Java Sea - Laut Djawa

The area is surrounded by islands such as Indonesia, Java, Borneo, and Sumatra. It is 966 km east to west and 322 km north to south. As it forms part of the Sunda Sea shelf, the water is generally shallow, only 50 to 60 meters in the center. Islands such as Karimunjawa, Bawean, and Kangean are scattered within the area, and the seabed is made of mud. The coastlines of the surrounding islands are generally monotonous, and the southern coast of Borneo and the eastern coast of Sumatra are particularly shallow because they are low-humid delta areas. Another characteristic is the remarkable development of sandbars. Due to the influence of seasonal winds, the ocean current flows east from November to March and west from April to October. The Java Sea is highly used as a shipping route, as it is surrounded by world-famous straits such as the Sunda Strait, Lombok Strait, Makassar Strait, and Karimata Strait, which are important maritime transportation routes on all four sides. During the Pacific War, a major naval battle (the Battle of Java) took place in this area between the Imperial Japanese Army and the Allied forces.

[Ueno Fukuo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

インドネシア、ジャワ島、ボルネオ島、スマトラ島などの島々に囲まれた海域。東西966キロメートル、南北322キロメートル。スンダ海棚の一部を形成しているため水深は概して浅く、中央部は50～60メートルにすぎない。海域内にはカリムンジャワ、バウェアン、カンゲアンなどの諸島が点在しており、海底は泥からなる。周囲の島々の海岸線は全体的に単調で、とくにボルネオ島南岸、スマトラ島東岸は低湿なデルタ地帯であるため遠浅の海岸をなす。砂州の発達が著しいのも特色である。季節風の影響で海流は11～3月は東へ、4～10月は西に流れる。スンダ海峡、ロンボク海峡、マカッサル海峡、カリマタ海峡など海上交通路として世界的に重要な海峡が四方にあり、ジャワ海は航路としての利用度が高い。太平洋戦争中この海域で旧日本軍と連合軍との間で大海戦（ジャワ海戦）が行われた。

［上野福男］

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