WalkAroundTheWorld

Tokyo (/ˈtoʊkioʊ/;[7] Japanese: 東京, Tōkyō, [toːkʲoː] (listen)), officially the Tokyo Metropolis (東京都, Tōkyō-to), is the capital and largest city of Japan.[8] Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area (13,452 square kilometers or 5,194 square miles) is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 million residents as of 2018;[9] the city proper has a population of 13.99 million people.[4] Located at the head of Tokyo Bay, the prefecture forms part of the Kantō region on the central coast of Honshu, Japan's largest island. Tokyo serves as Japan's economic center and is the seat of both the Japanese government and the Emperor of Japan. Originally a fishing village named Edo, the city became politically prominent in 1603, when it became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. By the mid-18th century, Edo was one of the most populous cities in the world with a population of over one million people. Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the imperial capital in Kyoto was moved to Edo, which was renamed "Tokyo" (lit. 'Eastern Capital'). Tokyo was devastated by the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, and again by Allied bombing raids during World War II. Beginning in the 1950s, the city underwent rapid reconstruction and expansion efforts, going on to lead the Japanese economic miracle. Since 1943, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has administered the prefecture's 23 special wards (formerly Tokyo City), various commuter towns and suburbs in its western area, and two outlying island chains known as the Tokyo Islands. Tokyo is the second-largest urban economy worldwide by gross domestic product after New York City, and is categorized as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. It is also Japan's leading business hub as part of an industrial region that includes the cities of Yokohama, Kawasaki, and Chiba. As of 2021, Tokyo is home to 37 companies of the Fortune Global 500.[10] In 2020, the city ranked fourth on the Global Financial Centres Index, behind only New York City, London, and Shanghai.[11] Tokyo is home to the world's tallest tower, the Tokyo Skytree,[12] and the world's largest underground floodwater diversion facility, the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel (located in Kasukabe, Saitama, a suburb of Tokyo).[13] The Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, opened in 1927, is the oldest underground metro line in East Asia.[14] Recognized as one of the most livable cities in the world, Tokyo was tied fourth with Wellington in the 2021 Global Livability Ranking.[15] The city has hosted multiple international events, including the 1964 Summer Olympics and 1964 Summer Paralympics, the 2020 Summer Olympics and 2020 Summer Paralympics (postponed; held in 2021), and three summits of the G7 (in 1979, 1986, and 1993). Tokyo is an international research and development hub and is likewise represented by several major universities, most notably including the University of Tokyo. The Tokyo Station is the central hub for Japan's high-speed railway network, the Shinkansen; the Shinjuku Station in Tokyo is also the world's busiest train station. Notable special wards of Tokyo include: Chiyoda, the site of the National Diet Building and the Tokyo Imperial Palace; Shinjuku, the city's administrative center; and Shibuya, a commercial, cultural, and business hub. Source From: wikipedia.org

Surabaya (Javanese: ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or Javanese: ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; Javanese pronunciation: [surɔbɔjɔ]; Indonesian pronunciation: [suraˈbaja] (listen)) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of East Java and the second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern border of Java island, on the Madura Strait, it is one of the earliest port cities in Southeast Asia. According to the National Development Planning Agency, Surabaya is one of the four main central cities of Indonesia, alongside Jakarta, Medan, and Makassar.[9][10] The city has a population of 2.87 million within its city limits at the 2020 census and 9.5 million in the extended Surabaya metropolitan area, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in Indonesia.[11] The city was settled in the 10th century by the Kingdom of Janggala, one of the two Javanese kingdoms that was formed in 1045 when Airlangga abdicated his throne in favor of his two sons. In the late 15th and 16th centuries, Surabaya grew to be a duchy, a major political and military power as well as a port in eastern Java, probably under the Majapahit empire.[12] At that time, Surabaya was already a major trading port, owing to its location on the River Brantas delta and the trade route between Malacca and the Spice Islands via the Java Sea. During the decline of Majapahit, the lord of Surabaya resisted the rise of the Demak Sultanate and only submitted to its rule in 1530.[13][14] Surabaya became independent after the death of Sultan Trenggana of Demak in 1546.[15][16] From the 18th century until the mid-20th century, Surabaya was the largest city in the Dutch East Indies, and the center of trading in the Indonesian archipelago, which was then a competitor to Shanghai and Hong Kong.[12] The city is known as Kota Pahlawan (the city of heroes) due to the importance of the Battle of Surabaya during the Indonesian National Revolution. The city is one of the important financial, commercial, industrial, transportation, and entertainment hubs of the archipelago,[17] arguably second only to Jakarta, and the Port of Tanjung Perak is Indonesia's second-busiest seaport located on northern Surabaya. The city is also known for being one of the cleanest and greenest in Indonesia. Surabaya has been one of the most important and busiest trading city ports in Asia.[18] Principal exports from the port include sugar, tobacco, and coffee.[19] Its rich history as a trading port has led to a strong financial infrastructure with modern economic institutions such as banks, insurance, and sound export-import companies. The economy is influenced by the recent growth in international industries and the completion of the Suramadu Bridge. The high potential and economic activities make the city an attractive destination to foreign investors. The city is home to a large shipyard and numerous specialized naval schools.[20] The Bank of Indonesia has also made plans for Surabaya to be the Islamic financial center of Indonesia. Source From: wikipedia.org

