Bandung is the capital city of the West Java province in Indonesia. It is situated on the western highland of Java island, located approximately 135 kilometres southeast of Jakarta.
The city sits at an elevation of 708 meters above sea level within a river basin surrounded by volcanic mountains. Due to its high altitude, Bandung features one of the coolest climates among Indonesia's provincial capitals. These surrounding mountains historically provided a natural defense system, which influenced the Dutch East Indies government's plan to relocate the capital from Batavia to Bandung.