on indonesia country

8/3/2019 On Indonesia Country

1/16

On Indonesia Country

Indonesia (i/n dn i/ or /n d on iz i/), officially the Republic of

Indonesia (Indonesian: Republik Indonesia), is a country in Southeast Asia andOceania.Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 17,508 islands. It has 33 provinces withover 238 million people, and is the world's fourthmost populous country. Indonesia is a republic,

with an elected legislature and president. The nation's capital city is Jakarta. The countryshares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Other neighboring

countries include Singapore, Philippines,Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman andNicobar Islands. Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a member of the G-20 major

economies. The Indonesian economy is the world's seventeenth largest economy bynominal 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 Chinaand India. Local rulers graduallyabsorbed 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

brought Christianity and 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.

Across its many islands, Indonesia consists of distinct ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups.

The Javanese are the largestand the politically dominantethnic group. Indonesia hasdeveloped a shared identity defined by a national language, ethnic diversity, religious pluralismwithin a majority Muslim population, and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it.

Indonesia's national motto, "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" ("Unity in Diversity" literally, "many, yet

one"), articulates the diversity that shapes the country. 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.

EtymologyThe name Indonesia derives from the Latin and Greek Indus, and the Greek nsos, meaning

"island". The name dates to the 18th century, far predating the formation of independent

Indonesia. In 1850, George Windsor Earl, an English ethnologist, proposed the

terms Indunesians and, his preference,Malayunesians for the inhabitants of the "Indian

Archipelago or Malayan Archipelago". In the same publication, a student of Earl's, James

Richardson Logan, used Indonesia as a synonym for Indian Archipelago. However, Dutch

academics writing in East Indies publications were reluctant to useIndonesia. Instead, they used

the terms Malay Archipelago (Maleische Archipel); the Netherlands East Indies (NederlandschOost Indi), popularly Indi;the East (de Oost); and Insulinde.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%E2%80%93Indonesia_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEANhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_producthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majapahithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maluku_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discoveryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_Indieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_Indieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Suharto_erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Suharto_erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Windsor_Earlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Richardson_Loganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Richardson_Loganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%E2%80%93Indonesia_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEANhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_producthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majapahithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maluku_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discoveryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_Indieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_Indieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Suharto_erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Suharto_erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Windsor_Earlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Richardson_Loganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Richardson_Loganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:En-us-Indonesia.ogg


2/16

From. 1900, the name Indonesia became more common in academic circles outside the

Netherlands, and Indonesian nationalist groups adopted it for political expression. AdolfBastian, of the University of Berlin, popularized the name through his book Indonesien oder die

Inseln des Malayischen Archipels, 18841894. The first Indonesian scholar to use the namewas Suwardi Suryaningrat (Ki Hajar Dewantara), when he established a press bureau in the

Netherlands with the name Indonesisch Pers-bureau in 1913.

History

Main article: History of Indonesia

A Borobudur ship carved on Borobudur, c. 800 CE. Indonesian outrigger boats may have made trade voyages to

the east coast of Africa as early as the 1st century CE.

Ancient fossils and the remains of primitive tools show that the Indonesian archipelago wasinhabited by Homo erectus, popularly known as the "Java Man", between 1.5 million yearsago and

550,000 to 143,000 years ago.

In 2003, on the island of Flores, fossils of a new small hominid dated between 74,000 and

13,000 years old and named "Flores Man" (Homo floresiensis) were discovered much to the

surprise of the scientific community. This 3 foot tall hominid is thought to be a species

descended from Homo Erectus and reduced in size over thousands of years by a well known

process called island dwarfism. Flores Man seems to have shared the island with modern Homo

sapiens until only 12,000 years ago, when they became extinct.

Homo sapiens reached the region by around 45,000 years ago.In 2011 evidence was uncovered in

neighbouring East Timor, showing that 42,000 years ago these early settlers had high-level

maritime skills, and by implication the technology needed to make ocean crossings to reach

Australia and other islands, as they were catching and consuming large numbers of big deep seafish such as tuna.

Austronesian peoples, who form the majority of the modern population, migrated to South East

Asia from Taiwan. They arrived in Indonesia around 2000 BCE, and as they spread through the

archipelago, confined the native Melanesian peoples to the far eastern regions. Ideal

agricultural conditions, and the mastering of wet-field rice cultivation as early as the 8th

century BCE, allowed villages, towns, and small kingdoms to flourish by the 1st century CE.Indonesias strategic sea-lane position fostered inter-island and international trade, including

links with Indian kingdoms and China, which were established several centuries BCE.Trade hassince fundamentally shaped Indonesian history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Bastianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Bastianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ki_Hajar_Dewantarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur_shiphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_erectushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floreshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flores_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_floresiensishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_dwarfismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapienshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapienshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapienshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_fieldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Borobudur_ship.JPGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Borobudur_ship.JPGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Bastianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Bastianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ki_Hajar_Dewantarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur_shiphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_erectushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floreshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flores_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_floresiensishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_dwarfismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapienshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapienshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapienshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_field


3/16

The nutmeg plant is native to Indonesia's Banda Islands. Once one of the world's most valuable commodities, it

drew the first European colonial powers to Indonesia.

