Central Java is the cultural homeland of Javanese people, who speak the Javanese language. About 96 percent of them are Muslims, although Islam is not as important here as in other parts of Indonesia. The most important agricultural crop is rice. It is planted on irrigated rice fields called sawah and nonirrigated fields called ladang. Among other major crops are corn, peanuts, and soybeans.
Crops grown on plantations include cacao, cloves, coconuts, rubber, and tea.
The main farm animals are buffaloes, cattle, goats, hogs, horses, and sheep. Industry is growing steadily. There are steel plants, cement works, and an aircraft factory. Textiles are also a major manufactured product. History Archaeologists have found fossil remains of a prehistoric human being on Java, which are called the Java fossils.