Java Sea
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Map of Java Sea |
The
Java Sea (
Jawa Sea) is a large (310,000 km²), shallow sea in the southern
Pacific Ocean. It was formed toward the end of the last
ice age when two large river systems were drowned out. It lies in the midst of the
Indonesian islands of
Borneo to the north,
Java to the south;
Sumatra to the west, and
Sulawesi (Celebes) to the east. To the northwest, the
Karimata Strait links it to the
South China Sea.
Fishing is an important economic activity in the Java Sea. There are over 3,000 species of marine life in the area.
The area around the Java Sea is a popular
tourist destination.
Scuba diving offers a chance to explore and photograph underwater caverns, wrecks,
coral,
sponges, and other marine life. A number of national parks exist in the area. Near
Jakarta, in the
Thousand Islands, is
Ujung Kulon National Park. Karimun Java is a national park comprising twenty-seven islands. Menjagan Island, near
Bali, is in a secluded national park.
The Java Sea was the site of one of the costliest (to the
Allies)
naval battles of
World War II, in February and March of 1942. The naval forces of the
Netherlands,
Britain,
Australia, and the U.S. were nearly completely destroyed trying to defend Java from
Japanese attack.
