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Depok

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Depok is a busy city in the West Java province of Indonesia.

Indonesia Depok City location map
Indonesia Depok City location map

It sits just south of the big city of Jakarta. This makes it a part of the Greater Jakarta area. Depok is the third largest urban center in that whole region. It covers about 199.91 square kilometers of land. Many people live close together in this city. In 2024, there were about 2,163,635 people living there. This means there are about 10,823 people in every square kilometer.

The city has a tropical climate with two main seasons. The wet season usually happens from June to September. The dry season lasts from October until May. Two major rivers flow through the land: the Ciliwung and the Pesanggrahan.

North Entrance Harjamukti LRT Station
North Entrance Harjamukti LRT Station

There are also 22 lakes and 13 smaller rivers in the city. The ground is mostly made of alluvial deposits. These are layers of sand and silt sitting above much older rock. These layers sit about 68 meters above the bedrock.

Depok has a very interesting history that goes back a long time. In 1696, a man named Cornelis Chastelein bought some land here. This land was only about 12.44 square kilometers at the time. He helped local people start plantations and introduced Christianity. His will later freed many enslaved families and gave them land. These families became landowners and are sometimes called the Mardijker. Because of this, June 28 is celebrated as Depok Day. The city officially became its own independent city on April 20, 1999.

Many different ethnic groups call Depok their home today. Most people are Betawi, Javanese, or Sundanese.

Some people also come from Sumatra, like the Batak and Minangkabau groups. Because so many people move here, Indonesian is the main language for everyone. However, many locals still speak the Betawi language. You can also hear the Sundanese language in some districts like Tapos. Local culture is beautiful, such as the Lenggang Nyai dance.

0211m tarian-lenggang-nyai-betawi
0211m tarian-lenggang-nyai-betawi

Depok is a famous center for schools and shopping. It is home to big universities like the University of Indonesia. You can find many malls, such as Margo City and Depok Town Square. People also shop at traditional markets like Pasar Depok Lama. Traveling is easy with many different choices. You can ride the KRL commuter train or the Harjamukti LRT station.

North Entrance Harjamukti LRT Station
North Entrance Harjamukti LRT Station

Many people also use buses called angkot or ride-hailing services. For sports, fans can visit the Mahakam Stadium to watch football.

Mahakam Stadium
Mahakam Stadium
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🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:Indonesia Depok City location map.svg
Indonesia Depok City location map.svg
File:0211m tarian-lenggang-nyai-betawi.jpg
0211m tarian-lenggang-nyai-betawi.jpg
File:Peta wilayah penggunaan bahasa Sunda di Kota Depok.jpg
Peta wilayah penggunaan bahasa Sunda di...
File:Mahakam Stadium.jpg
Mahakam Stadium.jpg
File:North Entrance Harjamukti LRT Station.jpg
North Entrance Harjamukti LRT Station.jpg
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