Malang (; , ), historically known as Tumapel, is a landlocked city in East Java, Indonesia. It has a history dating back to the age of the Singhasari Kingdom. It is the second most populous city in the province, with a population of 820,043 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 843,810 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 891,859 (comprising 443,302 males and 448,557 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kota Malang Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3573) The Malang Metropolitan area (Greater Malang) was home to 3,096,425 inhabitants in 2025, spread across two cities (Malang itself and Batu) and 22 other districts (21 in Malang Regency and one in Pasuruan Regency). Malang is the third largest city by economy in East Java, after Surabaya and Kediri, with an estimated 2016 GDP at Rp. 44.30 trillion.
The city is well known for its mild climate. During Dutch colonization, it was a popular destination for European residents. Even now, Malang still holds its position as a popular destination for international tourists. Malang keeps various historical relics. This city keeps relics of the Kingdom of Kanjuruhan period until the Dutch period. The existence of Dutch heritage in general is in the form of ancient buildings such as the Kayutangan church and Ijen Cathedral which employ Gothic architecture. Malang also holds various events to preserve its cultural heritage, one of which is Malang Tempo Doeloe Festival. There is also a lot of historical heritage which has become a landmark like Tugu Malang (Alun-alun Bundar). Additionally, Malang is well-known because of its label as an educational city. Two of the best universities in Indonesia are in Malang, namely Brawijaya University and Malang State University.
Malang has various ethnic groups and cultures from all over Indonesia and the world. The population of Malang comprised 889,359 people in mid-2024, with a majority of Javanese, followed by the Madurese, and Chinese or Peranakan. Malang extended urban area, notable known as Malang Raya, is the second largest in East Java after Gerbangkertosusila (Surabaya Metropolitan Area). From the perspective of Javanese culture, the majority of Malang people belong to Arekan Javanese culture.
Malang was spared many of the effects of the Asian financial crisis, and since that time, it has been marked by steady economic and population growth.Duncan Graham, 'Malang: Not an unfortunate city', The Jakarta Post, 17 February 2013.
Etymology The etymology of the name Malang is uncertain. One of the theories said that the name Malang is derived from the words Malangkuçeçwara, which means "God has destroyed the false and enforced the right". The words were taken from an ancient term which mentions a legendary temple called Malangkuçeçwara, supposedly located near the city Malang. The word Malangkuçeçwara was applied as the motto of the city of Malang. The name "Malang" first appeared on the Pamotoh / Ukirnegara Inscription (1120 Saka / 1198 AD) which was discovered on 11 January 1975 by a Bantaran plantation administrator in Wlingi, Blitar Regency. In the copper inscription, one part is written (with the following translation) as follows. Malang here refers to an eastern of Mount Kawi. Although it is known that the use of the name Malang has been going on at least since the 12th century, the etymology of its name cannot be ascertained.
The first hypothesis refers to the name of a holy building called Malangkuçeçwara (). The sacred building is referred to in two Balitung King inscriptions from Ancient Mataram, namely the Mantyasih Inscription in 907 AD and the Inscription of 908 AD.M. A. Mihaballo, H. Susanto, & Sriyana (2013). The Miracle of Language, Jakarta: Elex Media Computindo. pp. 201–202 Experts still have not obtained an agreement on where the building is located. On the one hand, there are a number of experts who say that the Malangkuçeçwara building is located in the Mount Buring area, a mountain that stretches east of Malang, where one of its peaks named "Malang". Others, on the other hand, suspect that the actual location of the sacred building is in the Tumpang area, Malang Regency. In the area, there is a village called Malangsuka, which, according to historians, comes from the word Malangkuça () which is pronounced upside down. This opinion is reinforced by the existence of ancient relics around Tumpang, such as Jago Temple and Kidal Temple, which are in the territory of the Kingdom of Singhasari.
The Malangkuçeçwara name consists of 3 words, namely mala, which means falsehood, cheating, falsehood, and evil, angkuça ( which means to destroy or destroy, and içwara () which means God. Therefore, Malangkuçeçwara means "God has destroyed the vanity".Makna Lambang – Pemerintah Kota Malang,' Pemerintah Kota Malang (daring), https://malangkota.go.id/sekilas-malang/makna-lambang/ diakses pada 21 September 2017
The second hypothesis refers to the story of the assault of the Mataram Sultanate forces in Malang in 1614, led by Tumenggung Alap-Alap.A. P. Rianto (2016), Perancangan Konsep Art Game Bergenre Fantasi Malangkucecwara The Ruins of War. Skripsi. Tidak diterbitkan. Yogyakarta: Institut Seni Indonesia. P. 50 According to folklore, there was a conversation between Tumenggung Alap-Alap and one of his assistants regarding the condition of Malang before the attack began. The assistant from Tumenggung Alap-Alap mentioned residents and soldiers from the area as residents who "blocked the halangi" ("Malang" in Javanese) from the arrival of Mataram troops. After the conquest, the Mataram forces named the area of the conquest as Malang.W. Siswanto & S. Noersya (2008). Cerita Rakyat dari Malang (Jawa Timur). Jakarta: Grasindo. pp. 1–8
History Early history
The Malang area in the Pleistocene era was still a deep basin flanked by volcanic activity from mountains such as the Karst Mountains in the south, Kawi, Butak, and Kelud in the west, Anjasmoro and Arjuno-Welirang complex in the northeast and north, and the Tengger Mountains Complex in the east.R. W. van Bemmelen (1949). The Geology of Indonesia Vol. I. Den Haag: Martinus-Nijhoff The basin has not been inhabited by humans because the condition is still in the form of lava and hot lava flows from the surrounding mountains.S. Santosa & T. Suwarti (1992). Peta Geologi Lembar Malang, Jawa Timur, skala 1:100.000. Bandung: Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Geologi Towards the rainy season, the Malang basin is filled with water flowing through the mountain slopes, leading to a number of rivers and forming an ancient swamp. The swamps spread to create ancient lakes.
