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the easternmost third of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern ...
, the railway rōmusha were primarily from Banten. The construction took 12 million human days over 14 months. Working conditions were harsh due to food shortages, lack of medical care, and the tropical climate. Casualties are estimated at 20,000 to 60,000, not including mine workers. After Japan surrendered in August 1945, the Dutch East Indies declared independence as the Republic of Indonesia. This was opposed by the returning Dutch, resulting in the
Indonesian war of independence The Indonesian National Revolution (), also known as the Indonesian War of Independence (, ), was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during ...
. During the war, Banten remained under Indonesian control. On 26 February 1948, the State of West Java (, ) was established; on 24 April 1948, it was renamed
Pasundan The State of Pasundan (, ; ) was a federal state ''(negara bagian)'' formed in the western part of the Indonesian island of Java by the Netherlands in 1948 following the Linggadjati Agreement. It was similar to the geographical area now encompa ...
. Pasundan became a
federal state A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing status of the c ...
of the
United States of Indonesia The United States of Indonesia (, ; abbreviated as RIS or RUSI, also known as Federal Republic of Indonesia) was a short-lived federal state to which the Netherlands formally transferred sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies (except Netherlands N ...
in 1949, and was incorporated into the
Republic of Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
on 11 March 1950. After Indonesian independence, Banten became part of the province of
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
. Separatist sentiment led to the creation of the province of Banten in October 17, 2000.


Geography

Banten lies between 5°7'50" and 7°1'11" south latitude and 105°1'11" and 106°7'12" east longitude. The province has a land area of . It is near the
Sunda Strait The Sunda Strait () is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java island, Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of Ja ...
's sea lanes, which link
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
with
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
. Banten also links
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
and Sumatra. The region has a number of industries; its seaports handle overflow cargo from the seaport in
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
, and are intended to be an alternative to the
Port of Singapore The Port of Singapore is the collection of facilities and container terminal, terminals that conduct maritime trade and handle Singapore's harbours and shipping. It has been ranked as the top maritime capital of the world, since 2015. Currently ...
. Its location on the western tip of Java makes Banten the gateway to Java,
Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
and the adjacent areas of Jakarta, Indonesia's capital. Bordering the
Java Sea The Java Sea (, ) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its northwest links it to the South Ch ...
on the north, the
Sunda Strait The Sunda Strait () is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java island, Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of Ja ...
on the west and the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
on the south, the province has abundant marine resources. The land area includes some 81 offshore islands (large enough to have names) of which 50 are in Pandeglang Regency, 4 in Lebak Regency, 9 in Serang Regency, 5 in Cilegon City and 11 in Tangerang Regency.


Topography

The province ranges in altitude from sea level to . Banten is primarily lowland (below 50 metres above sea level) in
Cilegon Cilegon ( Indonesian: ''Kota Cilegon'', ; Sundanese: ) is a major coastal industrial city in Banten province, Indonesia, covering . It is located on the island of Java. The city had a population of 374,464 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, ...
,
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
,
Pandeglang Regency Pandeglang Regency ( Sundanese: ) is a regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is mainly located on the west and south coasts of the island of Java and is the most westerly regency on Java Island, but it also includes several offshore islands su ...
, and most of
Serang Regency Serang Regency (Sundanese language, Sundanese: ) is a Regencies of Indonesia, regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is located in the northwest corner of the island of Java. The administrative center of the regency is at Ciruas, while the capi ...
. The central Lebak and Pandeglang Regencies range from , and the eastern Lebak Regency ranges in altitude from at the summit of
Mount Halimun Mount Halimun () is a mountain in the island of Java, Indonesia. It is protected by the Mount Halimun Salak National Park. It is Banten's highest point. Location Mount Halimun is in the volcanic belt of the Bandung Zone. It is a stratovolcano ...
. Banten's
geomorphology Geomorphology () is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features generated by physical, chemical or biological processes operating at or near Earth's surface. Geomorphologists seek to understand wh ...
generally consists of lowlands and sloping and steep hills. The lowlands are generally in the north and south. The sloping hills have a minimum height of above sea level. Mount Gede, north of Cilegon, has an altitude of above sea level; there are also hills in the southern Serang Regency, in the Mancak and Waringin Kurung Districts. The southern Pandeglang Regency is also hilly. In eastern Lebak Regency, bordering
Bogor Regency Bogor Regency ( Indonesian: ''Kabupaten Bogor'') is a landlocked regency (''kabupaten'') of West Java province in Indonesia, situated south of DKI Jakarta. Covering an area of 2,991.78 km2, it is considered largely a bedroom community for J ...
and
Sukabumi Regency Sukabumi Regency (; Sundanese: ) is a regency ''(kabupaten)'' in southwestern Java, as part of West Java province of Indonesia. The regency seat is located in Palabuhan Ratu, a coastal district facing the Indian Ocean. The regency fully encirc ...
in
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
, most of the region consists of steep hills of old
sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock (geology), rock formed by the cementation (geology), cementation of sediments—i.e. particles made of minerals (geological detritus) or organic matter (biological detritus)—that have been accumulated or de ...
interspersed with igneous rocks such as
granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...
,
granodiorite Granodiorite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock similar to granite, but containing more plagioclase feldspar than orthoclase feldspar. The term banatite is sometimes used informally for various rocks ranging from gra ...
,
diorite Diorite ( ) is an intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock formed by the slow cooling underground of magma (molten rock) that has a moderate content of silica and a relatively low content of alkali metals. It is Intermediate composition, inter ...
and
andesite Andesite () is a volcanic rock of intermediate composition. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between silica-poor basalt and silica-rich rhyolite. It is fine-grained (aphanitic) to porphyritic in texture, and is composed predomina ...
. It also contains valuable
tin Tin is a chemical element; it has symbol Sn () and atomic number 50. A silvery-colored metal, tin is soft enough to be cut with little force, and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort. When bent, a bar of tin makes a sound, the ...
and
copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
deposits.


