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Java is traversed from east to west by a volcanic mountain chain. This longitudinal uplift has approximately 110 volcanic centers, including about 35 active craters. Semeru (3676 m/12,057 ft), situated in the eastern portion of the island, is the highest volcano and one of the most active. Elevations in western Java are generally lower, rarely exceeding 1737 m (5691 ft). Besides Semeru, the most active volcanoes of Java include Bromo, Kawah Ijen, and Tangkubanperahu. Java has been the scene of a number of disastrous volcanic eruptions, notably that of Mount Ringgit in 1686, when about 10,000 lives were lost, and that of Papandayan in 1772, when about 3000 persons were killed. A low coastal plain, with a maximum width of about 64 km (39.8 miles), adjoins the central mountain chain on the north. The southern part of the island is occupied by a series of limestone ridges, which form a precipitous coastal escarpment. The rivers of Java are generally swift, narrow, and shallow. The Lasolo River, about 540 km (335.7 miles) in length, is the largest stream. The best natural harbors are on the northern coast.
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