Java, also spelled Djawa or Jawa, island of Indonesia lying southeast of Malaysia and Sumatra, south of Borneo (Kalimantan), and west of Bali. Java is only the fourth largest island in Indonesia but contains more than half of the nation’s population and dominates it politically and economically. The capital of Java and of the country is Jakarta (formerly Batavia), which is a Indonesia’s largest city.

Administratively, Java is composed of three propinsi (or provinsi; provinces)—West Java (Jawa Barat), Central Java (Jawa Tengah), and East Java (Jawa Timur)—as well as Jakarta Raya (Greater Jakarta) daerah khusus lbukota (special capital district) and Yogyakarta daerah istimewa (special district), both of which are administratively considered provinces.