Climate

Banten's climate is influenced by the
South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
and East Asian Monsoons and the alternating
La Niña LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smit ...
or
El Niño EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
. During the rainy season, the weather is dominated by a west wind (from
Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
and the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
south of the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
) joined by winds from
Northern Asia North Asia or Northern Asia () is the northern region of Asia, which is defined in geographical terms and consists of three federal districts of Russia: Ural, Siberian, and the Far Eastern. North Asia is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to its n ...
crossing the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
. The dry season is dominated by an east wind which gives Banten severe droughts, especially on the northern coast during El Niño. Temperatures on the coast and in the hills range from , and temperatures in the mountains from above sea level range from . The heaviest rainfall ranges from during the rainy season from September to May, covering half of the western
Pandeglang Regency Pandeglang Regency ( Sundanese: ) is a regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is mainly located on the west and south coasts of the island of Java and is the most westerly regency on Java Island, but it also includes several offshore islands su ...
. Rainfall from covers half of
Tangerang Regency Tangerang Regency is a Regency (Indonesia), regency (''kabupaten'') of Banten Province, Indonesia. It is located in the northwest of the island of Java. Though commonly misunderstood as being a part of Jakarta, Tangerang is actually outside Jakart ...
, the northern
Serang Regency Serang Regency (Sundanese language, Sundanese: ) is a Regencies of Indonesia, regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is located in the northwest corner of the island of Java. The administrative center of the regency is at Ciruas, while the capi ...
, and the cities of
Cilegon Cilegon ( Indonesian: ''Kota Cilegon'', ; Sundanese: ) is a major coastal industrial city in Banten province, Indonesia, covering . It is located on the island of Java. The city had a population of 374,464 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, ...
and
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
. In the dry season (from April to December), the peak rainfall of covers half of the northern Serang and Tangerang Regencies and the cities of Cilegon and Tangerang. The lowest dry-season rainfall, from June to September, covers half of the southern Tangerang Regency and 15 percent of southeastern Serang Regency.


Government and administrative divisions

Banten consists of four
regencies In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
(''kabupaten'') and four autonomous
cities A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
(''kota''), listed below with their populations in the 2010 and 2020 censuses and in official mid-2024 estimates.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Provinsi Banten Dalam Angka 2025'' (Katalog-BPS 1102001.36) The cities and regencies are subdivided into 155 districts (''kecamatan'') as at 2024, in turn sub-divided into 314 urban villages (''kelurahan'') and 1,238 rural villages (''desa''). Over half (54.48% in mid 2023) of the population lives in the northeast corner of the province on just 14.6% of its land area. This corner, which comprises Tangerang Regency, Tangerang City and South Tangerang City, is part of the Jakarta metropolitan area (''
Jabodetabek The Jakarta metropolitan area or Greater Jakarta, known locally as ''Jabodetabekpunjur'' (an acronym of Jakarta–Bogor– Depok– Tangerang– Bekasi further extended to include Puncak region of Bogor Regency and portions of Cianjur Regency ...
''). The province comprises three of Indonesia's 84 national electoral districts to elect members to the
People's Representative Council The House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (, DPR-RI or simply DPR) is one of two elected chambers of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the national legislature of Indonesia. It is considered the lower house, while th ...
. The Banten I Electoral District consists of the regencies of Pandeglang and Lebak, and elects 6 members to the People's Representative Council. The Banten II Electoral District consists of the regency of Serang, together with the cities of Ciligon and Serang, and elects 6 members to the People's Representative Council. The Banten III Electoral District consists of the regency of Tangerang, together with the cities of Tangerang and South Tangerang, and elects 10 members to the People's Representative Council.


Regency capitals

Under the Law No. 2 of 1993, Tangerang was incorporated as a city on 27 February 1993 from the Tangerang Regency, of which it had been the administrative capital. It was replaced by Cipasera. Under the Law No. 15 of 1999, Cilegon was incorporated as a city on 20 April 1999 from the Serang Regency, of which it had been the administrative capital. It was replaced by Serang. Under the Law No. 32 of 2007, Serang was incorporated as a city on 14 August 2007 from the Serang Regency, of which it had been the administrative capital. It was replaced by Ciruas. Under the Law No. 51 of 2008, South Tangerang (formerly Cipasera) was incorporated as a city on 26 November 2008 from the Tangerang Regency, of which it had been the administrative capital. It was replaced by Tigaraksa.


