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Depok

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Overview

Depok is a city in the province of West Java in Indonesia. The city, with a population of almost 2 million, is part of the Jabodetabek Greater Jakarta metropolitan area and is just south of the national capital. One of t

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Source

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External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia1,948 words

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Student city dynamics

Beyond its administrative role, Depak’s rhythm is set by a constant influx of students, most notably from the sprawling university campus that dominates the northern quarter. This creates a fluid urban fabric where coffee stalls, co‑working spaces and affordable eateries sprout in response to academic calendars. Weekday mornings see a tide of cyclists and motorbikes ferrying students between lecture halls, while evenings bring a modest surge of pop‑culture events, from indie film screenings to open‑mic nights in modest halls. For visitors, timing a stroll through the campus perimeter after classes dissolve can reveal spontaneous street art and the city’s youthful energy, a contrast to the more formal governmental precincts.

Transit crossroads of the Jabodetabek ring

Depok occupies a strategic node in the greater Jakarta metropolitan web, linked by a dense matrix of commuter rail (KRL) stations and bus corridors that thread through its streets. While the city itself lacks a dedicated airport, its proximity to Soekarno‑Hatta makes it a convenient base for regional explorers, especially those heading to West Java’s highlands. Travellers often exploit the early‑morning KRL services to bypass Jakarta’s notorious rush‑hour gridlock, arriving in Depok’s central stations for a brief interlude before continuing eastward to Bandung or southward toward the tea plantations of Puncak. Mastering these timed connections can shave hours off what would otherwise be a slog through the capital’s congestion.

Culinary continuity with Jakarta

While Depok is often catalogued as a suburban adjunct, its food scene retains a distinct continuity with Jakarta’s street‑food heritage, yet filtered through local Sundanese influences. The city’s night markets, especially those lining the main arterial roads, serve a medley of dishes that blend Jakarta’s fried delicacies with the sweeter, herb‑laden palate of West Java. Sampling the grilled fish satay here, for instance, offers a subtler spice balance than the robust renditions further north, reflecting the city’s intermediary position between the capital’s bustling kebab stalls and the more restrained rural kitchens. For culinary travellers, mapping these nuanced flavour shifts provides a deeper appreciation of the region’s gastronomic gradient.

Introduction

City in West Java, Indonesia City in West JavaDepokCityCity of DepokKota DepokOther transcription(s) • BetawiDèpok Kota' • Sundaneseᮊᮧᮒ ᮓᮨᮕᮧᮊ᮪Depok City HallUniversity of IndonesiaDian Al-Mahri MosqueMargonda StreetAt-Thohir Mosque FlagCoat of armsNickname: Kota Belimbing(Starfruit City)Motto:  Paricara Darma (Sanskrit)(Servant of the righteousness)Location within West JavaDepok CityLocation in Java and IndonesiaShow map of JavaDepok CityDepok City (Indonesia)Show map of IndonesiaCoordinates: 6°23′38″S 106°49′21″E / 6.3940°S 106.8225°E / -6.3940; 106.8225Country IndonesiaProvince West JavaMetropolitan areaJabodetabekSettled18 May 1696Incorporated(as kotamadya)20 April 1999Government • MayorSupian Suri (Gerindra) • Vice MayorChandra Rahmansyah [id]Area • Total199.91 km2 (77.19 sq mi)Elevation93 m (305 ft)Highest elevation140 m (460 ft)Lowest elevation50 m (160 ft)Population (mid 2024 estimate) • Total2,163,635 • Rank6th in Indonesia • Density10,823/km2 (28,032/sq mi) Time zoneUTC+7 (Indonesia Western Time)Postcodes164xx, 165xxArea code(+62) 21/251Vehicle registrationB xxxx Exx/ZxxHDI (2022) 0.819 (very high) Websitedepok.go.id Depok is a landlocked city in West Java province. It is located directly south of Jakarta, and it is the third largest urban center in the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area after Jakarta and Bekasi, covering an area of about 199.91 km2. Known as a center of education and commerce, the city had a population of 1,738,600 at the 2010 census and 2,056,400 at the 2020 census; the official estimate for mid 2024 was 2,163,635 (comprising 1,088,759 males and 1,074,876 females), resulting in a density of about 10,823 people per km2. Depok became an independent city on 20 April 1999, having previously been part of Bogor Regency. It is the second most populous suburban city in Indonesia after Bekasi, and among the ten most populous suburban cities in the world.

