Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia and fourth-largest city in Indonesia, yet Greater Bandung is the country's second-largest metropolitan extended with over 11 million inhabitants. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 kilometres southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler year-round temperatures than most other Indonesian cities. The city lies on a river basin surrounded by volcanic mountains that provides a natural defense system, which was the primary reason for the Dutch East Indies government's plan to move the capital from Batavia to Bandung.