Demographics

The 2006 population of Banten was 9,351,470, with 3,370,182 children (36.04 percent), 240,742 elderly people (2.57 percent), and the remaining 5,740,546 people aged between 15 and 64. It was Indonesia's fifth-most-populous province, after
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
,
East Java East Java (, , ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the easternmost third of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern ...
,
Central Java Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...
and
North Sumatra North Sumatra () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan on the east coast of the island. It borders Aceh to the northwest, Riau to the sou ...
. By mid-2022, the estimated total had risen to 12,251,985.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023, ''Provinsi Banten Dalam Angka 2023'' (Katalog-BPS 1102001.36)


Ethnic groups

The
Bantenese people The Bantenese (; ) are an indigenous Sundanese people, Sundanese ethnic group native to Banten in the westernmost part of Java island, Indonesia. The area of Banten province corresponds more or less with the area of the former Banten Sultanate, ...
are the largest group in the province, forming 47% of the total population. They mostly inhabit the central and southern part of the province. The origins of the Bantenese people; which are closely related to the
Banten Sultanate The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese people, Bantenese Islamic trading sultanate, kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Bantam (city), Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both w ...
, are different from the
Cirebonese people The Cirebon or Cirebonese ( Indonesian: ''Orang Cirebon''; Javanese: ''Wong Cirebon''; Sundanese: ''Urang Cirebon'') are an Austronesian ethnic group native to Cirebon in the northeastern region of West Java Province of Indonesia. With a pop ...
whom are not part of the
Sundanese people The Sundanese (; ) are an Austronesian people, Austronesian ethnic group native to Java in Indonesia, primarily West Java. They number approximately 42 million and form Ethnic groups in Indonesia, Indonesia's second most populous ethnic group. T ...
nor the
Javanese people The Javanese ( , ; ) are an Austronesian peoples, Austronesian ethnic group native to the central and eastern part of the Indonesian island of Java. With more than 100 million people, Javanese people are the largest ethnic group in both Indo ...
(unless it is from the result of a mixture of two major cultures, namely Sundanese and Javanese). The Bantenese people along with the
Baduy people Baduy people (; ) (sometimes spelled as Badui or Kanékés) are an indigenous Sundanese people, Sundanese ethnic group native to the southeastern part of Banten, specifically Lebak Regency, Banten, Indonesia. Etymology The term is a short for ...
(Kanekes) are essentially a subdivision of the
Sundanese people The Sundanese (; ) are an Austronesian people, Austronesian ethnic group native to Java in Indonesia, primarily West Java. They number approximately 42 million and form Ethnic groups in Indonesia, Indonesia's second most populous ethnic group. T ...
which occupies the former region of the
Banten Sultanate The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese people, Bantenese Islamic trading sultanate, kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Bantam (city), Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both w ...
(region of Bantam Residency after the abolishment and annexation by the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
). Only after the formation of the
Banten Province Banten (, , Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capital Region of Jakarta on the east, the ...
did people began to regard the Bantenese as a group of people with a culture and language of their own. Most of the north Banten population is Javanese. Most of the Javanese are migrants from central and eastern Java. The
Betawi people Betawi people, Batavi, or Batavians (''Orang Betawi'' in Indonesian, meaning "people of Batavia"), are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the city of Jakarta and its immediate outskirts, as such often described as the inhabitants of the ...
live in
greater Jakarta The Jakarta metropolitan area or Greater Jakarta, known locally as ''Jabodetabekpunjur'' (an acronym of Jakarta– Bogor– Depok– Tangerang– Bekasi further extended to include Puncak region of Bogor Regency and portions of Cianjur Regenc ...
, including
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
.
Chinese Indonesians Chinese Indonesians (), or simply ''Orang Tionghoa'' or ''Tionghoa'', are Indonesians whose ancestors arrived from China at some stage in the last eight centuries. Chinese Indonesians are the fourth largest community of Overseas Chinese in th ...
may also be found in urban areas, also primarily in the greater Jakarta area. The
Benteng Chinese Benteng people (Indonesian language, Indonesian: Orang Cina Benteng or Orang Tionghoa Benteng) are a Chinese Indonesians, Chinese Indonesian community of 'Peranakans, Peranakan' or mixed descent, native to the historic Tangerang area in the moder ...
(a subgroup of Chinese Indonesians) lives in Tangerang and the surrounding area, and are distinct from other Chinese Indonesians.