History

[edit] There are two possible origins of the name 'Depok'. The first suggests that the region was already known as Depok when the land was purchased by Cornelis Chastelein, a senior official in the Dutch East India Company, on 18 May 1696. The purchased land measured about 12.44 km2, approximately 6.2% of the current area of Depok. Aside from establishing plantations with the help of the local inhabitants, Chastelein was also engaged in missionary work, introducing Christianity to the local population. He founded a local congregation named De Eerste Protestante Organisatie van Christenen (DEPOC), and in the 1950s, some members of the Depok community in the Netherlands claimed that this acronym influenced the modern name of the city. An alternative explanation is that the name derives from the Indonesian word padepokan (Hermitage), as the site had previously been used as a religious retreat. Before his death on 28 June 1714, Chastelein wrote a will that freed the enslaved families of Depok and granted them pieces of his land, transforming them into landowners. Therefore, the 12 slave families became landowners (forever as given to them with entitlement deeds of Chastelein himself in his will) and freed men, women, and their children. The freed slaves are also referred to as the Mardijker's – and it originated from the word *Merdeka* or freedom in Bahasa Indonesia. Therefore, June 28 has been designated as Depokse Dag (Depok Day) by the descendants of the original Depok family, and on 28 June 2014, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Chastelein's will, they erected a 3-meter-high monument on their land, but the city government at the time prohibited it, citing its association with Dutch colonial history. The 12 original Depok family names are: Bacas Isakh Jacob Jonathans Joseph Laurens Leander Loen Sadokh Samuel Soedira Tholense The original slave families of Depok are of Balinese, Ambonese, Buginese, Sundanese and Portuguese Indo, i.e., Mestizo and Mardijker descent. Isakh, Jacob, Jonathans, Joseph, and Samuel were family names baptized by Chastelein after the slave families converted to Protestant Christianity. The other families retained their original names and might have been (Roman Catholic) Christian already before joining Chastelein's Protestant church. Descendants of the original Depok families with the exception of the Sadokh family, still live in Indonesia, the Netherlands, Norway, Canada and the United States. In 1871, the colonial government granted Depok a special status (Gemeente), allowing the area to establish its own local government headed by a council leader (President). This local governance ended in 1952, when the Depok administration transferred its authority to the Indonesian government, except for certain territories. During the Bersiap (Indonesian civil war and war for independence from The Netherlands) period of 1945, Depok experienced violence, and some of its inhabitants were killed by the local youth groups (Pemuda). The instability caused by the Indonesian War of Independence led to several of the original Depok families to flee the town. Many of the surviving families later settled in the Netherlands and various other countries as part of the broader Indo community. In March 1982, Depok was reclassified as an administrative city within Bogor Regency. On 20 April 1999, the city of Depok merged with some neighbouring districts of Bogor Regency to form an autonomous city, independent of the Regency, with an area of 199.91 km2. This date is commemorated as Depok's official establishment date.

Geology and climate

[edit] Located in a tropical country, Depok experiences two seasons, namely wet and dry seasons. The former usually happens between June and September, while the latter on October until May. Depok is situated on a geological basement dominated by alluvial deposits. Gravitational data from ESA-MWT studies indicate variations in subsurface rock density beneath the area, supporting the presence of these deposits. The finding has been corroborated by other geological surveys. The alluvial layers are located approximately 0–68 meters above a bedrock formation dating from the Pleistocene epoch. Two major rivers flow through Depok: the Ciliwung River and the Pesanggrahan River. Depok also has 13 tributaries and 22 lakes spread across districts around the city.

Administration

[edit] Administration of Depok City Depok is headed by a mayor, with a legislative assembly. Both the mayor and the members of the legislative assembly are elected by direct vote. Mayors[edit] Mochammad Rukasah Suradimadja (1982–1984) Mochammad Ibid Tamdjid (1984–1988) Abdul Wachyan (1988–1991) Mochammad Masduki (1991–1992) Sofyan Safari Hamim (1992–1996) Badrul Kamal (1997–2005) Nur Mahmudi Ismail (2006–2016) Mohammad Idris (2016–2025) Supian Suri (2025–present) Administrative districts[edit] The city of Depok is divided into eleven districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census and the 2020 census, together with the official estimates as of mid-2024. The table also includes the number of administrative villages (all classed as urban kelurahan) in each district and its postal codes. Regional Codes Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Area inkm2 Pop'ncensus2010 Pop'ncensus2020 Pop'nestimatemid 2024 No.ofkelurahan Postcodes 32.76.01 Pancoran Mas 18.05 210,514 245,000 254,701 6 16431 - 16436 32.76.02 Cimanggis 21.78 241,979 252,000 251,002 6 16451 - 16454 32.76.03 Sawangan 26.07 123,571 178,900 202,456 7 16511 - 16519 32.76.04 Limo 11.89 87,953 115,700 126,167 4 16512 - 16515 32.76.05 Sukmajaya 17.37 232,308 252,500 255,723 6 16411 - 16418 32.76.06 Beji 14.63 165,903 171,700 170,627 6 16421 - 16426 32.76.07 Cipayung 11.375 127,917 171,600 188,488 5 16436 - 16439 32.76.08 Cilodong 15.38 125,014 168,200 184,950 5 16413 - 16415 32.76.09 Cinere 10.53 107,461 101,700 100,988 4 16512 - 16514 32.76.10 Tapos 33.43 216,215 263,400 278,704 7 16451 - 16459 32.76.11 Bojongsari 19.41 99,735 135,700 149,829 7 16516 - 16518 Total city 199.91 1,738,570 2,056,400 2,163,635 63

