History of Jakarta Timeline

Jakarta's tram system began in 1869 as horse-drawn trams and was electrified from 1899, but facing competition from buses and financial issues, it declined until tramlines only operated from Senen and Kramat to Jatinegara by April 1960, disappearing entirely by 1962.

Image source: Trams in Jakarta

Thoroughfares such as Jalan Thamrin and Jalan Sudirman were built between 1949 and 1953 to connect Central Jakarta with Kebayoran Baru. In 1953, 31,000 becaks were registered in the city.

Image source: Jalan M.H. Thamrin

After recognition of sovereignty on 27 December 1949, transition from Dutch to Indonesian leadership occurred immediately as Dutch residences and properties were taken over. The Concordia military social club building became the national parliament until early 1965, and the rank 'mayor' would become governor in 1960.

After recognition of Indonesian sovereignty, in March 1950 Jakarta was increased in size from 182 square kilometres to 530 square kilometres, though population impact was minimal: 1,340,625 in 1949 to 1,661,125 in 1951.

Colonial ANETA news agency on Jalan Antara was taken over by Indonesian owners and management between 1951 and 1955 as a forerunner of the present government-owned news agency ANTARA.

Image source: Antara (news agency)

In 1951 and 1952, 25 hectares of land each was opened for housing at Grogol, Tanah Tinggi (just south of Kemayoran Airport) and Pejompongan, addressing the growing city's housing needs.

Image source: Grogol Petamburan

Only in late 1957 did the nationalization of Dutch assets begin, partly triggered by anger over the Netherlands' refusal to transfer sovereignty of Irian Jaya. By 1960, almost all Dutch assets had been taken over and Dutch citizens were expelled from Indonesia. In mid-1952, 48,280 foreigners (90.2% Dutch) lived in Jakarta.

The first buildings constructed along the Thamrin-Sudirman corridor were Bank Indonesia headquarters (1958-1962), Hotel Indonesia (1959-1962), and the Welcome Monument.

Image source: Hotel Indonesia

Between 1960 and 1965, President Sukarno personally drove the transformation of Jakarta into a modern capital and mercusuar (beacon) of a powerful new nation, having transitioned the country to Guided Democracy between 1957 and 1959. Projects included broad avenues, four high-rise hotels including Hotel Indonesia, a stadium, Sarinah Department Store, Ancol recreation complex, Southeast Asia's largest mosque, and widened Thamrin and Sudirman ahead of the 1962 Asian Games hosted in Jakarta.

Image source: Sukarno

The period of monumental projects came to an immediate halt after the September 30 Movement in 1965. Delayed Sukarno-era projects included Wisma Nusantara (abandoned unfinished 1966-1971), Istiqlal Mosque (completed 1978), the National Parliament building (stages up to 1983), Hotel Borobudur (opened 1974), and Balai Sarbini (opened 1973). A 1969 book noted the city was 'dotted with steel skeletons and concrete shells of unfinished buildings.'

Image source: 30 September Movement

In 1966, Ali Sadikin was elected as governor of Jakarta, serving until 1977 as Jakarta's longest-serving governor. Early in his tenure, Suharto was elected president of Indonesia in 1967. Sadikin ensured infrastructure supported business growth, constructing the Jakarta Convention Center (1974) and several hotel projects.

Image source: Ali Sadikin

In 1968, the Jakarta Fairs were initiated at Medan Merdeka, and the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center at Cikini was opened, enriching the city's cultural life.

Image source: Ismail Marzuki Park

The 1970s saw a hotel building boom with nine major hotels opening: Kartika Plaza (1972), President (1973), Borobudur (1974), Ambassador/Aryaduta (1974), Sahid Jaya (1974), Kartika Chandra (1974), Hilton (1976), Sari Pan Pacific (1976) and Mandarin (1978), plus the extension of Hotel Indonesia in 1974.

Image source: Jakarta

By 1974, a redeveloped Halim Perdanakusuma Airport became the international airport, with Kemayoran becoming a domestic-only airport.

Image source: Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport

The economic boom period of Jakarta ended abruptly in the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and many construction projects were left abandoned.

Image source: 1997 Asian financial crisis

Tensions reached a peak in May 1998 when four students were shot dead at Trisakti University by security forces; four days of riots ensued, damaging or destroying an estimated 6,000 buildings and causing the loss of 1,200 lives.

Image source: May 1998 Indonesia riots

Jemaah Islamiyah-connected bombings occurred almost annually in the city between 2000 and 2005, with another in 2009, shaking public confidence during an otherwise prosperous period.

Image source: Terrorism in Indonesia

Since the turn of the century, the people of Jakarta have witnessed a period of political stability and prosperity, along with another construction boom transforming the city's skyline.

In August 2007, Jakarta held its first-ever election to choose a governor as part of a nationwide decentralisation program allowing direct local elections, in which Fauzi Bowo was elected as governor.

Image source: 2007 Jakarta gubernatorial election

On 24 March 2019, the first phase of the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) opened, ushering the city into a new era of modern mass transportation.

Image source: Jakarta MRT

Under the Japanese occupation, the city was renamed Djakarta (in Dutch) or Jakarta as part of the 'Restoration of the Regional Administration System'.

On 5 March 1942, Batavia fell to the Japanese, beginning the Japanese occupation of the city.

Image source: Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies

On 9 March 1942, the Dutch formally surrendered to the Japanese occupation forces, and rule of the colony was transferred to Japan.

In 1943, the Japanese Imperial administration slightly revised the administration of Jakarta by adding a special counseling body.

Following the collapse of Japan, Indonesia declared its independence on 17 August 1945. From the perspective of the Indonesian nationalists, the city was renamed Jakarta, ending the era of the name Batavia.

Image source: Proclamation of Indonesian Independence

On 19 September 1945, Sukarno held his Indonesian independence and anti-colonialism/imperialism speech during the Rapat Akbar grand meeting at Lapangan Ikada, now Merdeka Square.

Image source: Merdeka Square, Jakarta

On 29 September 1945, Anglo-Dutch troops arrived in Jakarta to disarm and repatriate the Japanese garrison, intensifying tensions with Indonesian nationalists.

Image source: Indonesian National Revolution

On November 21, 1945, Suwiryo and his assistants were arrested by members of the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration amid the struggle for control of the city.

On 4 January 1946, Indonesian Republicans withdrew from Ally-occupied Jakarta and established their capital in Yogyakarta.

In 1947, the Dutch succeeded in implementing a set of planning regulations for urban development—the SSO/SVV (Stadsvormings-ordonantie/Stadsvormings-verordening)—that had been devised prior to the war.

Image source: Jakarta

On 27 December 1949, the Dutch recognised Indonesia as an independent country and sovereign federal state under the name 'Republic of the United States of Indonesia', and Jakarta was officially proclaimed the national capital.