Bandung: 2,5 million...

We live in Bandung, which is the fourth largest city of Indonesia. It is located about 180km northwest from the capital, Jakarta in West Java. During the Dutch rule Bandung was the capital of Indonesia for a while. Still some buildings from the Dutch period can be found here. During the colonial times Bandung used to be called the Paris Van Java.

The city is situated at altitude of 768 m (2,520 ft) and is surrounded by tea plantations, rice terraces and volcanos. It is known in Indonesia for example for its Sundanese food and as a center of fashion. Many western clothing brands manifacture their products here and they are locally sold for a fraction of their western price in out-let malls. Also many students from all over Indonesia come to study here because some of Indonesia's best universities are here. Bandung is the center of Sundanese culture with more than 30 million Sundanese people living in the surrounding areas.

The population growth of the city has created considerable traffic, pollution and waste problems among others. Still many Indonesians from Jakarta come here for weekend breaks because of the cooler mountain air, shopping and tasty food.