Quick answerSurabaya is a city in Indonesia, with 3,003,860 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 10.1 million people in 2025. It is best known for the City of Heroes, the Heroes Monument and the Ampel Mosque. Its official language is Indonesian, and its currency is the Indonesian rupiah.
Surabaya is the capital of East Java and Indonesia's second-largest city, with about 3 million people in the city and about 10.1 million in the metropolitan area (2025). It stands on the north-east coast of Java and is known as the City of Heroes.
Key facts
| Country | Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 3,003,860 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 10,081,343 (2025) · Gerbangkertosusila metropolitan area (official estimate) |
| Elevation | 5 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Jakarta |
| Language | Indonesian |
| Currency | Indonesian rupiah (IDR, Rp) |
| Coordinates | 7.24583° S, 112.73778° E |
Overview
Surabaya is the capital and largest city of East Java province and the second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. The city covers 334.5 square kilometres and had 3,003,860 residents in mid-2025, while the wider Gerbangkertosusila metropolitan area held 10,081,343 people. It stands on the north-eastern corner of Java, on the Madura Strait, about 5 metres above sea level.
Surabaya is one of the oldest port cities in South-East Asia and was the largest city in the Dutch East Indies in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is known as the City of Heroes for the Battle of Surabaya in 1945, when Indonesian fighters resisted British and Dutch forces at the start of the independence war. The Heroes Monument and the 10 November Museum in the city centre remember that battle.
Today Surabaya is a major trading port and industrial city, and the Suramadu Bridge links it to the island of Madura across the strait. Its landmarks include the Ampel Mosque, built in 1421, the Arab quarter, the House of Sampoerna cigarette museum and the Submarine Monument, a retired navy submarine on display by the river.
What Surabaya is known for
- City of Heroes
- Heroes Monument
- Ampel Mosque
- Suramadu Bridge
- Port of Tanjung Perak
- Submarine Monument
Landmarks
- Heroes Monument
- Ampel Mosque
- House of Sampoerna
- Submarine Monument
- Surabaya Zoo
- Tunjungan Street
- Hotel Majapahit
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Surabaya?
About 3 million people live in Surabaya (3,003,860 in mid-2025). The wider Gerbangkertosusila metropolitan area had about 10.1 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in Indonesia. Surabaya is also the capital of East Java, the country's second-most populous province.
Where is Surabaya located?
Surabaya is in north-eastern Java, on the Madura Strait, in East Java province. It is Indonesia's second-largest city, famous as the City of Heroes for the Battle of Surabaya in 1945, and as a historic trading port. Its coordinates are 7.25° S, 112.74° E, and its time zone is Western Indonesia Time.
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Keep exploring
- Indonesia — the country Surabaya is in
- Jakarta — another city in Indonesia
- Bandung — another city in Indonesia
- Medan — another city in Indonesia
- All cities in Indonesia
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.