Journey to Java Trivia Quiz

Answer: Indonesia

The country of Indonesia is actually an archipelago made up of over 17,000 islands. Indonesia ranks fourth as the world's most populous country. The Javanese are the largest ethnic group and have tended to politically dominate the country.

Answer: Indian

The Java Trench, also called the Sunda Double Trench, is the deepest point in the Indian Ocean and is located about 190 miles from Java and neighboring Sumatra. Due to plate tectonic movement, the trench is an area of both volcanic and seismic activity. The ocean's beaches are popular tourist destinations.

Answer: Java is the world's most populous island.

Overpopulation is a serious problem for Java especially among the rice-growing peasants in the cites of Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung. Natural resources, as well as education and health care are overburdened. In the 1990s, Indonesia began programs of birth control and resettlement of families to less populated areas.

Answer: a wet and a dry season

Java's wet season begins in October and ends in April. The western part of Java is wetter than the eastern, with some areas receiving as much as 157 inches (4000 mm) per year.

Answer: coffee

During the 17th century, Dutch settlers came to Java and were responsible for starting the growth of coffee, sugarcane, rubber, and also tea. Javanese coffee plantations grow both Arabica and robusta coffee. Arabica, which is grown at elevations of 3,000 to 6,500, is much sought after for its "refined" taste. Robusta does best at lower elevations and has harsher flavors.

Answer: Java Tiger

The Java tiger is small compared to other Asian subspecies of tigers. At the end of the 18th century, Java tigers could be found in most areas of the island, but by 1940 they had been pushed to remote areas of forests and mountains. The last tigers were seen in 1976.

Answer: Jakarta

The city of Jakarta is located on the northwest corner of Java and is the political, economic, and cultural center of Indonesia. It is also the most populous city in Indonesia.

Answer: volcanic ash

The island of Java has been created almost entirely by volcanic activity. Lava flows, ash deposits, and mud flows have produced more land. Because the fine ash is carried by the wind, volcanic activity enriches the soil in a wide area. There are over forty volcanoes on Java.

Answer: Islam

Over 90% of Java's population are Muslims, either the more traditional "abangan" or the more modernist "santri." Indonesian citizens are required to carry an identity card which shows their affiliation with one of the six religions recognized by their government - Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

Answer: earthquake/tsunami

The magnitude 7.7 quake occurred on July 17, 2006 about 30 miles north of the Java Trench in the Indian Ocean. A little over forty miles of the southern coast of Java was hit by tsunami waves over 9 feet high. At the time southern Java had no warning systems in place. Efforts are now underway to install tsunami buoys in the ocean, but progress has been slow.