Jakarta (/dʒəˈkɑːrtə/; Indonesian pronunciation: [dʒaˈkarta] (listen), Betawi: Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta is the largest city in Southeast Asia and serves as the diplomatic capital of ASEAN. The city is the economic, cultural, and political centre of Indonesia. It possesses a province-level status and has a population of 10,609,681 as of mid 2021.[3] Although Jakarta extends over only 664.01 km2 (256.38 sq mi), and thus has the smallest area of any Indonesian province, its metropolitan area covers 9,957.08 km2 (3,844.45 sq mi), which includes the satellite cities Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, South Tangerang, and Bekasi, and has an estimated population of 35 million as of 2021, making it the largest urban area in Indonesia and the second-largest in the world (after Tokyo). Jakarta ranks first among the Indonesian provinces in human development index. Jakarta's business and employment opportunities, along with its ability to offer a potentially higher standard of living compared to other parts of the country, have attracted migrants from across the Indonesian archipelago, making it a melting pot of numerous cultures. Jakarta is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Southeast Asia. Established in the fourth century as Sunda Kelapa, the city became an important trading port for the Sunda Kingdom. At one time, it was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies, when it was known as Batavia. Jakarta was officially a city within West Java until 1960, when its official status was changed to a province with special capital region distinction. As a province, its government consists of five administrative cities and one administrative regency. Jakarta is an alpha world city and is the seat of the ASEAN secretariat. Financial institutions such as the Bank of Indonesia, Indonesia Stock Exchange, and corporate headquarters of numerous Indonesian companies and multinational corporations are located in the city. In 2021, the city's GRP PPP was estimated at US$602.946 billion. Jakarta's main challenges include rapid urban growth, ecological breakdown, gridlocked traffic, congestion, and flooding. Jakarta is sinking up to 17 cm (6.7 inches) annually, which coupled with the rising of sea levels, has made the city more prone to flooding. Hence, it is one of the fastest-sinking capitals in the world. In response to these challenges, in August 2019, President Joko Widodo announced that the capital of Indonesia would be moved from Jakarta to the planned city of Nusantara, in the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. Source From: wikipedia.org

Lake Toba (Indonesian: Danau Toba) (Toba Batak: ᯖᯀᯬ ᯖᯬᯅ; romanized: Tao Toba) is a large natural lake in North Sumatra, Indonesia, occupying the caldera of a supervolcano. The lake is located in the middle of the northern part of the island of Sumatra, with a surface elevation of about 900 metres (2,953 ft), the lake stretches from 2.88°N 98.52°E to 2.35°N 99.1°E. The lake is about 100 kilometres (62 miles) long, 30 kilometres (19 mi) wide, and up to 505 metres (1,657 ft) deep. It is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world.[1] Toba Caldera is one of twenty Geoparks in Indonesia,[2] and was recognised in July 2020 as one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks.[3][4][5] Lake Toba is the site of a supervolcanic eruption estimated at VEI 8 that occurred 69,000 to 77,000 years ago,[6][7][8] representing a climate-changing event. Recent advances in dating methods suggest a more accurate identification of 74,000 years ago as the date.[9] It is the largest-known explosive eruption on Earth in the last 25 million years. According to the Toba catastrophe theory, it had global consequences for human populations; it killed most humans living at that time and is believed to have created a population bottleneck in central east Africa and India, which affects the genetic make-up of the human worldwide population to the present.[10] More recent studies have cast doubt on this theory and found no evidence of substantial changes in global population.[11] It has been accepted that the eruption of the Toba Caldera led to a volcanic winter with a worldwide decrease in temperature between 3 to 5 °C (5.4 to 9.0 °F), and up to 15 °C (27 °F) in higher latitudes. Additional studies in Lake Malawi in East Africa show significant amounts of ash being deposited from the Toba Caldera eruptions, even at that great distance, but little indication of a significant climatic effect in East Africa.[12]

