Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta is the economic, cultural and political centre of Indonesia, and the most populous city in Southeast Asia. It is also the twelfth largest city in the world. Established in the fourth century, the city became an important trading port for the Dutch East Indies. Today, the city has continued as the capital of Indonesia since the country's independence was declared in 1945. The city is currently the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat.