# Surakarta metropolitan area

The Surakarta metropolitan area or known locally as (Javanese: ꦱꦺꦴꦭꦺꦴꦫꦪ, romanized: Solo Raya) or Greater Solo is one of the metropolitan areas in Indonesia where the former Kerasidenan of Surakarta (Javanese: ꦏꦫꦺꦱꦶꦝꦺꦤꦤ꧀ꦱꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ, romanized: Karésidhènan Surakarta) and the Special Region of Surakarta were established. This area includes the city of Surakarta and its buffer areas such as Sukoharjo Regency, Karanganyar Regency.

## History
### Kingdom Period

The establishment of Surakarta began with the Geger Pacinan event in Batavia in the 1740s. The rebel prince assisted by ethnic Chinese attacked the Mataram Kartasura palace, causing the palace to be destroyed. Mataram, which was then led by Susuhunan Pakubuwono II, had to move the palace to another place. He chose Sala village to be used as the new government place.

### Netherlands Colonial Period

Surakarta was formed from the combination of the Kasunanan and Mangkunagaran areas. The area includes the core area of Surakarta namely: Kawedanan Kasunanan, Kawedanan Kartasura, Kawedanan Larangan, Kawedanan Bekonang (Now part of Municipality of Surakarta & Sukoharjo Regency ), Karanganyar Regency including Banjarsari Solo sub-district, Sukowati Regency (now Sragen), Wonogiri Regency, Klaten Regency, Boyolali Regency. Surakarta and Mangkunagara were also included in the vorstenlanden, an autonomous region Netherlands East Indies where this region had the right to govern its own household.

### Present

Central Java Regional Regulation No. 6 of 2010 concerning spatial and regional development plans for 2009–2039, stipulates Solo Raya (Subosukawonosraten) as a development development area, with a development function as a Local, Provincial, National and International Service Center.

## Geography

Solo is in the central part of Java, within province of Central Java near Special Region of Yogyakarta.

## Economy

The economy of Solo raya agriculture commonly in Klaten Regency and Bantul Regency. However, urban activities such as higher education, trade, tourism, art and handicraft industries are sharply increase with focus on the city of Surakarta.

## Transportation

Solo is served by Adisumarmo Airport. There are two main railway stations: Solo Balapan railway station and Solo Jebres railway station.
Solo is considered one of the major hubs that link the west–east main railway route in Java island. Solo Balapan Station is the main train station located in the center, and Selo Jebres Station is the second train station in the city. The two stations have their own schedule to and from other cities on Java island. The KAI Commuter Yogyakarta Line electric commuter rail system operates from Yogyakarta to Surakarta.
Since 2010, the government of Central Java launched a bus rapid transit system, the Batik Solo Trans, which connects places in and around Solo Raya, including the airport and Kartasyra Bus Terminal.

## Government and politics

Solo raya is administered by one city government (city of Surakarta), and two regency governments such as.
| Name | Capital | Area (km$^2$) | Population 2000 Census | Population 2010 Census | Population 2020 Census | Population 2023 Estimate | HDI 2023 |
| Surakarta City | Surakarta City | 46.72 | 489,900 | 499,337 | 522,364 | 526,870 | 0.835 (Very High) |
| Sukoharjo Regency | Sukoharjo | 493.53 | 780,949 | 824,238 | 907,587 | 932,680 | 0.787 (High) |
| Karanganyar Regency | Karanganyar | 803.05 | 761,988 | 813,196 | 931,963 | 955,116 | 0.773 (High) |
| Total | Total | 1,343.30 | 2,032,837 | 2,136,771 | 2,361,914 | 2,414,666 | 0.792 (High) |
The joint secretariate is organized into three management layers. The first layer consist of political executives representation from the city and both regencies. The second layer consist of group senior administrative officers from the city and both regencies. The third layer consists of technical officers. The joint secretariat also intended on managing infrastructure at cross-regional borders, which are (1) road infrastructure, (2) waste management, (3) transportation, (4) clean (drinking) water, (5) drainage and sewerage, and (6) spatial planning.