From the 7th century, the powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished as a result of trade and

the influences of Hinduism and Buddhism that were imported with it. Between the 8th and 10th

centuries, the agricultural Buddhist Sailendra and Hindu Mataram dynasties thrived and

declined in inland Java, leaving grand religious monuments such as Sailendra's Borobudur and

Mataram's Prambanan. The Hindu Majapahit kingdom was founded in eastern Java in the late

13th century, and under Gajah Mada, its influence stretched over much of Indonesia.

Although Muslim traders first traveled through South East Asia early in the Islamic era,

the earliest evidence of Islamized populations in Indonesia dates to the 13th century in

northern Sumatra.Other Indonesian areas gradually adopted Islam, and it was the dominantreligion in Java and Sumatra by the end of the 16th century. For the most part, Islam overlaid

and mixed with existing cultural and religious influences, which shaped the predominant form ofIslam in Indonesia, particularly in Java. The first regular contact between Europeans and the

peoples of Indonesia began in 1512, when Portuguese traders, led by Francisco Serro, sought tomonopolize the sources of nutmeg, cloves, and cubeb pepper in Maluku. Dutch and British

traders followed. In 1602 the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) andbecame the dominant European power. Following bankruptcy, the VOC was formally dissolved in

1800, and the government of the Netherlands established the Dutch East Indies as anationalized colony.

For most of the colonial period, Dutch control over the archipelago was tenuous outside ofcoastal strongholds; only in the early 20th century did Dutch dominance extend to what was to

become Indonesia's current boundaries.Despite major internal political, social and sectarian

divisions during the National Revolution, Indonesians, on the whole, found unity in their fight for

independence. Japanese occupation during World War II ended Dutch rule, and encouraged the

previously suppressed Indonesian independence movement. A later UN report stated that four

million people died in Indonesia as a result of famine and forced labor during the Japanese

occupation. Two days after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, Sukarno, an influential

nationalist leader, declared independence and was appointed president. The Netherlands tried

to reestablish their rule, and an armed and diplomatic struggle ended in December 1949, when in

the face of international pressure, the Dutch formally recognized Indonesian

independence (with the exception of the Dutch territory of West New Guinea, which was
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutmeghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailendrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mataram_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prambananhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majapahithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gajah_Madahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_spread_of_Islam_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Portuguese_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Portuguese_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Serr%C3%A3ohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubebhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_Indieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romushahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukarnohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_New_Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Myristica_fragrans_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-097.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Myristica_fragrans_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-097.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutmeghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailendrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mataram_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prambananhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majapahithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gajah_Madahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_spread_of_Islam_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Portuguese_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Portuguese_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Serr%C3%A3ohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubebhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_Indieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romushahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukarnohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_New_Guinea


4/16

incorporated into Indonesia following the 1962 New York Agreement, and the UN-mandated Act

of Free Choice of 1969).

Sukarno, Indonesia's founding president

Sukarno moved Indonesia from democracy towards authoritarianism, and maintained his power

base by balancing the opposing forces of the military and the Communist Party ofIndonesia (PKI). An attempted coup on 30 September 1965 was countered by the army, who

led a violent anti-communist purge, during which the PKI was blamed for the coup andeffectively destroyed.Around 500,000 people are estimated to have been killed. The head of

the military, General Suharto, out-maneuvered the politically weakened Sukarno, and wasformally appointed president in March 1968. His New Order administration was supported by

the US government, and encouraged foreign direct investment in Indonesia, which was a majorfactor in the subsequent three decades of substantial economic growth. However, the

authoritarian "New Order" was widely accused of corruption and suppression of politicalopposition.

Indonesia was the country hardest hit by the late 1990s Asian financial crisis. This increased

popular discontent with the New Order and led to popular protestacross the country. Suharto

resigned on 21 May 1998.In 1999, East Timor voted to secede from Indonesia, after a twenty-

five-year military occupation that was marked by international condemnation of repression of

the East Timorese. Since Suharto's resignation, a strengthening of democratic processes has

included a regional autonomy program, and the first direct presidential election in 2004. Political

and economic instability, social unrest, corruption, and terrorism slowed progress, however, in

the last five years the economy has performed strongly. Although relations among different

religious and ethnic groups are largely harmonious, sectarian discontent and violence has

occurred. A political settlement to an armed separatist conflict in Aceh was achieved in 2005.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Indonesia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Agreementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Free_Choicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Free_Choicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukarnohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transition_to_the_New_Orderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_killings_of_1965%E2%80%931966http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suhartohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Order_(Indonesia)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_direct_investmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_financial_crisishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Suhartohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_occupation_of_East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_occupation_of_East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Suharto_erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_presidential_election,_2004http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Presiden_Sukarno.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Presiden_Sukarno.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Agreementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Free_Choicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Free_Choicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukarnohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transition_to_the_New_Orderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_killings_of_1965%E2%80%931966http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suhartohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Order_(Indonesia)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_direct_investmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_financial_crisishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Suhartohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_occupation_of_East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_occupation_of_East_Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Suharto_erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_presidential_election,_2004http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Indonesia


