Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia, commonly known as Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president. The nation’s capital city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a member of the G-20 major economies.

The Indonesian economy is the world’s eighteenth largest economy by nominal GDP and fifteenth largest by purchasing power parity.

The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the 7th century, when Srivijaya and then later Majapahit traded with China and India. Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE, and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Muslim traders brought Islam, and European powers fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia’s history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratization process, and periods of rapid economic change. The current nation of Indonesia is a unitary presidential republic consisting of thirty three provinces.

Across its many islands, Indonesia consists of distinct ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. The Javanese are the largest—and the politically dominant—ethnic group. Indonesia has developed a shared identity defined by a national language, ethnic diversity, religious pluralism within a majority Muslim population, and a history of colonialism including rebellion against it. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world’s second highest level of biodiversity. The country is richly endowed with natural resources, yet poverty remains widespread in contemporary Indonesia.

:: Background of Indonesia ::

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan’s surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. Free and fair legislative elections took place in 1999 after decades of repressive rule. Indonesia is now the world’s third most populous democracy, the world’s largest archipelagic state, and home to the world’s largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, addressing climate change, and controlling infectious diseases, particularly those of global and regional importance. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in Aceh in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face low intensity armed resistance by the separatist Free Papua Movement.

:: Geography of Indonesia ::

Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E

Area:
total: 1,904,569 sq km
land: 1,811,569 sq km
water: 93,000 sq km

Area – comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 2,830 km
Border countries: Timor-Leste 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km
Coastline: 54,716 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use:
arable land: 11.03%
permanent crops: 7.04%
other: 81.93% (2005)
Irrigated land: 45,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: 2,838 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 82.78 cu km/yr (8%/1%/91%)
per capita: 372 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards: occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires; volcanism: Indonesia contains the most volcanoes of any country in the world – some 76 are historically active; significant volcanic activity occurs on Java, western Sumatra, the Sunda Islands, Halmahera Island, Sulawesi Island, Sangihe Island, and in the Banda Sea; Merapi (elev. 2,968 m, 9,737 ft), Indonesia’s most active volcano and in eruption since 2010, has been deemed a “Decade Volcano” by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Agung, Awu, Karangetang, Krakatau (Krakatoa), Makian, Raung, and Tambora

Environment – current issues: deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment – international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography – note: archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

:: People of Indonesia ::

Population: 242,968,342 (July 2010 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 34,337,341/female 33,162,207)
15-64 years: 66% (male 79,549,569/female 78,918,321)
65 years and over: 6% (male 6,335,208/female 7,968,876) (2010 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.9 years
male: 27.4 years
female: 28.4 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.097% (2010 est.)
Birth rate: 18.45 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Death rate: 6.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 44% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.05 years
male: 68.53 years
female: 73.69 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS: 270,000 (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS – deaths: 8,700 (2007 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, and malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality: noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian
Ethnic groups: Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9% (2000 census)
Religions: Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)

Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is Javanese)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.4%
male: 94%
female: 86.8% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2008)
Education expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2007)

Geography of Indonesia: Important Geographical Information about Indonesia

Indonesia lies between latitudes 11°S and 6°N, and longitudes 95°E and 141°E. It consists of 17,508 islands, about 6,000 of which are inhabited. These are scattered over both sides of the equator. The largest are Java, Sumatra, Borneo (shared with Brunei and Malaysia), New Guinea (shared with Papua New Guinea), and Sulawesi. Indonesia shares land borders with Malaysia on Borneo, Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea, and East Timor on the island of Timor. Indonesia shares maritime borders across narrow straits with Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines to the north, and with Australia to the south. The capital, Jakarta, is on Java and is the nation’s largest city, followed by Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, and Semarang.

At 1,919,440 square kilometers (741,050 sq mi), Indonesia is the world’s 16th-largest country in terms of land area. Its average population density is 134 people per square kilometer (347 per sq mi), 79th in the world, although Java, the world’s most populous island, has a population density of 940 people per square kilometer (2,435 per sq mi). At 4,884 meters (16,024 ft), Puncak Jaya in Papua is Indonesia’s highest peak, and Lake Toba in Sumatra its largest lake, with an area of 1,145 square kilometers (442 sq mi). The country’s largest rivers are in Kalimantan, and include the Mahakam and Barito; such rivers are communication and transport links between the island’s river settlements.

Indonesia’s location on the edges of the Pacific, Eurasian, and Australian tectonic plates makes it the site of numerous volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. Indonesia has at least 150 active volcanoes, including Krakatoa and Tambora, both famous for their devastating eruptions in the 19th century. The eruption of the Toba supervolcano, approximately 70,000 years ago, was one of the largest eruptions ever, and a global catastrophe. Recent disasters due to seismic activity include the 2004 tsunami that killed an estimated 167,736 in northern Sumatra, and the Yogyakarta earthquake in 2006. However, volcanic ash is a major contributor to the high agricultural fertility that has historically sustained the high population densities of Java and Bali.