When the ancient lake had not dried up, early human civilization was still in the early to advanced stages of Hunting and Collecting Food. The settlements are still on the slopes of mountains and mountains that surround Malang in the form of natural caves. Therefore, it is understandable that the discovery of artifacts in the Paleolithic and Mesolithic period is found in mountainous areas, such as on the slopes of Mount Kawi, Arjuno-Welirang, Tengger, Semeru and the Southern Karst Mountains.Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata Kota Malang (2013). Wanwacarita, Kesejarahan Desa-Desa Kuno di Kota Malang. Malang : Penerbit Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata Kota Malang. pp. 34–36
Malang ancient lake gradually dried up in the Holocene era and caused the Malang region to become a plateau in Malang. When it began to enter the Planting Period, early humans began to descend from the mountains and make a number of settlements and agricultural areas. The discovery of a number of artifacts in the form of two square pickaxes, chalcedony stone tools and hand-held andesite axes on the east side of Mount Kawi in the Kacuk area around the Metro and Brantas streams reinforced this assumption. In addition, the study estimates that the forms of occupancy in the transitional period were in the form of a stilt house, where the body of the house was supported by the legs of the house and was several meters above the ground. This is reinforced by the discovery of artifacts in the form of "Watu Gong" or "Watu Kenong" in Dinoyo, Lowokwaru, Malang, whose forms are similar to traditional musical instruments, namely gong, which are actually swear or foundation of a stilt house. The growth of settlements around the river flowing in Malang became the forerunner of the ancient civilizations of the Homo sapiens.Pemerintah Kotamadya Malang (1964). Kotapradja Malang 50 Tahun. Malang : Seksi penerbitan 50 Tahun Kotapradja Malang.
Hindu and Islamic Kingdoms Kanjuruhan Kingdom The history of Malang Regency could be revealed through the Dinoyo inscription at year of 760 as the primary official document to support the birth of Malang before a new inscription was discovered in 1986, which is yet to be deciphered. According to the inscription, it was concluded that the 8th century was the beginning of the existence of Malang Regency's government due to the birth of King Gajayana's ruling of his Indianized Hindu kingdom in Malang. From the Dinoyo inscription, it is noted that the inscription used the "Candra Sengkala" or Cronogram Calendar, and stated that the birth date of Malang Regency was on Jum'at Legi (sweet Friday) of 28 November 760.L. Damaes: "Studed' Epigraphy d'Indonesia IV. 1952"
Mataram Kingdom Kanjuruhan Kingdom power is estimated to not last long. The kingdom was finally under the rule of Mataram (Ancient Mataram Kingdom) during the leadership of King Dyah Balitung (899–911 AD). In the Balingawan Inscription (813 Saka / 891 AD), it is mentioned Pu Huntu as Rakryan Kanuruhan (ruler of Kanuruhan character) in the reign of King Mpu Daksa (911–919 AD).J. L. A. Brandes (1913). Oud-Javaansche Oorkonden: Nagelaten transcripties van willen Dr. JLA Brandes Uitgegeven door Dr. NJ Krom. Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff The area that used to be an autonomous kingdom has dropped one level to a watak (region) that is on a level with the duchy or district (one level under the authority of the king). Watak Kanuruhan which covers the center of Malang today is an entity that stands side by side with Watak Hujung (in Ngujung, Toyomarto Village, District Singosari, Malang Regency) and Watak Tugaran (in Tegaron, Lesanpuro, Kedungkandang, Malang Regency) which each oversees several wanua (village level).I. Lutfi (2003). Desa-Desa Kuno di Malang Periode Abad ke-9-10 Masehi: Tinjauan Singkat Berbasis Data Tekstual Prasasti dan Toponimi. Sejarah, 9(1). 28–40
When the capital Mataram was moved to the Tamwlang and Watugaluh (Jombang) areas during the reign of King Mpu Sindok (929–948 AD), several inscriptions such as Sangguran, Turyyan, Gulung-Gulung, Linggasutan, Jeru-Jeru, Tija, Kanuruhan, Muncang, and Wurandungan describes a number of tax liability policies for sima (civil villages) in Malang and a number of land grant processes to build temples.'Daftar Tahun Sejarah Malang I,' Ngalam.id (daring), 21 Januari 2014, http://ngalam.id/read/122/daftar-tahun-sejarah-malang-i/, diakses pada 8 Januari 2019
Kahuripan, Janggala, and Kediri Kingdoms
There is no record that explains in detail the status and role of the area around Malang during King Airlangga's leadership in addition to the fact that Malang entered the territory of the Kingdom of Kahuripan. Because the Malang area is no longer the center of government of the Kingdom which is centered around Mount Penanggungan and Sidoarjo with its capital Kahuripan. Even when Raja Airlangga divided Kahuripan into Panjalu which was centered in Daha (Kadiri) and Jenggala which remained centered in Kahuripan, the Malang region was included as a peripheral of the powers of both kingdoms. However, it can be ascertained that the Malang region entered the Jenggala region at the time of this division. The division of Kahuripan shows that Mount Kawi was used as the boundary of the two new kingdoms with the eastern side obtained by Jenggala.