5/16

A session of the People's Representative Council in Jakarta

Indonesia is a republic with a presidential system. As a unitary state, power is concentrated in

the central government. Following the resignation of President Suharto in 1998, Indonesian

political and governmental structures have undergone major reforms. Four amendments tothe 1945 Constitution of Indonesiahave revamped the executive,judicial,

and legislative branches.The president of Indonesia is the head of state, commander-in-chief of

the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the director of domestic governance, policy-making,

and foreign affairs. The president appoints a council of ministers, who are not required to be

elected members of the legislature. The 2004 presidential election was the first in which the

people directly elected the president and vice president.The president may serve a maximum of

two consecutive five-year terms

The highest representative body at national level is the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).Its main functions are supporting and amending the constitution, inaugurating the president, and

formalizing broad outlines of state policy. It has the power to impeach the president The MPRcomprises two houses; the People's Representative Council (DPR), with 560 members, and

the Regional Representative Council (DPD), with 132 members.The DPR passes legislation andmonitors the executive branch; party-aligned members are elected for five-year terms

by proportional representation. Reforms since 1998 have markedly increased the DPR's role innational governance. The DPD is a new chamber for matters of regional management.

Most civil disputes appear before a State Court (Pengadilan Negeri); appeals are heard before

the High Court (Pengadilan Tinggi). The Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung) is the country's

highest court, and hears final cessation appeals and conducts case reviews. Other courts include

the Commercial Court, which handles bankruptcy and insolvency; a State Administrative Court

(Pengadilan Tata Negara) to hear administrative law cases against the government; aConstitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi) to hear disputes concerning legality of law, general

elections, dissolution of political parties, and the scope of authority of state institutions; and a

Religious Court (Pengadilan Agama) to deal with codified Sharia Law cases.

Foreign relations and military

Main articles: Foreign relations of Indonesia and Indonesian National Armed Forces
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Revolution_of_1998http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_(government)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judiciaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Armed_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Consultative_Assemblyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Representative_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Representative_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proportional_representationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Armed_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indonesia_DPR_session.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indonesia_DPR_session.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Revolution_of_1998http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_(government)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judiciaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Armed_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Consultative_Assemblyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Representative_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Representative_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proportional_representationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_National_Armed_Forces


6/16

President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with Barack Obama, the President of United States, in

ceremony at the Istana Merdeka in Jakarta, 9 November 2010. Obama has been quite popular in Indonesia since

his experience about being a child in Jakarta was unveiled.[

In contrast to Sukarno's anti-imperialistic antipathy to western powers and tensions withMalaysia, Indonesia's foreign relations since the Suharto "New Order" have been based oneconomic and political cooperation with Western nations. Indonesia maintains close relationships

with its neighbors in Asia, and is a founding member of ASEAN and the East Asia Summit. Thenation restored relations with the People's Republic of China in 1990 following a freeze in place

since anti-communist purges early in the Suharto era. Indonesia has been a member of theUnited Nations since 1950, and was a founder of the Non-Aligned Movement(NAM) and the

Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC, now the Organisation of IslamicCooperation Indonesia is signatory to the ASEAN Free Trade Areaagreement, the Cairns Group,

and the WTO, and has historically been a member of OPEC, although it withdrew in 2008 as itwas no longer a net exporter of oil. Indonesia has received humanitarian and development aid

since 1966, in particular from the United States, western Europe, Australia, and Japan

The Indonesian Government has worked with other countries to apprehend and prosecute

perpetrators of major bombings linked to militant Islamism and Al-QaedaThe deadliest bombing

killed 202 people (including 164 international tourists) in the Bali resort town of Kuta in

2002.The attacks, and subsequent travel warnings issued by other countries, severely damaged

Indonesia's tourism industry and foreign investment prospects.

Indonesia's 300,000-member armed forces (TNI) include the Army (TNIAD), Navy (TNIAL,which includes marines), and Air Force (TNIAU).[The army has about 400,000 active-duty

personnel. Defense spending in the national budget was 4% of GDP in 2006, and is

controversially supplemented by revenue from military commercial interests andfoundations. One of the reforms following the 1998 resignation of Suharto was the removal offormal TNI representation in parliament; nevertheless, its political influence remains extensive.

