City status in Indonesia

In Indonesian law, the term "city" (kota) is generally defined as the second-level administrative subdivision of the Republic of Indonesia, an equivalent to regency (kabupaten). The difference between a city and a regency is that a city has non-agricultural economic activities and a dense urban population, while a regency comprises predominantly rural areas and is larger in area than a city. However, Indonesia historically had several classifications of cities.

According to Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, the official dictionary of the Indonesian language, a city (kota) is "a densely populated area with high density and modern facilities and most of the population works outside of agriculture."

Cities are divided into districts (Kecamatan, Distrik in Papua region, or Kemantren in Yogyakarta).