Lying along the equator, Indonesia has a tropical climate, with two distinct monsoonal wet and dry seasons. Average annual rainfall in the lowlands varies from 1,780-3,175 millimeters (70-125 in), and up to 6,100 millimeters (240 in) in mountainous regions. Mountainous areas—particularly in the west coast of Sumatra, West Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua—receive the highest rainfall. Humidity is generally high, averaging about 80%. Temperatures vary little throughout the year; the average daily temperature range of Jakarta is 26–30 °C (79–86 °F).

Information about the Indonesian Flag: Colors and Meaning of the Flag of Indonesia

The national flag of Indonesia contains two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white. The colors derive from the banner of the Majapahit Empire of the 13th-15th centuries. It is similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red.

Red represents courage, while white represents purity of intent.

Extensive List of Languages of Indonesia: Spoken and Extinct Languages

:: List of Languages ::

Indonesia (Java and Bali)

Indonesia (Kalimantan)

Indonesia (Maluku)

Indonesia (Nusa Tenggara)

Indonesia (Papua)

Indonesia (Sulawesi)

Indonesia (Sumatra)

:: Reference ::
Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/

Famous Indonesian People: Indonesian Artists, Scientists, Leaders, Musicians, Politicians and Athletes

Indonesia is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities and religions with outstanding individuals who made a difference with their remarkable achievements. The following Indonesians made their mark on both the local and international scenes.

:: List of Famous People from Indonesia ::

Gajah Mada
According to Javanese old manuscripts, poems and mythology, Gajah Mada was a powerful military leader and mahapatih or prime minister of the Majapahit Empire, credited with bringing the empire to its peak of glory. He delivered an oath called Sumpah Palapa, in which he vowed not to eat any food containing spices until he had conquered all of the Southeast Asian archipelago of Nusantara for Majapahit. In modern Indonesia, he serves as an important national hero and a symbol of patriotism.

Hayam Wuruk
Hayam Wuruk was a Javanese King and the fourth monarch of Majapahit Empire. Together with his Prime Minister Gajah Mada, he reigned the empire at the time of its greatest power.

Ratu Joyoboyo
Ratu Joyoboyo, also Sri Mapanji Jayabaya or Jayabhaya, was King also known as Ratu of the Indianized kingdom Hindu Kediri in East Java from AD1135 to 1157. is most famous for his oracles or prophesies attributed to him, namely the Serat Jayabaya Musarar, Serat Pranitiwakya, and some debatable others. The manggala (prologue) of the famous Kakawin Bharatayuddha names King Joyoboyo as the patron of the two poets, Mpu Sedah and Mpu Panuluh who were the authors of the work. Joyoboyo is also attributed as author of the Pralembang Joyoboyo, a prophetic book that played an important role in the Japanese occupation.

Sabdapalon
Sabdapalon was a priest and adviser to Brawijaya V, the last ruler of the Hindu empire Majapahit in Java. He was mentioned in Darmagandhul, a Javanese spiritual story. He was also said to have cursed his king upon the conversion of the latter to Islam in 1478. Sabdapalon then promised to return, after 500 years and at a time of widespread political corruption and natural disasters, to sweep Islam from the island and restore Hindu-Javanese religion and civilization. Some of the first new Hindu temples built in Java were indeed completed around 1978, for example Pura Blambangan in the regency of Banyuwangi. As the prophecies foretold, Mt. Semeru erupted around the same time. All this is taken as evidence of the accuracy of Sabdapalon’s predictions.

Sukarno
Sukarno was the leader of his country’s struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia’s first President from 1945 to 1967. He was forced out of power and replaced by one of his generals, Suharto, and remained under house arrest until his death.

Suharto
Suharto was the second President of Indonesia, having held the office for 31 years from 1967 following Sukarno’s removal until his resignation in 1998. In Indonesian literature and media, he was sometimes referred as Pak Harto.

Raden Saleh Sjarif Boestaman
Raden Saleh was one of the best known painters from Indonesia and a pioneer of modern Indonesian art. Born into a noble Javanese family, he was considered to be the first modern artist from the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), and his paintings corresponded with nineteenth-century romanticism which was popular in Europe at the time. He also expressed his cultural roots and inventiveness in his work.

Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana
Sutan Takdir became one of Indonesian literature’s guiding lights in its formative years, particularly in the time around independence. He believed that Indonesia could learn from the values of western civilization and remained a great exponent of modernism throughout his life.

Chairil Anwar
Chairil Anwar was an Indonesian poet and member of the “1945 generation” of writers. His poems were circulated on cheap paper during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia and were not published until 1945

Rudy Hartono Kurniawan
Rudy Hartono is a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who won the men’s singles title at the World Championship in 1980, and the prestigious All-England Championship trophy eight times, seven times consecutively (1968–1974), in the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the most famous players in the history of the sport.