Languages

The province's dominant language is Sundanese.Language maps of Indonesia (Java and Bali)
/ref> Its indigenous people speak a dialect derived from archaic Sundanese, classified as informal in modern Sundanese. The
Mataram Sultanate The Sultanate of Mataram () was the last major independent Javanese people, Javanese kingdom on the island of Java (island), Java before it was Dutch Empire, colonised by the Dutch. It was the dominant political force radiating from the inte ...
tried to control West Java, including Banten; the Sultanate of Banten defended its territory except for Banten. In the mountains and most of present-day Banten, the "loma" version of the Sundanese language is dominant; this version is considered "harsh" by people from Parahyangan. Bantenese is commonly spoken, especially in the southern
Pandeglang Pandeglang Regency ( Sundanese: ) is a regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is mainly located on the west and south coasts of the island of Java and is the most westerly regency on Java Island, but it also includes several offshore islands su ...
and Lebak Regencies. Near Serang and Cilegon, the Javanese
Banyumasan dialect Banyumasan (), also known as the autoglottonym Ngapak (), is a dialect of Javanese spoken mainly in three areas of Java that is the Banyumasan, located in westernmost Central Java province and surrounding the Slamet mountain and Serayu River ...
is spoken by about 500,000 people. In northern Tangerang,
Betawi Betawi may refer to: *Betawi people *Betawi language *Betawi cuisine Betawi cuisine is rich, diverse and eclectic, in part because the Betawi people that create them were composed from numbers of Native Indonesian, regional immigrants that came ...
is spoken by Betawi immigrants.
Indonesian Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: * Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia ** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago ** Indonesian ...
is also widely spoken, especially by urban migrants from other parts of Indonesia. The
Baduy people Baduy people (; ) (sometimes spelled as Badui or Kanékés) are an indigenous Sundanese people, Sundanese ethnic group native to the southeastern part of Banten, specifically Lebak Regency, Banten, Indonesia. Etymology The term is a short for ...
speak the
Baduy language Baduy (or sometimes referred to as Kanekes) is one of the Sundanese language, Sundanese-Baduy languages spoken predominantly by the Baduy people. It is conventionally considered a dialect of Sundanese,, in but it is often considered a separate l ...
, also an archaic form of Sundanese.


Religion

Most residents are Muslims (94.85% of population), and the Banten Sultanate was one of the largest Islamic kingdoms on the island of
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
. The province also has other ethnicities and religions, including the Benteng Chinese community in
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
and the
Baduy people Baduy people (; ) (sometimes spelled as Badui or Kanékés) are an indigenous Sundanese people, Sundanese ethnic group native to the southeastern part of Banten, specifically Lebak Regency, Banten, Indonesia. Etymology The term is a short for ...
who practice
Sunda Wiwitan Sunda Wiwitan (from Sundanese: ) is a folk religion followed by some of the Sundanese people (including Baduy & Bantenese) in Indonesia. The followers of this belief system can be found in some villages in western Java, such as Kanekes, L ...
in Kanekes, Leuwidamar,
Lebak Regency Lebak Regency is a regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Java. The regency has an area of 3,481.35 km2 and had a population of 1,204,095 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 1,386,793 a ...
. Based on archaeological data, early Banten society was influenced by the
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
-
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
,
Sriwijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hindu-Buddhist thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important centre for the expansion of Buddh ...
and
Sunda Kingdom The Sunda Kingdom ( , ) was a Sundanese people, Sundanese Hindu kingdom located in the western portion of the island of Java from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Lampung, and the western part of ...
s. According to the ''Babad Banten'',
Sunan Gunung Jati Sunan Gunungjati (1448–1568) was one of the ''Wali Songo'' or nine saints of Islam revered in Indonesia for the propagation of Islam as the dominant religion in the region. He founded the Sultanate of Banten and the Sultanate of Cirebon on t ...
and Maulana Hasanuddin spread Islam extensively in the region.
Maulana Yusuf Maulana Yusuf (also spelled Molana Yusup) was the second sultan of Banten, and reigned from c. 1570 to 1580. About 1579, he conquered Pajajaran, which was the last significant Hindu-Buddhist kingdom on Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda I ...
reportedly engaged in ''
da'wah ' (, , "invitation", also spelt , , , or ) is the act of inviting people to Islam. The plural is () or (). Preachers who engage in dawah are known as da'i. Etymology literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation". Grammat ...
'' in the interior, and conquered
Pakuan Pajajaran Pakuan Pajajaran ( Sundanese: ᮕᮊᮥᮝᮔ᮪ᮕᮏᮏᮛᮔ᮪; known as Dayeuh Pakuan/Pakwan or Pajajaran) was the fortified capital city of Sunda Kingdom. The location roughly corresponds to modern Bogor city in West Java, Indonesia, approxi ...
. The sultan of Banten's genealogy reportedly traced back to
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
, and the ''
ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama ...
s'' were influential.
Tariqa A ''tariqa'' () is a religious order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking , which translates as "ultimate truth". A tariqa has a (guide) who plays the ...
Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
developed in the region.


