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 Chaotic, crowded, and cosmopolitan, Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is a city of contrasts. Home to millions of people from around the world, the city is a mixture of languages and cultures, poverty and wealth. The city boasts some of the best nightlife in Asia and some of the worst traffic.
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Introducing Jakarta
 Whether you love it or hate it, there is no escaping Jakarta, Indonesia's overweight capital. This 'Big Durian' is filled with all the good and bad of Indonesian life.
At first glance, this hot, smoggy city, which sprawls for miles over a featureless plain, feels like nothing more than a waiting lounge for the millions queuing up to make their fortune. Jakarta's infamous macet chokes its freeways, town planning is anathema and all attempts to forge a central focal point for the city have stuttered and ultimately failed. The first - or only - thought on most travellers' minds is how quickly the city and its polluted streets can be left behind.
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Geographical Of Jakarta
 The Province is geographically located on 6012' South Latitude and 106048'- East Longitude. The government administration is set into 5 regions South Jakarta, Central Jakarta, East Jakarta, West Jakarta, North Jakarta and 1 regency/ administrative city, namely Thousand Island regency. The largest city is East Jakarta (187.73 sq km) and the smallest is Thousand Island regency (11.81 sq km). The average rainfall is 1,916.8- 924.50 mm/year. The temperature is between of 22 C - 33 C.
Jakarta is the main international gateway to Indonesia. Jakarta is also a major centre for domestic travel, with extensive bus, train, air and boat connections
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Weather All Year Round
 Climate
Indonesia has some of the planet's highest seismic and volcanic activity, so natural disasters such as eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis are constant threats. The most famous of these is the Krakatoa explosion of 1883, which destroyed many nearby villages and caused a sonic boom that was heard as far away as Mauritius off the coast of Africa. More recent disasters include the large earthquake and tsunami that hit southeast Asia in December 2004, and another earthquake in the village of Yogyakarta in May of 2006. Currently, the Mt. Merapi volcano on the island of Java is exhibiting a lot of activity. An eruption may come at any time, so be prepared for an evacuation.
Jakarta's climate is tropical and humid almost year-round; as it is so close to the equator, average temperature is almost exactly the same in January and July at about 82°F (28°C). Variation throughout the day is minimal as well, with low temperatures around 76°F (24°C) and highs of 88°F (31°C). Rainfall is moderate except for the winter months, when it becomes very heavy due to monsoon season. As the city is below sea level, the canal system designed to drain the city of excess water is sometimes overwhelmed, and parts of the city are under water for days after a heavy rain. It is best to avoid Jakarta between December and March unless you are prepared to sightsee in galoshes.
A chart of monthly averaged statistics for temperature and rain can be found on this Jakarta Weather Page. It also has the up-to-the-moment weather information from the weather station at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Even when it rains in most parts of Bali you can often enjoy sunny days on the "Bukit", the hill south of Jimbaran Beach. On the other hand, in Ubud and the mountains you must expect cloudy skies and showers throughout the year (this is why the international weather reports for "Denpasar" or "Bali" mention showers and rain storms during all times of the year). In higher regions such as in Bedugul or Kintamani you'll also need either a sweater or jacket after the sun sets
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Culture
 Jakarta is the economic and political capital of Indonesia, so its residents are of many different cultures and ethnicities. The people are mostly of Malay and Polynesian descent, with over 300 ethnic groups and subgroups represented. Due to its long history as a key trading post, Jakarta is also home to immigrant minorities of Chinese, Arabic and Persian descent. The cultural influences of former colonial powers (the Portuguese, Spanish, English and Dutch) is also still evident in the islands today.
Indonesia is home to over 500 languages, with three main language groups being spoken on Java, all with a great number of dialects. The official language is Bahasa Indonesia, but dialects of Betawi, Javanese and Sundanese are widely used as well. Most people in the tourism industry can also speak some English, and a small number of mostly elderly people can speak Dutch (a remnant from when the islands were part of the Dutch East Indies)
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