Bata'via, the capital of the Dutch East Indian possessions, stands on the NW. coast of Java, near the mouth of the Tjiliwong, frequently called the Jaccatra, from the former native town, on the ruins of which the present city was built. The river, which is small and shallow, is connected with a network of canals which intersect the town. The influence of a vertical sun on the canals of this Holland in miniature made Batavia become proverbial as the grave of Europeans. The temperature, though not extreme, is oppressive from its uniformity, the mean of winter being 78.1° F., and that of summer only 78.6°. Latterly, however, the climate has been greatly improved by draining, and most of the merchants live in the healthier suburbs, which occupy higher ground farther inland, the principal being Weltevreden ('well-content'), Molenvliet, Rijswijk, Noordwijk, and Koningsplein. In some of these suburbs, which form the new town, the houses stand in spacious gardens with trees around them. The old town was formerly surrounded with walls and fortifications, and till 1808 was not merely government headquarters, but the main centre of population. But in that year the walls, useless since the complete subjugation of Java, were demolished, and the seat of government was transferred from the town on the swampy and unhealthy low grounds to Weltevreden, 2½ miles farther inland. Now the old town contains mainly shops, stores, offices, and the houses of natives and Chinese. During the day, however, it is a busy place; and in it are still the town-house, the exchange, the great poorhouse, a hospital, &c. The bay is spacious, but very shallow towards the shore, and is yearly becoming shallower. Batavia is accessible only to boats; and since 1880 the government has constructed a great harbour some distance to the eastward at Tanjong Priong, connected with the capital by road, rail, and canal. To seaward the bay is protected by a range of islands and sandbanks; and it therefore affords a very secure anchorage. Notwithstanding the growing prosperity of Singapore, Batavia continues to be the commercial emporium of the far East. Its markets present at once all the productions of Asia and all the manufactures of Europe. There is frequent communication by steam with Singapore, all the Dutch East Indies, and Australia. The chief exports are coffee, rice, indigo, hides, arrack, sugar, palm-oil, cajeput-oil, tin, pepper, teak, buffalo horns and hides, tea, cassia, sapan wood, tortoise-shell, and tamariuds. The imports comprise cottons, woollens, silks, machinery, iron goods, wine, butter, articles of luxury, and ice (from America). The duties, formerly very high, have been reduced since 1866. The total value of exports is reckoned at £1,500,000; of the imports, £2,000,000. About half of the total trade is with Holland. Batavia possesses, besides the citadel and government offices, a society for the arts and sciences, founded 1778; a society for the study of Eastern geography, ethnography, and languages; a national history society, a chamber of commerce, an agricultural society, a gymnasium, a medical school, and various other educational and learned institutions. In 1811, while Holland was under France, Batavia was taken by the English, but was restored to its former owners in 1816. The Dutch government has laid a telegraphic cable of 600 miles from Batavia to Singapore. There is a railway from Batavia to Buitenzorg and other points in the interior. Pop. (1890) 105,126, of whom 6000 are Europeans—Dutch, Portuguese, and half-breeds; 65,000 Chinese; 1500 Moors and Arabs; besides Javanese and Malays.
The province of Batavia is low, but rises gently towards the south. Pop. nearly a million, of whom 8000 are Europeans, 70,000 Chinese, and the remainder mostly natives. The religion is chiefly Mohammedan. See JAVA.