Culture

Banten's culture is based on Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. It includes the
pencak silat Pencak silat (; in Western writings sometimes spelled "pentjak silat" or phonetically as "penchak silat") is a class of related Indonesian martial arts. In neighbouring countries, the term usually refers to professional competitive silat. It ...
martial arts, the
Saman dance Saman (also known as the dance of a thousand hands) is one of the most popular dances in Indonesia. Its origin is from the Gayo ethnic group from Gayo Lues, Aceh province, Indonesia, and it is usually performed to celebrate important occasions ...
, and . Religious sites include the Great Mosque of Banten and the Keramat Panjang Tomb. The
Baduy people Baduy people (; ) (sometimes spelled as Badui or Kanékés) are an indigenous Sundanese people, Sundanese ethnic group native to the southeastern part of Banten, specifically Lebak Regency, Banten, Indonesia. Etymology The term is a short for ...
live in central and southern Banten. The Inner Baduy tribes are native Sundanese who are opposed to modernization in dress and lifestyle, and the Outer Baduy tribes are more open to modernization. The Baduy-Rawayan tribe lives in the Kendeng Cultural Heritage Mountains, an area of spanning the Kanekes area, Leuwidamar District,
Lebak Regency Lebak Regency is a regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Java. The regency has an area of 3,481.35 km2 and had a population of 1,204,095 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 1,386,793 a ...
. Baduy villages are generally located on the Ciujung River in the Kendeng Mountains.


Weapons

The
golok A golok is a cutting tool, similar to a machete, that comes in many variations and is found throughout the Malay Archipelago. It is used as an agricultural tool as well as a weapon. The word ''golok'' (sometimes misspelled in English as "gollock" ...
, similar to a
machete A machete (; ) is a broad blade used either as an agricultural implement similar to an axe, or in combat like a long-bladed knife. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the Spanish language, the word is possibly a dimin ...
, is Banten's traditional weapon. Formerly a self-defence weapon, it is now a martial-arts tool. The Baduy people use goloks for farming and forest hunting. Other traditional weapons include the
kujang Kujang may refer to: Places * Kujang County, North Pyongan province, North Korea ** Kujang (town) * Kujang, Odisha, India Other uses * Kujang (weapon), a blade weapon native to the Sundanese people of West Java, Indonesia * , a ''Clurit''-class f ...
,
kris The kris or is a Javanese culture, Javanese asymmetrical dagger with a distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, although ma ...
, spear, sledgehammer, machete, sword and bow and arrow.


Traditional housing

Traditional housing in Banten has
thatched Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge ('' Cladium mariscus''), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of ...
roofing, with floors made of split and pounded
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...
. This type of traditional house is still widely found in areas inhabited by the Kanekes and Baduy peoples.


Clothing

Bantenese men traditionally wear closed-neck shirts and trousers belted with
batik Batik is a dyeing technique using wax Resist dyeing, resist. The term is also used to describe patterned textiles created with that technique. Batik is made by drawing or stamping wax on a cloth to prevent colour absorption during the dyein ...
, perhaps with a golok tucked into the belt. Bantenese women traditionally wear a
kebaya A kebaya is an upper garment traditionally worn by women in Southeast Asia, notably in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Southern Thailand. Kebaya is an upper garment opened at the front that is traditionally made from lightweight fa ...
, decorated with a hand-crafted brooch at the waist. Hair is tied into a bun, and decorated with a flower.


Islamic architecture

Three-level mosque architecture is symbolic of
tariqa A ''tariqa'' () is a religious order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking , which translates as "ultimate truth". A tariqa has a (guide) who plays the ...
''
ihsan ''Ihsan'' ( , also romanized ''ehsan'') is an Arabic term meaning "to do beautiful things", "beautification", "perfection", or "excellence" (Arabic: , ). ''Ihsan'' is a matter of taking one's inner faith ('' iman'') and showing it in both deed ...
'' (beauty) and
sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...
(law).


Pencak silat

Pencak silat Pencak silat (; in Western writings sometimes spelled "pentjak silat" or phonetically as "penchak silat") is a class of related Indonesian martial arts. In neighbouring countries, the term usually refers to professional competitive silat. It ...
is a group of martial arts, rooted in
Indonesian culture The culture of Indonesia () has been shaped by the interplay of indigenous customs and diverse foreign influences. As the world’s largest archipelagic country, it is home to over Ethnic groups in Indonesia, 600 ethnic groups, including Austr ...
, which reportedly existed throughout the archipelago since the seventh century. It began to be recorded when it was influenced by the ''
ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama ...
s'' during the spread of Islam in the 15th century. At that time, martial arts were taught with religious studies in ''
pesantren ''Pesantren'' is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia. It is taught either in private houses, a ''wiktionary:pondok, pondok'' or a mosque, the teaching includes classical Islamic texts and ''santri'' thought, taught by Kyai, ''kya ...
'' (Islamic boarding schools). Religion and pencak silat became intertwined.
Silat Silat is the collective term for a class of martial arts from the Nusantara and surrounding geocultural areas of Southeast Asia. It is traditionally practised in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, Southern Philippi ...
evolved from folk dancing, becoming part of the region's defense against invaders. Banten is known for its warriors, who are proficient in the martial arts. ''Debus'' (from ) is a Bantenese martial art which was developed during the 16th century.