Separatist movements in the provinces of Aceh and Papua have led to armed conflict, and

subsequent allegations of human rights abuses and brutality from all sides. Following a sporadic

thirty-year guerrilla war between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian military,

a ceasefire agreement was reached in 2005. In Papua, there has been a significant, albeit

imperfect, implementation of regional autonomy laws, and a reported decline in the levels of

violence and human rights abuses, since the presidency of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Administrative divisions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susilo_Bambang_Yudhoyonohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obamahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istana_Merdekahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipathyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia-Malaysia_confrontationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia-Malaysia_confrontationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Southeast_Asian_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asia_Summithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Aligned_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN_Free_Trade_Areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairns_Grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaedahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Air_Forcehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Aceh_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_western_New_Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Obama_and_Susilo_Bambang_Yudhoyono_in_arrival_ceremony_cropped.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Obama_and_Susilo_Bambang_Yudhoyono_in_arrival_ceremony_cropped.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susilo_Bambang_Yudhoyonohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obamahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istana_Merdekahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipathyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia-Malaysia_confrontationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia-Malaysia_confrontationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Southeast_Asian_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asia_Summithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Aligned_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN_Free_Trade_Areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairns_Grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaedahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Air_Forcehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Aceh_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_western_New_Guinea


7/16

Main articles: Provinces of Indonesia and Administrative divisions of Indonesia

Provinces of Indonesia

Administratively, Indonesia consists of 33 provinces, five of which have special status. Eachprovince has its own political legislature and governor. The provinces are subdivided into

regencies (kabupaten) and cities (kota), which are further subdivided into districts (kecamatan),and again into village groupings (either desa or kelurahan). Furthermore, a village is divided into

several citizen-groups (Rukun-Warga (RW)) which are further divided into several

neighbourhood-groups (Rukun-Tetangga (RT)). Following the implementation of regional autonomy

measures in 2001, the regencies and cities have become the key administrative units,

responsible for providing most government services. The village administration level is the most

influential on a citizen's daily life, and handles matters of a village or neighborhood through an

elected lurah or kepala desa (village chief).The provinces of Aceh, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Papua, and West Papua have greater legislative

privileges and a higher degree of autonomy from the central government than the other

provinces. The Acehnese government, for example, has the right to create certain elements of

an independent legal system; in 2003, it instituted a form of Sharia (Islamic law).Yogyakarta

was granted the status of Special Region in recognition of its pivotal role in supporting

Indonesian Republicans during the Indonesian Revolution Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya,

was granted special autonomy status in 2001 and was separated into Papua and West Papua in

February 2003. Jakarta is the country's special capital region.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regencies_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subdistricts_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village_(Indonesia)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta_(special_region)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Papua_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Papua_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indonesia_provinces_location_map-en.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indonesia_provinces_location_map-en.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regencies_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subdistricts_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village_(Indonesia)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta_(special_region)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Papua_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Papua_(Indonesian_province)


8/16

Indonesian provinces and their capitals listed by region

(Indonesian name in parentheses if different from English)

* indicates provinces with Special Status

umatra

Aceh* Banda Aceh

North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) Medan

West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat) Padang

Riau Pekanbaru

Riau Islands (Kepulauan Riau) Tanjung Pinang

Jambi Jambi (city)

South Sumatra (Sumatera Selatan) Palembang

Bangka-Belitung (Kepulauan Bangka-Belitung) Pangkal Pinang

Bengkulu Bengkulu (city)

Lampung Bandar Lampung

ava

Special Capital Territory of Jakarta* (Daerah Khusus Ibu Kota

Jakarta) Jakarta

Banten Serang

West Java (Jawa Barat) Bandung

Central Java (Jawa Tengah) Semarang

Yogyakarta Special Region* (Daerah Istimewa

Yogyakarta) Yogyakarta (city)

East Java (Jawa Timur) Surabaya

esser Sunda Islands

Bali Denpasar

West Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Barat) Mataram

East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur) Kupang

Kalimantan

West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat) Pontianak

Central Kalimantan (Kalimantan Tengah) Palangkar

South Kalimantan (Kalimantan Selatan) Banjarmasi

East Kalimantan (Kalimantan Timur) Samarinda

Sulawesi

North Sulawesi (Sulawesi Utara) Manado

Gorontalo Gorontalo (city)

Central Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tengah) Palu

West Sulawesi (Sulawesi Barat) Mamuju

South Sulawesi (Sulawesi Selatan) Makassar

South East Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tenggara) Kendari

Maluku Islands

Maluku Ambon

North Maluku (Maluku UtaraSofifi

West Papua* (Papua Barat) Manokwari

Papua* Jayapura

Geography

Main article: Geography of Indonesia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padang,_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pekanbaruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riau_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjung_Pinanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambi_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palembanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangka-Belitunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangkal_Pinanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengkuluhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengkulu_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lampunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandar_Lampunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maluku_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seranghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaranghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta_Special_Regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta_Special_Regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surabayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Sunda_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denpasarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Nusa_Tenggarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mataram_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Nusa_Tenggarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kupanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontianak,_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palangkarayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banjarmasinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samarindahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manadohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorontalo_(province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorontalo_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paluhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamuju_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makassarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_East_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_East_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendarihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maluku_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maluku_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambon,_Malukuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malukuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Papua_(province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Papua_(province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manokwarihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_(province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayapurahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_Acehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padang,_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pekanbaruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riau_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjung_Pinanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambi_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palembanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangka-Belitunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangkal_Pinanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengkuluhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengkulu_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lampunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandar_Lampunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seranghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaranghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta_Special_Regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surabayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Sunda_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denpasarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Nusa_Tenggarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mataram_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Nusa_Tenggarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kupanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontianak,_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palangkarayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banjarmasinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Kalimantanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samarindahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manadohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorontalo_(province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorontalo_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paluhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamuju_(city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makassarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_East_Sulawesihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendarihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maluku_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maluku_(Indonesian_province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambon,_Malukuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malukuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Papua_(province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manokwarihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_(province)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayapurahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Indonesia


