East Java Province is a province in the eastern part of Java Island. The capital of East Java is Surabaya. Its area is 47,922 km², with a population of 39.29 million (2017). East Java has the second largest population in Indonesia after West Java. East Java is bordered by the Java Sea to the north, the Bali Strait to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, and Central Java Province to the west. The East Java region also includes Madura Island, Bawean Island, Kangean Island and some smaller islands in the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean.
In the 10th century, East Java was originally a territory of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom in Central Java. This region gained momentum as a center of power for various kingdoms, such as Medang (937 – 1017), Daha-Janggala (1080-1222), Singasari (1222-1292) and Majapahit empire (1293 -1527), one of the biggest empires in Southeast Asia.
East Java people are unique and rich in local culture and wisdom. In addition to the wealth of traditional textile traditions such as batik and weaving, East Java has various festivals and performances of each tribe, for example, the cow race festival on Madura Island, the Barong Dance Reog Ponorogo show, and the Kasada Tengger Tribe Ceremony on Mount Bromo.