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Metro, Lampung

Metro
Trimurjo
City
Other transcription(s)
 • Hanacaraka ꦩꦶꦠꦿꦺꦴ
Metro's mayor's office
Metro's mayor's office
Official seal of Metro
Seal
Metro is located in Indonesia
Metro
Metro
Coordinates: 5°7′S 105°18′E / 5.117°S 105.300°E / -5.117; 105.300Coordinates: 5°7′S 105°18′E / 5.117°S 105.300°E / -5.117; 105.300
Country Indonesia
Province Lampung
Settlement commenced 1939
Administrative city 14 August 1986
Autonomous city 27 April 1999
Government
 • Mayor Lukman Hakim
Area
 • Total 68.74 km2 (26.54 sq mi)
Elevation 30–60 m (98–197 ft)
Population (2014)
 • Total 152,428
 • Density 2,200/km2 (5,700/sq mi)
Time zone WIB (UTC+7)
Area code(s) 0275
Vehicle registration BE
Website www.metrokota.go.id

Metro ([ˈmetro]; historically known as Trimurjo) is an Indonesian city (kota) located in Lampung. Founded in 1936, it covers an area of 68.74 square kilometres (26.54 sq mi) and had a population of 145,346 at the 2010 Census; the latest official estimate (for January 2014) is 152,428.

Metro comes from the Javanese word mitro, meaning friend. The name was chosen to remind the migrants to work together.

Prior to 1936, Trimurjo was part of Gunungsugih onder district; it was isolated, without much influence from the indigenous Lampungese people. However, beginning in 1936 the Dutch colonial government sent Javanese migrants to colonise the area, which served to relieve overpopulation on Java, and mitigate the influence of Indonesian independence activists. The first group arrived on 4 April 1936.

On 9 June 1937, the name of the area was changed from Trimurjo to Metro and that same year it was established as a separate onder district, with Raden Mas Sudarto as the first assistant district chief. During this same period the Dutch colonial government built more roads, as well as a clinic, police office, and administrative offices. By 1941 a mosque, post office, large market, and inn had been built, and electricity and telephone lines had been installed.

Development soon outpaced the natural irrigation capabilities of the area. To ensure proper healthy crops, the Dutch hired Ir. Swam to design an irrigation system. His design called for a levee as well as a 30 metres (98 ft) wide and 10 metres (33 ft) deep irrigation canal from Way Sekampung River to Metro. Labour was provided by the migrants, who were conscripted and worked in shifts. Construction began in 1937 and was finished in 1941.

After the Japanese invasion of Indonesia in 1942, all Dutch personnel were evacuated or captured. The migration program was continued under the name imin kakari, and seventy Javanese migrants were used as forced labour in the construction of the nearby Natar and Astra Ksetra airstrips as well as numerous bunkers and other strategic assets; those who resisted were shot.


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