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IndonesiaIndonesiaThe '''Republic of Indonesia''' is located in the Malay Archipelago, the world's largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian Ocean|Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world and the fourth most populous overall. It has had free elections since the Indonesian 1998 Revolution toppled General Suharto, who seized power in 1965.<!-- BEGIN INFOBOX --> {{Infobox_Country| native_name = Republik Indonesia | common_name = Indonesia | image_flag = Indonesia flag large.png | image_coat = Indonesiacoatofarms.jpg | image_map = LocationIndonesia.png | national_motto = Bhinneka Tunggal Ika <br> (Javanese language#Old Javanese|Old Javanese/Kawi language|Kawi: Unity in Diversity) <br> ideology|National ideology: Pancasila Indonesia| national_anthem = Indonesia Raya | official_languages = Indonesian language|Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia / Indonesian Language) | capital = Jakarta |latd=6|latm=08|latNS=S|longd=106|longm=45|longEW=E| largest_city = Jakarta | government_type= Democratic republic | leader_titles = List of Presidents of Indonesia|President | leader_names = Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono | area_rank = 15th | area_magnitude = 1_E10 | area=1,919,440 | percent_water = 4.85% | population_estimate = 238,452,952 | population_estimate_year = 2004 | population_estimate_rank = 4th | population_census=—| population_census_year=—| population_density = 131 | population_density_rank = — | GDP_PPP_year=2003 | GDP_PPP = $758.1 billion | GDP_PPP_rank = 15th | GDP_PPP_per_capita = $3,200 | GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 109th | sovereignty_type = Independence | established_events = - Declared<br/> - Recognised | established_dates = From Netherlands<br/>August 17, 1945<br/>December 27, 1949 | currency = Rupiah | currency_code = IDR | time_zone= various | utc_offset= +7 to +9 | time_zone_DST= not observed | utc_offset_DST= +7 to +9| cctld= .id | calling_code = 62 | footnotes = }}<!-- END INFOBOX --> == History == ''Main article: History of Indonesia'' Under the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism, several kingdoms formed on the islands of Sumatra and Java (island)|Java from the 7th century|7th to 14th century. The arrival of Arab traders from Gujarat, India later brought Islam, which became the dominant religion in many parts of the archipelago after the collapse of Hindu and Buddhist Kingdoms. When the Europeans came in the early 16th century, they found a multitude of small states. These were vulnerable to the Europeans, who were in pursuit of dominating the spice trade. In the 17th century, the Netherlands|Dutch emerged as the most powerful of the Europeans, ousting the Spain|Spanish and Portugal|Portuguese (except for their colony Portuguese Timor on the island of Timor). The Netherlands ruled Indonesia as a colony until World War II, first under the control of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), and then directly by the Dutch government beginning in the nineteenth century. Under the nineteenth-century ''Cultuurstelsel'' (''Cultivation System''), large plantations and forced cultivation was established on Java, finally creating the profit for the Netherlands that the VOC was unable to produce. In a more liberal period of colonial rule after 1870 the cultivation system was abolished. After 1901 the Dutch introduced the Ethical Policy, which included limited political reform and increased investment in the colony. During World War II, with The Netherlands under Germany|German Military occupation|occupation, Japan occupied the Dutch colony. Some of the Indonesian elite, and many of the future leaders of the Republic of Indonesia, cooperated with the Japanese occupiers, as they saw them as a welcome change after Dutch rule. In 1945, with the war drawing to a close, Japan sponsored a committee, led by Sukarno, to plan for independence. Sukarno declared independence on 17 August. In an effort to regain control of their previously occupied colonies, the Allies sent in their armies, together with the Royal Netherlands Army|Netherlands' Army. Indonesia's war for independence lasted from 1945 until 27 December 1949, when, under heavy international pressure, the Netherlands acknowledged Indonesia's independence. Sukarno became the country's first president, with Mohammad Hatta as the first vice president. ''See Indonesian National Revolution'' The 1950s and 1960s saw Sukarno's government aligning itself first with the emerging non-aligned movement and later with the socialist bloc. The 1960s saw Indonesia in a military confrontation against neighboring Malaysia, and increasing frustration over domestic economic difficulties. Army general Suharto became president in 1967 with the excuse of securing the country against an alleged Communism|Communist coup attempt against a weakening Sukarno. In the aftermath of Suharto's rise, hundreds of thousands people were killed or imprisoned in a backlash against alleged Communist supporters. Suharto's administration is commonly called the ''New Order'' era. Suharto invited major foreign investment into the country, which produced substantial, if uneven, economic growth. However, Suharto enriched himself and his family through widespread corruption and he was forced to step down amid massive popular demonstrations and a faltering economy in 1998. ''See Indonesian 1998 Revolution.'' In the period of 1998 to 2001, the country had three President of Indonesia|presidents: Jusuf Habibie|Bacharuddin Jusuf (BJ) Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Sukarnoputri. In 2004, the largest one-day election in the world and Indonesia's first direct Presidential election was held and was won by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Parts of northern Sumatra, particularly Aceh, were devastated by a massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|earthquake and tsunami on 26 December 2004. ''See Impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Indonesia''. == Politics == ''Main article: Politics of Indonesia'' The highest legislative body is the ''Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat'' (MPR, head: Hidayat Nur Wahid) or 'People's Consultative Assembly', consisting of the ''Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat'' (DPR, head: