During the 8th century, the BuddhistSailendra dynasty controlled Sleman, building numerous temples such as Kalasan. The palace itself was at Ratu Boko. After the fall of the Sailendra dynasty, the Mataram Kingdom ruled over Sleman, taking control of Ratu Boko palace and eventually commingling with the remnants of the Sailendra dynasty. The Sanjaya dynasty, which replaced the Mataram kingdom, later ruled over Sleman and is believed to have built Prambanan850 CE.
Sleman features a tropical monsoon climate. The regency features a lengthy wet season generally running from October until June and a short dry season that only covers the months of July, August and September. The Regency averages roughly 2200 mm of precipitation annually. Sleman experiences particularly heavy rainfall from November through April. Temperatures remain relatively constant throughout the course of the year, with average high temperatures at around 30 degrees Celsius and average lows at around 22 degrees Celsius. There is slight variation within Sleman. The northern areas, near Mount Merapi, are much cooler due to the higher altitude. The southern area has nearly the same climate as Yogyakarta, due to their proximity.
Economy
Sleman is heavily agrarian. However, due to the expansion of Yogyakarta there are some areas that have been urbanized, with malls, hotels, and supermarkets being built. Tourism is also being developed to take advantage of the numerous temples found in Sleman, as well as Mount Merapi.
Agriculture
Due to ashfall from Mount Merapi and easy irrigation, the land in Sleman is very fertile. The soil is thick, with a favourable moisture capacity level. As such, rice yields are considerably high. The area is also well known for its production of salak pondoh, which is also its official plant.
Sleman is home to many temples, including Prambanan, Sari, Kalasan, and Ijo. As well as temples, there are ruins of an ancient palace, namely Ratu Boko. These temples and ruins, thought to be remnants of the Buddhist Sailendra dynasty and the Hindu Mataram kingdom, are all open to the public. However, Prambanan is the most popular for tourism, drawing thousands of local and foreign tourists each year. Sleman also has a number of tourist villages including Brayut and others. Due in part to the scenic view at the foot of Mount Merapi, ecotourism has become common in Sleman. One of the most common destinations is Kaliurang, a resort town located in the Pakem district. Sleman includes the Adisucipto International Airport within its boundaries. There are numerous hotels in Sleman, ranging from small homestays and inns to multi-star hotels. The higher-end, multi-star hotels are located mainly near the road between Yogyakarta and Surakarta, with homestays and inns scattered throughout the regency. Sleman is home to several museums including:
Affandi Museum, located in Depok sub-district, which is the former home of and hosts many works of famous Indonesian painter Affandi.
Merapi Museum, which hosts exhibits pertaining to volcanology as a whole and Merapi in particular and is located within Pakem sub-district.
Museum Dirgantara Mandala, located within the Indonesian Air Force base near the airport. Exhibits include the history of the Indonesian Air Force as well as numerous planes, rockets, helicopters, and other military equipment.