Tourism

Banten is one of the favorite tourist areas in
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
, especially for local residents from
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
and
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
, especially
Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.
. The Banten region, which is close to the west coast of Java Island, has a panorama located in
Banten Bay Banten Bay, also known as Bantam Bay, is a bay in Banten province, near the northwest tip of Java, Indonesia. It is part of the Java Sea and has a total water surface of approximately and an average depth of . It includes marine ecosystems such as ...
such as , and others as well as resort islands such as
Umang Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) is a mobile app, a Digital India initiative of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (in short form MeitY), by the Government of India for access to central and state gover ...
and
Sangiang Sangiang is an island midway in the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java. Administratively it is a part of Banten province of western Java. One current design for the ambitious Sunda Strait Bridge allows for part of t ...
Islands. The uniqueness of the Banten community, especially the
Baduy people Baduy people (; ) (sometimes spelled as Badui or Kanékés) are an indigenous Sundanese people, Sundanese ethnic group native to the southeastern part of Banten, specifically Lebak Regency, Banten, Indonesia. Etymology The term is a short for ...
who still maintain their ancestral customs, is also interesting to explore, as well as the rare
Javan rhinoceros The Javan rhinoceros (''Rhinoceros sondaicus''), Javan rhino, Sunda rhinoceros or lesser one-horned rhinoceros is a critically endangered member of the genus ''Rhinoceros'', of the rhinoceros family Rhinocerotidae, and one of the five remainin ...
sanctuary in the
Ujung Kulon National Park Ujung Kulon National Park is a national park at the westernmost tip of Java, located in Sumur District of Pandeglang Regency, part of Banten province in Indonesia. It once included the volcanic island group of Krakatoa in Lampung province, altho ...
which has been designated as a world heritage site. Banten also has historical tourist destinations such as the Great Mosque of Banten, the Old Banten Museum, the Multatuli Museum.
Tanjung Lesung Tanjung Lesung (Indonesian: Pantai Tanjung Lesung) is a beach in Pandeglang Regency, Banten, western tip of Java. It is from the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta, and can be reached by car or public bus in about a 3-4-hour drive. It is known ...
Beach, in the Panimbang district of western
Pandeglang Regency Pandeglang Regency ( Sundanese: ) is a regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is mainly located on the west and south coasts of the island of Java and is the most westerly regency on Java Island, but it also includes several offshore islands su ...
, covers about . A proposed
special economic zone A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...
in 2012, the Tanjung Lesung SEZ became operational on 23 February 2015. Pulau Dua, covering about near
Serang Serang (, , Sundanese: ) is a city and the capital of Banten province and was formerly also the administrative center of Serang Regency in Indonesia (the Regency's capital is now at Ciruas). The city is located towards the north of Banten pro ...
, is known for its ocean coral, fish and of birds. Between April and August each year, it is visited by about 40,000 birds from 60 species from Australia, Asia and Africa. Originally an island, sedimentation has joined it to mainland Java.
Jakarta Premium Outlets Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
is an international outlet shopping center located in
Alam Sutera Alam Sutera is a mixed township at South Tangerang City and Tangerang City of Banten province in Indonesia. It is located south-west of capital Jakarta and within Jabodetabek metro area. The township has a land area of about 800 hectares. Most of ...
,
Tangerang City Tangerang ( Sundanese: , ) is the city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in the nation (excluding Jakarta, which is classed as a provin ...
, Indonesia. Officially opened on March 6, 2025, JPO is a joint venture between Simon Property Group and Genting Plantations Berhad. The mall features over 150 global and local brands offering daily discounts. Strategically located, it is easily accessible from Jakarta via the Jakarta–Merak Toll Road and the Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR).It is also considered one of the modern tourist destinations in Banten, attracting both local and international visitors.


