Batavia

Batavia is a toponym with several uses, including a historic name for Jakarta and several places in the United States. The name originates from the Batavi, an ancient Germanic tribe in the Rhine delta, and was adopted by Dutch settlers in the 17th century.

In Indonesia, Batavia referred to the settlement established by the Dutch on the Ciliwung River in 1619, which grew into the city now known as Jakarta. During Dutch colonial rule it served as the administrative heart of the Dutch East Indies. The term Batavia remains common in historical writing and in some commercial names, such as Batavia Arrack, a distilled spirit.

In the United States, Batavia is the name of several places. Batavia, New York is a town in Genesee County; the City of Batavia, within the town, is an incorporated municipality and county seat of Genesee County. Batavia, Illinois is a city in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in DuPage and Kane counties.

The name Batavia is also used for other smaller communities and administrative divisions in the United States, as well as in historical contexts related to the Dutch colonial era. The term is sometimes used adjectivally as Batavian to describe things related to the Batavi or to Batavia.