SURAKARTA, a government of central Java, Dutch East Indies; area 6,239 sq. kilometres. It is extremely hilly, except along the valley of the Solo, the principal river, which, with its tributaries, the Kaduan, etc., is of great value to the residency for agricultural purposes, watering the rich volcanic soil brought down from the mountains which flank either side of the Solo valley from north to south, and making Surakarta one of the most fertile portions of Java. In the west the mountains are dominated by the Merbabu and Merapi groups : in the east by the Lawu group. Surakarta is bounded on the N. by Semarang, on the W. by Kediri and Jokjakarta, on the E. by Madiun, and on the S., a very small portion of coast-line, less than ten miles long, by the Indian Ocean. Surakarta is the chief tobacco-growing centre in Java, producing, in 1926, 10,000,068 kilos, or a third more than the whole of the rest of Java and half as much as the whole of Su matra. Coffee is also a very important crop, whilst sugar-cane is grown very extensively on the volcanic ground at the foot of the Merapi mountain : the residency has also the usual native cultures —rice, pulses, cassava, fruits and vegetables. The pop. (1930) of Surakarta is 2,564,848 (6,555 Europeans and Eurasians), almost entirely Javanese. Residency, area 4,260 sq.km., pop. 1,613,228.
The Susuhunan, or sultan of Surakarta resides in the capital, Surakarta, pop. 163,013 (3,203 Europeans and Eurasians), also known as Solo where, too, is the headquarters of the Dutch Resi dent. In the city, which has all modern conveniences such as electric light and power, a telephone system, motor-cars and, except in the oldest part of the town (where there is an old Dutch settlement, and Ft. Vastenburg, as well as the native quarter),
fine, wide streets, well-planned and with magnificent shade trees at their side, with many modern shops and residential buildings. Surakarta has also a zoological garden, some very interesting houses of native nobles, and a large market, whilst in the streets of the purely native city the scenes of native life—strolling actors, with hideous masks, performing in the open air, members of the Court, wearing curious sugar loaf, stiff caps and the kris, accom panied by an umbrella bearer, hawkers selling their wares—is an absorbing sight. Surakarta is on the banks of the Solo, it is also on the main railway line from Batavia to Surabaya, which crosses the residency in the centre, from west to east, and it is the start ing point of a line of railway to Semarang, via Gundih. A tram line runs from Surakarta to Boyolati, the starting-point for the ascent to the sanatorium of Selo, 4,500 ft., on Mt. Merapi.
The Dutch agreement of 1755 recognized two native rulers in Java, the sultan of Jokjakarta and the susuhunan of Surakarta. From about 1830 onwards the native princes of Java have ceased to be of any political importance.