BUITENZORG, a garden and experiment hill station, in the residency of the same name, Dutch East Indies, area, 37,412 sq.km., bounded on the north by Batavia, west by Bantam, south by West Preanger and east by Krawang. Buitenzorg is beauti fully situated south of Batavia, 86oft. above sea-level, with a fairly cool and healthy climate, the average mean temperature for the year being 76.8. Founded by Governor General van Im hoff, in 1745, it has since been the residence of the governor gen eral of the Dutch East Indies. Fast trains from Batavia enable one to visit Buitenzorg and return on the same day. Its botanic gar dens are among the finest in the world and were laid out for the government by C. G. E. Reinwardt, formerly professor of botany at Amsterdam who was succeeded by Dr. C. L. Blume. The gardens were thoroughly reorganized in 1868.
The residency of Buitenzorg, pop. (1926) 887,137, occupies the northern slopes of a range of hills separating it from West Preanger, and has a very fertile soil. The chief crops are tea, coffee, rice, rubber and sugar-cane, and nutmegs, cloves and pep per are also grown. The town of Buitenzorg is well laid out, has good hotels, and many attractive buildings; its population of 46,691 includes 3,782 Europeans and Eurasians.