Jakarta

Why it's the capital

It began as the port of Sunda Kelapa and was named Jayakarta in 1527. In 1619 the Dutch East India Company destroyed it and built Batavia, its Asian headquarters, on the site. The Japanese renamed it Jakarta in 1942, and in 1950 it became the capital of the unitary Republic of Indonesia.

Fun facts

1. The old name Jayakarta comes from Sanskrit and means 'victory' or 'victorious deed'; the city counts its founding from 22 June 1527.
2. The National Monument, called Monas, is a 132 m obelisk in Merdeka Square topped by a flame covered in gold leaf; it opened to the public in 1975.
3. Indonesia's independence was proclaimed in Jakarta on 17 August 1945.