Transport

Banten is in western
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
. In 2006, of its national roads were in good condition; were in fair condition, and were in poor condition. At the end of that year, of Banten's provincial road network were in good condition; were in fair condition, and were in poor condition. The province's national roads are congested; provincial roads have less traffic, and congestion is generally localized. Rail transport is declining; 48 percent of Banten's rail network was operational in 2005, with an average of 22 passenger trains and 16 freight trains per day. Most lines were single-track, and the main line was the Merak-
Tanah Abang Tanah Abang () is a districts of Indonesia, district of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. The district hosts the biggest textile Market (place), market in Southeast Asia, Tanah Abang Market. It also hosts Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Kelurahan Gelora ...
, Tangerang-Duri, Cilegon-Cigading line, and Soekarno–Hatta Airport Rail Link serving
Manggarai The Manggarai are an ethnic group found in western Flores in the East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. Manggarai people are spread across three regencies in the province, namely the West Manggarai Regency, Manggarai Regency, and East Manggar ...
- Soetta Airport along with the Skytrain. Then
Jakarta MRT The Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit ( ''Jakarta'') or Jakarta MRT (, stylized as ''mrt jakarta'') is a rapid transit system in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. The system is operated by PT Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta (Perseroda), a municipall ...
Phase 3 with Balaraja to Cikarang, will be construction in 2024.
Soekarno–Hatta International Airport Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (; ), also sometimes abbreviated as SHIA or Soetta, formerly legally called Jakarta Cengkareng Airport (, hence the IATA designator "CGK"), is the primary airport serving the Jakarta metropolitan area o ...
is Indonesia's main national airport. Other airports include the general-aviation
Pondok Cabe Airport Pondok Cabe Airport is a combined civilian and military airport in Pondok Cabe, Pamulang, South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia. The airport is owned by the state oil company Pertamina and operated by Pelita Air Service, which also owned Indo ...
in South Tangerang, Budiarto Airport in Tangerang (for training), and Gorda Airport in
Serang Serang (, , Sundanese: ) is a city and the capital of Banten province and was formerly also the administrative center of Serang Regency in Indonesia (the Regency's capital is now at Ciruas). The city is located towards the north of Banten pro ...
(used by the
Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...
). File:Soekarno-Hatta Airport aerial view.jpg, Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
, gateway to Jakarta and Indonesia, alt=Aerial view of Soekarno–Hatta International Airport File:JR 205 Stasiun Tangerang (crop).jpg,
KRL Commuterline KRL Commuterline, commonly known as Greater Jakarta Commuter rail, Jakarta Commuter rail, and KRL Commuter Line Jabodetabek is a commuter rail system for Jabodetabek, Greater Jakarta in Indonesia. It was previously known as KRL Jabodetabek. It ...
train at the
Tangerang railway station Tangerang Station () is a railway station located in the city of Tangerang, Banten. It is the western terminus of the Duri–Tangerang railway. This station only serves commuter trains operated by Kereta Commuter Indonesia. Passengers are mainly ...
, alt=Red electric train at an outdoor station File:ALS Di Poris.jpg, Bus at Poris terminal in Tangerang, alt=Large green bus File:Pelabuhan Merak Port of Merak.JPG, The
Port of Merak Port of Merak is a seaport located in the Pulo Merak District of the city of Cilegon, Banten, on the northwestern tip of Java, Indonesia. The port and district are named after the green peafowl, which once lived in the region, but now lives only ...
has ferry service to
Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
., alt=A large boat at a dock


Economy

Banten's 2006 population totaled 9,351,470, with 36.04 percent children, 2.57 percent elderly, and the remainder 15 to 64 years old. The province's 2005 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GDP) was primarily from the manufacturing industry sector (49.75 percent), followed by the trade, hotel and restaurant sector (17.13 percent), transportation and communication (8.58 percent), and agriculture (8.53 percent). Industry had 23.11 percent of jobs, followed by agriculture (21.14 percent), trade (20.84 percent) and transportation and communication (9.5 percent). The northern part of the province is more economically developed than the southern part. It is strategically located between
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
and
Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
. Most investment is in
Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...
,
South Tangerang South Tangerang () is a city in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the southwestern border of Jakarta, the city forms part of the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area. It was administratively separated from Tangerang Regency on 26 Novemb ...
and the rest of the north because of their infrastructure and proximity to
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
. Infrastructure in southern Banten lags behind that of the north, and Banten's development policies have prioritised growth over equality in
Pandeglang Pandeglang Regency ( Sundanese: ) is a regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is mainly located on the west and south coasts of the island of Java and is the most westerly regency on Java Island, but it also includes several offshore islands su ...
and Lebak regencies; investors choose areas with existing infrastructure to ensure competitiveness.


Cuisine

' is a Bantenese food similar to goat or curried
rawon Rawon ( Javanese: ) is an Indonesian beef soup. Originating from the Javanese cuisine of East Java, rawon utilizes the black keluak nut as the main seasoning, which gives a dark color and nutty flavor to the soup; thus rawon is often describe ...
. Found in
Serang Regency Serang Regency (Sundanese language, Sundanese: ) is a Regencies of Indonesia, regency of Banten province, Indonesia. It is located in the northwest corner of the island of Java. The administrative center of the regency is at Ciruas, while the capi ...
, it is believed to have originated in the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
and was brought by Arab traders during the
spread of Islam in Indonesia The history of the arrival of Islam in Indonesia is somewhat unclear. One theory states that Islam arrived directly from Arabia as early as the 9th century, during the time of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates. Another theory credits Sufi t ...
. Other Bantenese foods include ''nasi sumsum'' (from Serang Regency, made of white rice and buffalo-bone marrow), mahbub,
shark fin soup Shark's fin soup is a soup or stewed dish served in parts of China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. The shark fins provide texture, while the taste comes from the other ingredients. It is commonly served at special occasions such as weddings and ba ...
,
milkfish The milkfish (''Chanos chanos'') is a widespread species of ray-finned fish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. It is the sole living species in the family Chanidae, and the only living member of the genus ''Chanos''. The repeating scientific na ...
and duck
satay Satay ( , in the US also ), or sate in Indonesia, is a Javanese cuisine, Javanese dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay originated in Java, but has spread throughout Indonesia, into Southeast Asia, Europe, ...
s, duck soup,
laksa Laksa ( Jawi: ; Chinese: 叻沙) is a spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawns or fish. Most variations of laksa are prepar ...
Tangerang,
rice vermicelli Rice vermicelli is a thin form of rice noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch r ...
, beef jerky and
emping Emping is a type of Indonesian chip, a bite-size snack kripik cracker, made of ''melinjo'' or ''belinjo'' (''Gnetum gnemon'') nuts (which are seeds). Emping crackers have a slightly bitter taste. Emping snacks are available in markets either p ...
.


