Special Region of Yogyakarta

Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta or simply called Yogyakarta is a region of Indonesia in the middle of Java. Although it is a separate administrative entity, Yogyakarta is historically and culturally part of Central Java. It is the only region in Indonesia that is still governed by a pre-colonial monarchy, the Sultan of Yogyakarta, who serves as the hereditary governor of the region. The current Sultan is Hamengkubuwono X.

The sultanate has existed in various forms through prehistory, and survived through  the rule of the Dutch and the 1942 invasion of the Dutch East Indies by the Japanese Empire. In August 1945, Indonesia's first presidet, Sukarno proclaimed the independence of the Indonesian Republic, and by September of that year, Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and duke Sri Paku Alam VII had sent letters to Sukarno expressing their support for the newly-born nation of Indonesia, in which they acknowledged the Yogyakarta Sultanate as part of the Indonesian Republic. The Sunanate of Surakarta did the same, and both of the Javanese kingdoms were awarded special status as special regions within Indonesian Republic. However, due to a leftist anti-royalist uprising in Surakarta, the Sunanate of Surakarta lost its special administrative status in 1946 and was absorbed into the province of Central Java.

Yogyakarta's Support was essential in the Indonesian struggle for Independence during the Indonesian National Revolution (1945-1949). The city of Yogyakarta became the capital of the Indonesian Republic from January 1946 to December 1948 after the fall of Jakarta to the Dutch. Later, the Dutch also invaded Yogyakarta causing the Indonesian Republic's capital to be transferred again to Bukittinggi in West Sumatra on 19 December 1948. In return for Yogyakarta's support, the declaration of Special Authority over Yogyakarta was granted in full in 1950 and Yogyakarta was given the status as a Special Administrative Region, making Yogyakarta the only region headed by a monarchy in Indonesia.

The Special Region is located near the southern coast of Java, surrounded on three sides by the province of Central Java, and with the Indian Ocean on the south side. The population at the 2010 Census was 3,452,390 people, but according to the latest official estimate (January 2014) has risen to 3,594,290. It has an area of 3,133.15 km2, making it the second-smallest area of the provinces in Indonesia, after the Jakarta Capital Region. Along with surrounding areas in Central Java, it has some of the highest population densities of Java.

Mount Merapi is located to the immediate north of the city of Yogyakarta and Sleman Regency. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. It last erupted in October–November 2010, killing and injuring many people.

Because of its proximity to the Borobudur and Prambanan temples, and because of the Javanese court Kraton culture of Kraton Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta has become an important tourist destination in Indonesia. Most tourists come to Yogyakarta as an accommodation base to visit Borobudur and Prambanan.

Some of the famous cultural aspects of Yogyakarta are:

• Batik fabric production area. The most famous batik marketplace is Beringharjo market.
• Traditional Javanese dance performance, especially Ramayana Wayang Wong dance performed in Prambanan and Purowisata. Other Javanse court dances are also performed in the Kraton.
• Wayang kulit, a traditional Javanese leather puppetry used for shadow plays. 

QUESTION:

1. Who is the current Sultan of Yogyakarta?

a. Hamengkubuwono IX

b.  Hamengkubuwono X

c. Sri Paku Alam VIII

d. Sri Paku Alam

e. Hamengkubuwono XI

2. What was the purpose of  Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and duke Sri Paku Alam VIII sending letters to Sukarno?

a. For expressing their sadness with the proclamation
b. For expressing their happiness with Indonesia society
c. For expressing their disagreement with the proclamation
d. For expressing their support for the newly-born nation of Indonesia
e. For expressing their support for Yogyakarta

3. What is the first-smallest area of the provinces in Indonesia?
a. Special Region of Yogyakarta
b. Jakarta Capital Region
c. Central Java
d. West Java
e. Bali

4. When did Mount Merapi last errupt?
a. January 2009
b. October–November 2010
c. September 2010
d. July 2010
e. November-December 2010

5. What is Beringharjo?
a. A restaurant
b. A temple
c. A batik marketplace
d. A mall
e. A hotel