9/16

Map of Indonesia

Indonesia lies between latitudes 11S and 6N, and longitudes 95E and 141E. 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 interms 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 populationdensity of 940 people per square kilometer (2,435 per sq mi). At 4,884 metres

(16,024 ft), Puncak Jaya in Papua is Indonesia's highest peak, and Lake Toba in Sumatra itslargest 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 andtransport links between the island's river settlements.

Mount Semeru and Mount Bromo in East Java. Indonesia's seismic and volcanic activity is among the world's

highest.

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 activityinclude the 2004 tsunami that killed an estimated 167,736 in northern Sumatra,and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_parallel_southhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_parallel_northhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/95th_meridian_easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/141st_meridian_easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borneohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_land_areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puncak_Jayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tobahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahakamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baritohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Semeruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bromohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tectonic_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_volcanoes_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krakatoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tamborahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mahameru-volcano.jpeghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mahameru-volcano.jpeghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indonesia_2002_CIA_map.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indonesia_2002_CIA_map.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_parallel_southhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_parallel_northhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/95th_meridian_easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/141st_meridian_easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borneohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_land_areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puncak_Jayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tobahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahakamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baritohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Semeruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bromohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tectonic_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_volcanoes_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krakatoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tamborahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_tsunami


10/16

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 andBali.

Lying along the equator, Indonesia has a tropical climate, with two

distinct monsoonalwet and dry seasons. Average annual rainfall in the lowlands varies from1,7803,175 millimeters (70125 in), and up to 6,100 millimeters (240 in) in mountainous regions.

Mountainous areasparticularly in the west coast of Sumatra, West Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi,

and Papuareceive the highest rainfall. Humidity is generally high, averaging about 80%.

Temperatures vary little throughout the year; the average daily temperature range of Jakarta

is 2630 C (7986 F).

Biota and environment

Main articles: Fauna of Indonesia, Flora of Indonesia, and Environment of Indonesia

The critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan, a great ape endemic to Indonesia.

Indonesia's size, tropical climate, and archipelagic geography, support the world's second

highest level of biodiversity (after Brazil), and its flora and fauna is a mixture of Asian

and Australasian species. The islands of the Sunda Shelf (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Bali) were

once linked to the Asian mainland, and have a wealth of Asian fauna. Large species such as

the tiger, rhinoceros,orangutan, elephant, and leopard, were once abundant as far east as Bali,

but numbers and distribution have dwindled drastically. Forests cover approximately 60% of the

country.In Sumatra and Kalimantan, these are predominantly of Asian species. However, theforests of the smaller, and more densely populated Java, have largely been removed for human

habitation and agriculture. Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, and Malukuhaving been long separated

from the continental landmasseshave developed their own unique flora and fauna.Papua was

part of the Australian landmass, and is home to a unique fauna and flora closely related to that

of Australia, including over 600 bird species

Indonesia is second only to Australia in terms of total endemic species, with 36% of its 1,531species of bird and 39% of its 515 species of mammal being endemic.Indonesia's

80,000 kilometers (50,000 mi) of coastline are surrounded by tropical seas that contribute to

the country's high level of biodiversity. Indonesia has a range of sea and coastal ecosystems,

including beaches, sand dunes,estuaries,mangroves, coral reefs,sea grass beds, coastalmudflats, tidal flats, algal beds, and small island ecosystems. Indonesia is one of Coral
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2006_Java_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_ashhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_climatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_seasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_seasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_Orangutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Shelfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceroshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Elephanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_New_Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_dunehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangroveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_grasshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudflathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudflathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Trianglehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Man_of_the_woods.JPGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Man_of_the_woods.JPGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2006_Java_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_ashhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_climatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_seasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_seasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_Orangutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Shelfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceroshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Elephanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_New_Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_dunehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangroveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_grasshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudflathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudflathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Triangle


11/16

Triangle countries with the world's greatest diversity of coral reef fish with more than 1,650

species in eastern Indonesia only.The British naturalist, Alfred Wallace, described a dividingline between the distribution and peace of Indonesia's Asian and Australasian species.Known as

the Wallace Line, it runs roughly north-south along the edge of the Sunda Shelf, betweenKalimantan and Sulawesi, and along the deep Lombok Strait, between Lombok and Bali. West of

the line the flora and fauna are more Asian; moving east from Lombok, they are increasinglyAustralian. In his 1869 book, The Malay Archipelago, Wallace described numerous species unique

to the area.The region of islands between his line and New Guinea is now termed Wallacea.