Borobudur Temple (Javanese: ꦕꦤ꧀ꦝꦶ​ꦧꦫꦧꦸꦝꦸꦂ,. Candi Båråbudhur) is a Buddhist temple located in Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. This temple is located approximately 100 km southwest of Semarang, 86 km west of Surakarta, and 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta. This temple with many stupas was founded by adherents of Mahayana Buddhism around the 800s AD during the reign of the Syailendra dynasty. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple or shrine in the world,[1][2] as well as one of the largest Buddhist monuments in the world.[3] This monument consists of six square terraces on which there are three circular courtyards, the walls are decorated with 2,672 relief panels and originally there were 504 Buddha statues.[4] Borobudur has the most complete and largest collection of Buddhist reliefs in the world.[3] The largest main stupa is located in the center and crowns this building, surrounded by three circular rows of 72 perforated stupas in which there is a Buddha statue sitting cross-legged in a perfect lotus position with the Dharmachakra mudra (turning the wheel of dharma). This monument is a model of the universe and was built as a holy place to glorify Buddha as well as to function as a place of pilgrimage to guide mankind from worldly desires to enlightenment and wisdom according to Buddhist teachings.[5] Pilgrims enter via the east side and start the ritual at the base of the temple by walking around this sacred building in a clockwise direction, while continuing to climb the next steps through three levels of realms in Buddhist cosmology. The three levels are Kāmadhātu (the realm of lust), Rupadhatu (the realm of form), and Arupadhatu (the realm of intangibility). On their way the pilgrims walk through a series of aisles and stairs to witness no less than 1,460 beautiful relief panels engraved on the walls and balustrades. According to historical evidence, Borobudur was abandoned in the 10th century as the center of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom was moved to East Java by Pu Sindok.[6] The world began to realize the existence of this building since it was discovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who at that time served as Governor General of England over Java. Since then Borobudur has undergone a series of rescue and restoration efforts. The largest restoration project was held from 1975 to 1982 under the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and UNESCO, then this historic site was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. (Source From Wikipedia)

Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, in Indonesia's Southwest Papua province. It comprises over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau. The Raja Ampat archipelago straddles the Equator and forms part of Coral Triangle which contains the richest marine biodiversity on earth. Administratively, the archipelago is part of the province of Southwest Papua. Most of the islands constitute the Raja Ampat Regency, which was separated out from Sorong Regency in 2004. The regency encompasses around 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 sq mi) of land and sea, of which 8,034.44 km2 constitutes the land area and has a population of 64,141 at the 2020 Census.[2] This excludes the southern half of Salawati Island, which is not part of this regency but instead constitutes the Salawati Selatan and Salawati Tengah Districts of Sorong Regency.

Bali (Balinese) is a province located in Indonesia. The capital city is Denpasar. Bali Province is located in the western part of the Nusa Tenggara Islands. At the beginning of Indonesian independence, this island was included in the Lesser Sunda Province, whose capital was Singaraja, and is now divided into 3 provinces, namely Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.[9][10] In 2020, the population of the province of Bali is Bali. totaling 4,317,404 people, with a density of 747 people/km2.[4] Apart from consisting of the island of Bali, the province of Bali also consists of smaller surrounding islands, namely Nusa Penida Island, Nusa Lembongan Island, Nusa Ceningan Island, Serangan Island, and Menjangan Island. Geographically, Bali is located between the islands of Java and Lombok. The majority of the Balinese population are Hindus.[5] In the world, Bali is well-known as a tourism destination with its unique arts and culture, especially for Japanese and Australian tourists. Bali is also known as the Island of the Gods and the Island of a Thousand Temples (source from wikipedia).