Demographics

[edit] Ethnic groups[edit] Lenggang Nyai dance of Betawi people. The ethnic groups characteristics in the population of Depok are diverse. Based on data from the 2000 Indonesian census, the majority of the Depok population's are Betawi, Javanese, and Sundanese. Significant numbers also come from the Sumatran ethnic groups, namely Batak and Minangkabau. The Betawi people and a small number of Sundanese people (not including other ethnic Sundanese immigrants from Parahyangan and Banten) in the eastern part of the city are recognized as the indigenous people of Depok. The following is the population of Depok City based on ethnicity according to data from the 2000 Indonesian census; # Ethnic group Pop. % 1 Betawi 390,419 34.20% 2 Javanese 320,770 28.10% 3 Sundanese 292,706 25.65% 4 Batak 32,776 2.87% 5 Minangkabau 26,928 2.36% 6 Chinese 3,383 0.30% 7 Cirebonese 833 0.07% 8 Others 73,601 6.45% Total 1,141,416 100% Languages[edit] Map of the distribution of Sundanese language in Depok.   Majority speakers   Minority speakers In Depok there are areas where the majority of the people speak Sundanese language, namely Leuwinanggung, Cimpaeun, and Cilangkap urban villages (kelurahan) in Tapos district. There are also several other districts whose people speak Sundanese language, as in Cimanggis and Cilodong. However, overall, Betawi language is the regional language most widely used in Depok, namely the Betawi Ora dialect or locally known as bahasa Depok (lit. 'language of Depok'). Then, because of the large number of immigrants from all over Indonesia, the lingua franca used is Indonesian language.

Facilities

[edit] Commerce[edit] Depok has a growing eclectic collection of malls and traditional markets. Older malls or other notable shopping centers include D'mall Depok, Ciplaz Depok, and SixtyOne Building, and ITC Depok. Depok has many local restaurants and has wide presence of international chains. There are many shopping centers in Depok, such as: Depok Town Square — commonly referred to as DeTos Margo City Pesona Square Depok Town Center City Plaza Depok Cinere Mall Cinere Bellevue Mall Cimanggis Square Trans Studio Mall Cibubur The Park Sawangan shopping mall Traditional markets include Pasar Depok Baru, Pasar Depok Lama (short: Pasar Lama), Pasar Kemiri (originally expanded to facilitate the move of Pasar Lama traders), Pasar PAL, Pasar Agung, Pasar Musi, Pasar Cisalak, and Pasar Majapahit. Parks[edit] Alun Alun Depok or Depok Square is equipped with various sports facilities such as a basketball court, futsal, skateboard, wall climbing, BMX arena, children's playground, fish pond, fountain, and others. Godongijo Conservation and Education Park is located in Depok. The park provides children and teachers alike the ability to get up close and personal with nature. There are also other children's amusement parks in the city such as Depok Fantasi Waterpark, Taman Pemuda Pratama, and Pondok Zidane.

Education

[edit] Depok is a city of education because there are several well-known universities in Indonesia in this city, including: University of Indonesia Gunadarma University Jakarta State Polytechnic International Islamic University of Indonesia Depok has several private language schools, namely EF English First, Kinderfield Highfield Depok, International Language Programs (ILP), Lembaga Indonesia Amerika (LIA), The British Institute (TBI), Lembaga Pendidikan Indonesia - Amerika (LPIA), and several other small institutions. The location is along Margonda Raya and Cinere Raya, between the main roads that pass through Depok. In the city of Depok there are also Islamic schools including for Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) there are around 72 schools

Transportation

[edit] This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Toll road access[edit] KM Toll road Destination 13 Jagorawi Toll Road Cibubur, Cikeas, Cileungsi, Jonggol 28 Jakarta Outer Ring Road Pasar Minggu, Lenteng Agung 16 Cinere-Jagorawi Toll Road Cisalak, Juanda, Margonda 13 Depok–Antasari Toll Road Sawangan, Parung, Ciputat, Serpong, Billabong, Bogor Public transportation[edit] Harjamukti LRT station serves Cibubur Line, part of Jabodebek LRT. Angkot is the major means of public transportation in Depok. Gojek and Grab and taxicabs are easily available. Depok is connected to other areas of greater Jakarta by KRL Commuterline, TransJakarta & Jabodebek LRT. Depok station, Depok Baru station, Universitas Indonesia station, Pondok Cina station, Citayam station and Pondok Rajeg station of KRL Commuterline commuter train service located within Depok. Commuter train and Light metro is widely used to travel to Jakarta city center and other parts of Greater Jakarta, but is very crowded during peak hours. Air[edit] Depok is served by Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport. Meanwhile Pondok Cabe Airport is located at South Tangerang in borders with Depok, but does not have regular scheduled air service.