Indonesia's high population and rapid industrialization present serious environmental issues,

which are often given a lower priority due to high poverty levels and weak, under-resourced

governance. Issues include large-scale deforestation (much of it illegal) and related wildfires

causing heavy smog over parts of western Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore; over-exploitation

of marine resources; and environmental problems associated with

rapid urbanization and economic development, including air pollution,traffic congestion, garbage

management, and reliable water and waste water services. Deforestation and the destruction of

peatlands make Indonesia the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases Habitatdestruction threatens the survival of indigenous and endemic species, including 140 species

of mammals identified by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as threatened, and 15 identified

as critically endangered, including Bali Starling, Sumatran Orangutan andJavan Rhinoceros

Melati (Jasminum sambac) is the national flower of Indonesia, together with AnggrekBulan (Phalaenopsis amabilis) and Padma Raksasa Rafflesia (Rafflesia arnoldii). All three were

chosen on World Environment Day in 1990. On the other occasion Bunga Bangkai (Titan arum)was also added as puspa langka together with Rafflesia. Each of Indonesian provinces also have

their ownfloral emblems.

EconomyMain article: Economy of Indonesia

Using water buffalo to plough rice fields in Java. Agriculture had been the country's largest employer for

centuries.

Indonesia has a mixed economy in which both the private sector and government play significant

roles. The country is the largest economy in Southeast Asia and a member of the G-20 major

economies. Indonesia's estimated gross domestic product (nominal), as of 2010 was US$706.73

billion with estimated nominal per capita GDP was US$3,015, and per capita GDP PPP was

US$4,394 (international dollars) June 2011: At World Economic Forumon East Asia, Indonesian

president said Indonesia will be in the top ten countries with the strongest economy within thenext decade. The Gross domestic product (GDP) is about $1 trillion and the debt ratio to the
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Trianglehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Wallacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Linehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombok_Straithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombokhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Malay_Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallaceahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrializationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_logginghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Southeast_Asian_hazehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbanizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_congestionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wastewaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Conservation_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threatened_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali_Starlinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_Orangutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javan_Rhinoceroshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasminum_sambachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalaenopsis_amabilishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafflesia_arnoldiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_arumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indonesian_floral_emblemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_buffalohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_economyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_producthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_capita_GDPhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_dollarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Economic_Forumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_producthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KerbauJawa.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KerbauJawa.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Trianglehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Wallacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Linehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombok_Straithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombokhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Malay_Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallaceahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrializationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_logginghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Southeast_Asian_hazehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbanizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_congestionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wastewaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Conservation_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threatened_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali_Starlinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_Orangutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javan_Rhinoceroshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasminum_sambachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalaenopsis_amabilishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafflesia_arnoldiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_arumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indonesian_floral_emblemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_buffalohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_economyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_producthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_capita_GDPhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_dollarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Economic_Forumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product


12/16

GDP is 26%. The industry sector is the economy's largest and accounts for 46.4% of GDP

(2010), this is followed by services (37.1%) and agriculture (16.5%). However, since2010, service sector has employed more people than other sectors, accounting 48.9% of the

total labor force, this has been followed by agriculture (38.3%) and industry(12.8%). Agriculture, however, had been the country's largest employer for centuries.

According to World Trade Organization data, Indonesia was the 27th biggest exporting country

in the world in 2010, moving up three places from a year before. [123] Indonesia's main export

markets (2009) are Japan (17.28%), Singapore (11.29%), the United States (10.81%), and China

(7.62%). The major suppliers of imports to Indonesia are Singapore (24.96%), China (12.52%),

and Japan (8.92%). In 2005, Indonesia ran a trade surplus with export revenues of US$83.64

billion and import expenditure of US$62.02 billion. The country has extensive natural resources,

including crude oil, natural gas, tin, copper, and gold. Indonesia's major imports include

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, and foodstuffs. And the country's major export

commodities include oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, rubber, and textiles.

Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia and the country's largest commercial center.

In the 1960s, the economy deteriorated drastically as a result of political instability, a young

and inexperienced government, and economic nationalism, which resulted in severe poverty and

hunger. By the time of Sukarno's downfall in the mid-1960s, the economy was in chaos with

1,000% annual inflation, shrinking export revenues, crumbling infrastructure, factories

operating at minimal capacity, and negligible investment. Following President Sukarno's downfall

in the mid-1960s, the New Order administration brought a degree of discipline to economic

policy that quickly brought inflation down, stabilized the currency, rescheduled foreign debt,

and attracted foreign aid and investment. (See Berkeley Mafia). Indonesia was until recently

Southeast Asia's only member of OPEC, and the 1970s oil price raises provided an export

revenue windfall that contributed to sustained high economic growth rates, averaging over 7%from 1968 to 1981. Following further reforms in the late 1980s, foreign investment flowed into

Indonesia, particularly into the rapidly developing export-oriented manufacturing sector, and

from 1989 to 1997, the Indonesian economy grew by an average of over 7%.

