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Java Sea

geography Maturity 5-7 Next article →

The Java Sea is a huge, shallow sea in Indonesia. It sits on a part of the Earth called the Sunda Shelf. Many large islands surround these waters. Borneo is to the north, and Java is to the south. Sumatra lies to the west, while Sulawesi is to the east. The Karimata Strait connects the sea to the South China Sea in the northwest. Some people call it part of the Pacific Ocean. Others say it is part of the Indian Ocean.

COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Anjer aan de noordkust van Java TMnr 3728-415
COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Anjer aan de noordkust van Java TMnr 3728-415

This sea is quite shallow compared to others. Its average depth is only 46 meters. The bottom of the sea is almost completely flat. You can see old river channels on the seafloor. These channels come from where rivers once flowed on land. Long ago, this area was a dry, flat land. At the end of the last ice age, the sea levels rose. This turned the dry land into the sea we see today. Some granite hills stayed above the water to become islands.

COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Anjer aan de noordkust van Java TMnr 3728-415
COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Anjer aan de noordkust van Java TMnr 3728-415

History has happened on these waters. In 1942, a large naval battle took place here. This was the Battle of the Java Sea during World War II. Forces from the Netherlands, Britain, Australia, and the United States fought there. It was a very costly battle for those ships. More recently, some planes have crashed into the sea. These include flights from AirAsia, Lion Air, and Sriwijaya Air. These events are sad parts of the sea's history.

The Java Sea is very important for the economy. People find oil and natural gas under the seafloor. These resources help Indonesia trade with other countries. Fishing is another big job for people in this region. The water is also home to over 3,000 kinds of marine life. There are even national parks like Karimunjawa to protect the area. The Thousand Islands sit north of the capital city, Jakarta.

Many people visit the sea for fun and adventure. It is a popular place for tourists to travel. You can go scuba diving to see the world below. Divers look for colorful coral and soft sponges. They also find underwater caverns and old ship wrecks. It is a great place to take photos of sea life. The photo shows the coast of Java near Anyer.

COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Anjer aan de noordkust van Java TMnr 3728-415
COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Anjer aan de noordkust van Java TMnr 3728-415
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