| Gresik | |
|---|---|
| — Regency — | |
| Motto: Gresik Berhias Iman | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Province | East Java |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,137.05 km2 (439 sq mi) |
| Time zone | WIB (UTC+7) |
| Website | www.gresik.go.id |
Gresik (older spelling Grissee) is the capital of the sub-region of Gerbangkartasusilo, East Java, Indonesia.
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The port of Gresik-Djaratan has functioned as an important commercial center since the eleventh century, trading with merchants from as far away as China, India, and Arabia. Some of these traders helped spread Islam in the area. In 1487, Sunan Giri, Syech Maulana Malik Ibrahim, also known as Sultan Ainul Yaqin, began to rule Gresik. In his 1515 book, Suma Oriental, the Portuguese apothecary and traveller Tomé Pires described Gresik as "the jewel of Java in trading ports".[1] Sunan Giri's descendants ruled the area for the following two centuries.
In 1974 the Indonesian government made Gresik, now a suburb of the regional capital of Surabaya, the capital of Gerbankartasusilo.
A large number of industries have established themselves in Gresik, mainly supporting agriculture and agricultural machinery. A lot of home-based industry exists, making caps (songkoks), bags, etc.
One of the largest factories in Gresik is PT. Semen Gresik (Gresik Portland Cement). PT. Semen Gresik, the largest cement factory in Indonesia, supplies 80% of the Indonesian market.
The city has a reputation for its many coffee shops, called warkop (from warung kopi). In 2003 Petrokimia Putra, a soccer club from Gresik, won their first national league title in Jakarta.
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