Batavia

/bəˈteɪviə/ noun

Definition

Historical name for Jakarta, Indonesia, used during Dutch colonial period. Also refers to various places named after the ancient Germanic tribe.

Etymology

From Latin 'Batavia', referring to the ancient Germanic Batavi tribe who lived in what is now the Netherlands. Dutch colonists used this name for their settlements, most famously for Jakarta (1619-1949).

Kelly Says

The Dutch East India Company chose this name to connect their Indonesian colony with their homeland, creating a 'New Amsterdam' in Asia. Today's Jakarta was once the jewel of the Dutch spice empire, built on the same strategic principles as Manhattan.

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