Depok, Metropolitan city in West Java, Indonesia
Depok is a city in West Java, Indonesia, positioned between Jakarta and Bogor. The area combines housing neighborhoods with shopping districts and several universities across roughly 77 square miles (200 square kilometers).
The area was acquired in 1696 by Cornelis Chastelein, an official working for the Dutch East India Company. He later freed twelve families who had been enslaved and gave them parcels of land here.
The population combines Betawi, Javanese, Sundanese, Batak, and Minangkabau ethnic groups, forming a multicultural society with traditional Indonesian influences.
KRL Commuterline trains connect the city with Jakarta and Bogor, while buses and the Jabodebek light rail offer additional routes. Many residents commute daily to surrounding cities for work or study.
Some descendants of the twelve freed families still live in the city today and continue to carry the surname Chastelein. This community maintains traditions that reflect their particular history.
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