Indonesia was the country hardest hit by the Asian financial crisis of 199798. Against the USdollar, the rupiah dropped from about Rp. 2,600 to a low point of 14,000, and the economy

shrank by 13.7%. The Rupiah stabilised in the Rp. 8,000 to 10,000 range, and a slow butsignificant economic recovery has ensued. However, political instability, slow economic reform,

and corruption slowed the recovery. Transparency International, for example, has since rankedIndonesia below 100 in its Corruption Perceptions Index. Since 2007, however, with the

improvement in banking sector and domestic consumption, the national economic growth has been6% annually and this helped the country weather the 20082009 global recession. In 2011,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_sectorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_sectorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austerityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_debthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Mafiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_sector_of_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_financial_crisishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupiahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Indexhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_recessionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jakarta.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jakarta.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_sectorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_sectorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austerityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_debthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Mafiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_sector_of_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_financial_crisishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupiahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Indexhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_recession


13/16

Indonesia's inflation rate was only 3.79 percent, well below the government-set target of 5.65

percent. It was the lowest inflation rate since 1998.

As of 2010, an estimated 13.3% of the population was living below poverty line, and the

unemployment rate was 7.1%.

After lost its investment grade rating in December 1997, at the onset of the Asian financialcrisis which Indonesia spent more than Rp450 trillion ($50 billion) to bail out lenders frombanks, so for the first time in December 2011, Fitch Rating raised Indonesia's long-term and

local currency debt rating to BBB- from BB+ with both ratings is stable. Fitch also predictedthat economy will grow at least 6.0% on average per year through 2013, despite a less conducive

global economic climate.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Indonesia

Balinese children. There are around 300 distinct native ethnicities in Indonesia.

The population of Indonesia according to the 2010 national census is 237.6 million withpopulation growth still high at 1.9% 58% of the population lives on Java, the world's most

populous island. Despite a fairly effective family planning program that has been in place sincethe 1960s, the population is expected to grow to around 265 million by 2020 and 306 million by

2050.

There are around 300 distinct native ethnicities in Indonesia, and 742 different languages and

dialects. Most Indonesians are descended fromAustronesian-speaking peoples whose languages

can be traced to Proto-Austronesian (PAn), which possibly originated in Taiwan. Another major

grouping areMelanesians, who inhabit eastern Indonesia The largest ethnic group isthe Javanese, who comprise 42% of the population, and are politically and culturally dominant.

The Sundanese, ethnic Malays, and Madurese are the largest non-Javanese groups. A sense of

Indonesian nationhood exists alongside strong regional identities. Society is largely harmonious,

although social, religious and ethnic tensions have triggered horrendous violence. Chinese

Indonesians are an influential ethnic minority comprising 34% of the population. Much of the

country's privately owned commerce and wealth is Chinese-Indonesian-controlled which has

contributed to considerable resentment, and even anti-Chinese violence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_linehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitch_Grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balinese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_planninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundanese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_(ethnic_group)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madurese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Indonesianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Indonesianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ubud-Kids.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ubud-Kids.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_linehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitch_Grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balinese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_planninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundanese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_(ethnic_group)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madurese_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Indonesianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Indonesian


14/16

The Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation.

The official national language, Indonesian, a form of Malay, is universally taught in schools, and

consequently is spoken by nearly every Indonesian. It is the language of business, politics,national media, education, and academia. It is based on the prestige dialect of Malay, that of

the Johor-Riau Sultanate, which for centuries had been the lingua franca of the archipelago,standards of which are the official languages in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. It was

promoted by Indonesian nationalists in the 1920s, and declared the official language under thename Bahasa Indonesia on the proclamation of independence in 1945. Most Indonesians speak at

least one of the several hundred local languages and dialects, often as their first language. Ofthese, Javanese is the most widely spoken as the language of the largest ethnic group. On the

other hand, Papua has over 270 indigenous Papuan and Austronesian languages, in a region ofabout 2.7 million people.

While religious freedom is stipulated in the Indonesian constitution the government officially

recognizes only six religions:Islam, Protestantism,Roman Catholicism,Hinduism,Buddhism,

and Confucianism. Although it is not an Islamic state, Indonesia is the world's most populous

Muslim-majority nation, with 86.1% of Indonesians being Muslim according to the

2000 census.\On May 21, 2011 the Indonesian Sunni-Shia Council (MUHSIN) was established.

The council aims to hold gatherings, dialogues and social activities. It was an answer to violence

committed in the name of religion.\ The majority of Muslims in Indonesia are Sunni. 9% of the

population was Christian, 3% Hindu, and 2% Buddhist or other. Most Indonesian Hindus are

Balinese,\ and most Buddhists in modern-day Indonesia are ethnic Chinese.\ Though now minority

religions, Hinduism and Buddhism remain defining influences in Indonesian culture. Islam was

first adopted by Indonesians in northern Sumatra in the 13th century, through the influence of

traders, and became the country's dominant religion by the 16th century\ Roman Catholicism

was brought to Indonesia by early Portuguese colonialists and missionaries\ and the Protestant

denominations are largely a result of Dutch Calvinist and Lutheran missionary efforts during thecountry's colonial period\A large proportion of Indonesianssuch as the Javanese abangan,

