Karimun Jawa National Park Of Jepara Central Java

The Marine National Park Karimun Jawa is 110,000 ha and lies 90 km north east of Jepara in Central Java. We will find mangrove forest and beach forest. The park is named after the largest island Karimun Jawa. The vegetation consists mainly of mangrove and beach forest, although there is some lowland rain forest on Karimun Jawa. Most of the islands are surrounded by sandy beaches and fringing coral reefs. Fresh water is confined to a few small wells and forest streams on Karimun Jawa. A number of endemic animals live on the island while on the beaches sea turtles lay their eggs. The average tidal range is 92 cm.

The name of Karimun jawa is taken from Javanese language 'Kremun kremun saking tanah Jawi' addressed by one of Wali Songo (the Nine Saints who had introduced Islam in Java) to describe how far this mini archipelago from Java, to be exact from Semarang and Jepara. Stands from 27 islands, this mini archipelago became marine national park and it's like a treasure for those who love marine life. Here can be found protected coral reefs (very colorful plateaus and plains in deep and shallow waters), secluded and tranquil white beaches, pelican and hornbill, sea grass and kinds of sea creatures, from crabs, anchovy, starfish, sharks, stingray, jellyfish, red snappers, etc.

The Karimiun Jav islands are influenced by the Northwest Monsoon during which winds from the west-northwest predominate and ocean currents are in an easterly direction. During the monsoon, rainfall averages 40 mm/day. During the Southeast Monsoon, dry winds from the east-southeast predominate and the ocean currents are in an westerly direction bringing water masses from the Flores Sea. Upwelled water masses during the Southeast Monsoon from the Flores and Banda Seas provides lower sea surface temperatures than in the Northeast Monsoon.

The shallow slopes (5° to 15°) of the island shelves in the Java Sea (which rarely exceeds a depth of 55 m), provide environments for extensive reef development. The archipelago consists predominantly of pre-Tertiary continental islands primarily of quartzites and shales covered by basaltic lava. Geologically, the islands are part of Sundaland.

Posted in: Jawa Tengah-Central Java