Mojokerto facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mojokerto ꦩꦗꦏꦼꦂꦠ
City
City of Mojokerto Kota Mojokerto
Mojokerto at night
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s):  Kota Onde-onde (Sesame Balls City) Mexico van Java (Dutch) (Mexico of Java)
Location within East Java
Mojokerto Location in Java Show map of Java Mojokerto Location in Indonesia Show map of Indonesia
Country	Indonesia
Region	Java
Province	East Java
Founded	1293
Gementee	1918
Kota	1950
Founded by	Raden Wijaya
Area
• Total	20.21 km2 (7.80 sq mi)
Area rank	95
Population  (mid 2023 estimate)
• Total	141,785
• Rank	20
• Density	7,015.6/km2 (18,170/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+7 (IWST)
Area code	(+62) 321

G.H.R. von Koenigswald (1902–1982), whose team discovered the Mojokerto child

Mojokerto (Javanese: ꦩꦗꦏꦼꦂꦠ (Måjåkěrtå)) is a city in the East Java Province of Indonesia. It is located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Surabaya, which is the capital city of the province. Mojokerto is part of a larger metropolitan area around Surabaya.

The city covers an area of about 20.21 square kilometers (7.8 square miles). In mid-2023, about 141,785 people lived there.

Understanding Mojokerto's Name

The name "Mojokerto" comes from two Javanese words: "Maja" and "Karta." The word "Maja" refers to the 'bael fruit.' This fruit was found where the new capital of the Majapahit Empire was built.

"Karta" or "Kerta" means 'Masterpiece.' So, Mojokerto can be understood as 'Masterpiece of Majapahit.'

City Government and Divisions

1946 Mojokerto City Map

The city of Mojokerto is divided into three main areas called districts (kecamatan). These districts help manage the city. Each district has several urban villages, known as kelurahan.

The three districts are:

• Prajurit Kulon
• Magersari
• Kranggan

Mojokerto's Economy and History

Mojokerto is important for East Java. It helps provide food and has many places that attract tourists. The city has a special saying: "Kota Budi Parinda."

Historically, Mojokerto was a very important place. It was once the center of two powerful kingdoms:

• The Wetan Mas Kingdom, ruled by King Airlangga (around 1029–1041).
• The Majapahit Kingdom, which had the Rajasa family as its rulers (1292–1400). The Majapahit Kingdom was very large and included many islands in the Indonesian archipelago.

Celebrating Majapahit's History

Mojokerto has played a big role in celebrating the history of the Majapahit Kingdom. For several years, cultural events have been held in East Java. These events last for about a week. Many districts take part in them.

These activities help show off East Java's traditional arts and special foods. This helps attract more tourists to the area. In 1993, Mojokerto was chosen to host a big cultural fair. This was part of a special "Seven-Age Anniversary" for Majapahit's glory.

Events and Activities

To celebrate, many activities were planned:

• Meetings for experts to discuss Majapahit's history.
• Projects to write books about the Majapahit Kingdom.
• Planting rare trees in areas where Majapahit ruins are found.
• Finding new ways to show off Majapahit's old artifacts.
• Improving places that tourists visit.

Other events included:

• A cultural and tourist fair to show Majapahit's greatness.
• An exhibition of old archaeological finds.
• Talks by archaeologists and historians.
• Festivals for cultural arts.
• Introducing visitors to local tourist spots.

These events happened from July 5 to July 15, 1993. Tourists from countries like China, Finland, Denmark, Malaysia, and the Middle East came to visit.

Mojokerto's Climate

Mojokerto has a tropical savanna climate. This means it has two main seasons:

• A dry season with little rain from May to November.
• A wet season with heavy rain from December to April.

Famous People from Mojokerto

• Anang Iskandar (born 1958) – He was a high-ranking officer in the Indonesian National Police.