Balinese Hindus, and Dayak Christianspractice a less orthodox, syncretic form of their

religion, which draws on local customs and beliefs.[169]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Indonesia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istiqlal_Mosquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestige_dialecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor-Riau_Sultanatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_francahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papuan_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholicism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunnihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abanganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodoxyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Istiqlal_Mosque.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Istiqlal_Mosque.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istiqlal_Mosquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestige_dialecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor-Riau_Sultanatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_francahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papuan_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholicism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism_in_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunnihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abanganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodoxyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Indonesia


15/16

Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) in Wayang Purwatype, depicting five Pandava, from left to

right: Bhima,Arjuna, Yudhishtira, Nakula, and Sahadeva, Indonesia Museum, Jakarta.

Indonesia has about 300 ethnic groups, each with cultural identities developed over centuries,

and influenced by Indian, Arabic, Chinese, and European sources. Traditional Javanese and

Balinese dances, for example, contain aspects of Hindu culture and mythology, as do wayang

kulit(shadow puppet) performances. Textiles such as batik, ikat,ulos and songket are created

across Indonesia in styles that vary by region. The most dominant influences on Indonesianarchitecture have traditionally been Indian; however, Chinese, Arab, and European architectural

influences have been significant.

Sports in Indonesia are generally male-orientated and spectator sports are often associated

with illegal gambling. The most popular sports arebadminton and football.Indonesian

players have won the Thomas Cup (the world team championship of men's badminton) thirteen of

the twenty-six times that it has been held since 1949, as well as numerous Olympic medals since

the sport gained full Olympic status in 1992. Its women have won the Uber Cup, the female

equivalent of the Thomas Cup, twice, in 1994 and 1996.Liga Indonesia is the country's premier

football club league. Traditional sports include sepak takraw, and bull racing in Madura. In areas

with a history of tribal warfare, mock fighting contests are held, such as, caci in Flores,

and pasola in Sumba. Pencak Silat is an Indonesian martial art.

A selection of Indonesian food, including roasted fish, nasi timbel (rice wrapped in banana leaf), sambal,

friedtempeh and tofu, and sayur asem.

Indonesian cuisine varies by region and is based on Chinese, European, Middle Eastern, and

Indian precedents. Rice is the main staple food and is served with side dishes of meat andvegetables. Spices (notably chili), coconut milk, fish and chicken are fundamental

ingredients. Indonesian traditional music includes gamelan and keroncong.Dangdut is a popularcontemporary genre of pop music that draws influence from Arabic, Indian, and Malay folk

musicThe Indonesian film industry's popularity peaked in the 1980s and dominated cinemas in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_Kulithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_Purwahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhimahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arjunahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudhishtirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahadevahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia_Museumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_kulithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_kulithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uloshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songkethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badmintonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_footballhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia_national_badminton_teamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia_national_badminton_teamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uber_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Uber_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Uber_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liga_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepak_takrawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floreshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasolahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumbahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencak_Silathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_cuisinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staple_foodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side_dishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamelanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronconghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangduthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Food_Sundanese_Restaurant,_Jakarta.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Food_Sundanese_Restaurant,_Jakarta.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wayang_Pandawa.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wayang_Pandawa.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_Kulithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_Purwahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhimahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arjunahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudhishtirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahadevahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia_Museumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_kulithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_kulithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uloshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songkethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badmintonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_footballhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia_national_badminton_teamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia_national_badminton_teamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uber_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Uber_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Uber_Cuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liga_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepak_takrawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floreshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasolahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumbahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencak_Silathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_cuisinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staple_foodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side_dishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamelanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronconghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangduthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Indonesia


16/16

Indonesia, although it declined significantly in the early 1990s Between 2000 and 2005, the

number of Indonesian films released each year has steadily increased.

The oldest evidence of writing in Indonesia is a series of Sanskrit inscriptions dated to the 5th

century. Important figures in modern Indonesian literature include: Dutch author Multatuli, who

criticized treatment of the Indonesians under Dutch colonial rule; Sumatrans MuhammadYamin and Hamka, who were influential pre-independence nationalist writers and politicians and

proletarian writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Indonesia's most famous novelist. Many of

Indonesia's peoples have strongly rooted oral traditions, which help to define and preserve

their cultural identities.

Media freedom in Indonesia increased considerably after the end of President Suharto's rule,during which the now-defunct Ministry of Information monitored and controlled domestic media,

and restricted foreign media The TV market includes ten national commercial networks, andprovincial networks that compete with public TVRI. Private radio stations carry their own news

bulletins and foreign broadcasters supply programs. At a reported 25 million users in

2008,Internet usage was estimated at 12.5% in September 2009.More than 30 million cell phones are sold in Indonesia each year, and 27 percent of them are

local brands.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Yaminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Yaminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamkahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pramoedya_Ananta_Toerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_traditionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TVRIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Yaminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Yaminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamkahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pramoedya_Ananta_Toerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_traditionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_of_Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TVRI

on indonesia country

Documents