Lying in the shadow of aptly named 'fire mountain' (2,914 meter-high active vulcano, Mount Merapi), is the seat of the once mighty Javanese empire of Mataram, Ngayogyakarto Hadiningrat. Yogyakarta (Yogya) came into being in 1755, when a land dispute split the power of Mataram into the Sultanates of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo). Prince Mangkubumi built Kraton of Yogyakarta and created one of the most powerful Javanese states ever. The Kraton is still the hub of Yogyakarta's traditional life and despite the advance of the 20th century, it still radiates the spirit of refinement which has been the hallmark of its art and people for centuries.

Yogyakarta is one of the supreme cultural centers of Java. Full Gamelan orchestras keep alive the rhythms the past, classical Javanese dances entances with visions of beauty and poise, shadows come to life in the stories of wayang kulit and a myriad of traditional visual art forms keep locals and visitors alike spellbound. Yogyakarta has an extraordinary life force and charm which seldom fails to captivate.

Contemporary art has also grown in the fertile soil of Yogyakarta's sophisticated cultural society. ASRI, the Academy of Fine Arts, is the centre of arts in the region and Yogyakarta has given its name to an important school of modern painting in Indonesia, best illustrated by the renowned impressionist, the late Affandi.

The province is one of the most densely populated areas of Indonesia. It stretches from the slopes of mighty Mount Merapi in the north to the wave-swept beaches of the powerful Indian Ocean of the south.