Yogyakarta, also Djokjakarta, city in southwestern Indonesia, on the island of Java, near the Indian Ocean. Yogyakarta is serviced by the Jakarta-Surabaya railway line and by a branch line to Semarang. The region surrounding the city is one of the most fertile areas of Java. Sugarcane, rice, and tobacco are the leading crops. Points of interest include Mount Merapi, an active volcano that overlooks the city; an imposing palace of the sultan of the former principality of Yogyakarta; the municipal botanical gardens; and a bazaar. The city of Borobudur, famed for the ruins of a magnificent 9th-century Buddhist temple, is easily accessible from Yogyakarta. Universitas Gadjah Mada (1949) and the Islamic University of Indonesia (1945) are here. Before the Japanese occupation of Java in March 1942 during World War II, the principality of Yogyakarta was a Dutch protectorate. After the proclamation of the republic of Indonesia in 1945, the principality was merged with the republic. The city served as the provisional national capital until 1950, when it was replaced by Jakarta. Population (1997 estimate) 477,073.
