Is Javanese a Language?

Javanese language, member of the Western, or Indonesian, branch of the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) language family, spoken as a native language by more than 68 million persons living primarily on the island of Java.

Is Javanese a language or dialect?

Javanese is a regional language that has the largest number of speakers in Indonesia. This language is used not only in Java Island, but also in other islands in Indonesia. Due to its vast distribution of usage, Javanese has many variations, both geographically and socially.

Where is Javanese the official language?

Javanese is the spoken language of over 75 million people in the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia (Ethnologue). It is also spoken in Malaysia, the Netherlands, and in Singapore (Ethnologue). In addition, there are Javanese settlements in Papua, Sulawesi, Maluku, Kalimantan, and Sumatra.