Sports


Football

There are multiple football clubs based in Banten. Each of them usually represent each one of Banten's regencies and cities. Two clubs are currently playing in Liga 1,
Persita Tangerang Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Kabupaten Tangerang ( 'Indonesian Football Association of Tangerang'), commonly known as Persita is an Indonesian professional football club based in Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia. The club currently competes in the ...
and Dewa United, both play at
Indomilk Arena Indomilk Arena (formerly Benteng Taruna Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Kelapa Dua, Tangerang Regency, Banten, Indonesia. It is used as the home venue for Persita Tangerang and Dewa United F.C. of Liga Indonesia. The stadium's name, for s ...
in
Tangerang regency Tangerang Regency is a Regency (Indonesia), regency (''kabupaten'') of Banten Province, Indonesia. It is located in the northwest of the island of Java. Though commonly misunderstood as being a part of Jakarta, Tangerang is actually outside Jakart ...
. The rest are playing in the lower division of Indonesian football, namely
Persikota Tangerang Persatuan Sepak Bola Indonesia Kota Tangerang, or Persikota Tangerang, is an Indonesian professional football club based in Tangerang, founded in 1994. The team currently plays in the third division of Indonesian football, Liga Nusantara. The ...
which represented the city of Tangerang with its home base at the
Benteng Stadium Benteng may refer to: * Benteng, Selayar Islands, the capital of Selayar Regency in South Sulawesi, Indonesia * Benteng Stadium, a multi-use stadium in Tangerang, Indonesia * Benteng railway station, a railway station in Surabaya, Indonesia Se ...
and Persic Cilegon based at Krakatau Steel Stadium in
Cilegon Cilegon ( Indonesian: ''Kota Cilegon'', ; Sundanese: ) is a major coastal industrial city in Banten province, Indonesia, covering . It is located on the island of Java. The city had a population of 374,464 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, ...
playing in Liga 3 while
Perserang Serang Persatuan Sepakbola Serang, commonly known as Perserang, is an Indonesian football club based in Serang Regency, Banten. They play in the Liga Nusantara since they relegated. History They were founded in 1958. In November 2014, they were prom ...
(with its home ground at
Maulana Yusuf Stadium Maulana Yusuf Stadium (Stadion Maulana Yusuf) is the name of a football stadium in the city of Serang, Banten, Indonesia. It was named after the third Sultan of Banten is used as the home venue for Perserang Serang of the Liga Indonesia The In ...
) playing in Liga 2.


Motorsports

In 2009, the
Lippo Village International Formula Circuit The Lippo Village International Formula Circuit is a defunct street circuit in Lippo Karawaci, Lippo Village Tangerang, Indonesia. The track was confirmed to host a round of the 2008–09 A1 Grand Prix season, set for the weekend of 8 February 20 ...
was built in a bid to host the
A1 Grand Prix A1 Grand Prix Operations Ltd. operated as A1 Grand Prix (A1GP) was a "single-make" open-wheel auto racing series that ran from 2005 until 2009. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themse ...
. The series was removed from the schedule, and the track was used for local motorsports before it was dismantled for the
Lippo Village Lippo Karawaci or Lippo Village is a multiracial community in Tangerang, 23 km west of Jakarta, Indonesia. The township is within the Jakarta metropolitan area. Previously a swamp area, it opened in 1993 and is today a benchmark for Indonesia's ...
expansion; the paddock area was reclaimed by
Pelita Harapan University Pelita Harapan University () abbreviated as UPH, is a private Reformed Evangelical coeducational higher education institution run by the Pelita Harapan Education Foundation () in Lippo Village, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia. It was founde ...
. A replacement street circuit, BSD City Grand Prix, was built in
BSD City BSD City, formerly referred to Bumi Serpong Damai is a planned community located within Greater Jakarta in Indonesia. The project was initiated in 1984 by a group of private developers and started in 1989. The town is currently managed by the hol ...
for local motorsports.


References


Further reading


Dinar Boontharm. "The Sultanate of Banten AD 1750-1808: A Social and Cultural History." PhD thesis, University of Hull, 2003.


External links


Official website
{{Provinces of Indonesia States and territories established in 2000 2000 establishments in Indonesia Provinces of Indonesia 2000 establishments in Southeast Asia Sundanese people Islands of the Indian Ocean Populated places in Indonesia Islands of Indonesia