Agung Laksono) or Peoples Representative Council, elected for a five-year term, and the ''Dewan Perwakilan Daerah'' (DPD, head: Ginandjar Kartasasmita) or Regional Representatives Council. Following elections in 2004, the MPR will become a bicameral parliament, with the creation of the DPD as a new second chamber. == Provinces == ''Main article: Provinces of Indonesia'' Currently, Indonesia has 33 provinces (of those, 2 are special territories and 1 capital city territory). The provinces are subdivided in districts, which are in turn split up in sub-districts and municipalities. The provinces are: Bali, Bangka-Belitung, Banten, Bengkulu, Central Java, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, East Java, East Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, South Sumatra, Gorontalo, Jambi, Lampung, Maluku (Indonesian province)|Maluku, North Maluku, North Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Papua (Indonesian province)|Papua (Irian Jaya), Riau, Riau Kepulauan, South East Sulawesi, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, West Irian Jaya, West Java, West Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, West Sulawesi, West Sumatra The special territories (''daerah istimewa'') are Aceh (or ''Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam'') and Yogyakarta. The capital city territory is Jakarta. East Timor was a province of Indonesia from its annexation in 1975 until it became an independent nation in 2002. == Geography == ''Main article: Geography of Indonesia'' Image:Id-map.png|thumb|336px|right|Map of Indonesia Indonesia's Islands of Indonesia|18,108 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited, are scattered around the equator, giving the country a tropical climate. The largest populated islands are Java, where about half of the population lives, Sumatra, Borneo (shared with Malaysia and Brunei), New Guinea (shared with Papua New Guinea) and Sulawesi. The country borders Malaysia on the island of Borneo (Indonesian language|Indonesian: Kalimantan), Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea and East Timor on the island of Timor. Its location on the edges of tectonic plates means Indonesia is frequently hit by earthquakes and the resulting tsunamis. Indonesia is also rich in volcanoes, the most famous being the now vanished Krakatau (Krakatoa), which was located between Sumatra and Java (island)|Java. Flora and fauna differ markedly between Kalimantan, Bali, and western islands on the one hand and Sulawesi, Lombok, and islands further to the east on the other hand. This ecological boundary has been called the Wallace line after its discoverer. The line is often given as the boundry between Asia and Australasia, as such making Indonesia a bicontinental country. See also: Asia#Map|Map of Asia == Economy == ''Main article: Economy of Indonesia'' Indonesia's economy suffered greatly in the late 1990s, in part as a result of the Asian financial crisis|financial crisis that struck most of Asia at the time. The economy has stabilized somewhat since then. The country has extensive natural resources outside of Java, including crude oil, natural gas, tin, copper and gold. Indonesia is the world's second largest exporter of natural gas, though it has recently become a net importer of crude oil. Major agricultural products include rice, tea, coffee, spices and rubber. Indonesia's major trading partners are Japan, the United States and the surrounding nations of Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. However, though rich in natural and human resources, Indonesia still faces massive problems of poverty due mainly to the rampant massive corruption among the government officials. The central bank of Indonesia is Bank Indonesia [http://www.bi.go.id] == Demographics == ''Main article: Demographics of Indonesia'' Indonesia's population can be roughly divided into two groups. In the west of the country, the people are mostly Malay people|Malay, while the people of the east are Papuan, with roots in the islands of Melanesia. Many Indonesians identify with a more specific ethnic group that is often linked to language and regional origins; examples of these are Javanese, Sundanese, or Batak. Islam is Islam in Indonesia|Indonesia's main religion, with almost 89%(88.22%) of all Indonesian adhering to it according to the 2000 religious census, making Indonesia the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world. The remainder of the population is Christianity|Christian (9%), Buddhism|Buddhist (2%), and Hindu (7%). Image:Hindu_Temple_in_Java_%2C_Indonesia.jpg|thumb|Prambanan Temple, 10th Century Hindu Temple, in Java, Indonesia Most Indonesians speak a local language (''bahasa daerah'') as their first tongue, but the official national language, Indonesian language|Indonesian (also called ''bahasa Indonesia'', and closely related to Malay language|Malay) is almost universally taught in schools and is spoken by nearly every Indonesian. == Culture == ''Main article: Culture of Indonesia'' Art forms in Indonesia have been influenced by several cultures. The famous Javanese and Balinese (people)|Balinese dances, for example, contain aspects of Hindu culture and mythology. Also well-known are the Javanese and Balinese Wayang|wayang kulit shadow theatre shows, displaying several mythological events. Several islands are famous for their batik and ikat cloth. ''Silat'' is a unique martial art originating from the archipelago. == Miscellaneous topics == * Communications in Indonesia * Transportation in Indonesia * Islands of Indonesia * Military of Indonesia * Music of Indonesia * Foreign relations of Indonesia * List of Indonesians|List of famous Indonesians * Hinduism in Southeast Asia * Indonesian car number plates * Islam in Indonesia * Public holidays in Indonesia * Indonesian calendars * Indonesian Chinese ==Further reading== * Theodore Friend, ''Indonesian Destinies'', [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/ Harvard University Press], 2003, hardcover, 544 pages, ISBN 0674011376 ==External links== '''Official Sites (owned and operated by the government of Indonesia and its agencies)''' * [http://www.indonesia.go.id/ National Portal of Republic of Indonesia] (in Indonesian) * [http://www.info-ri.com/ Info-RI - National Information Portal] (in Indonesian) * [http://www.antara.co.id/ Antara - National News Agency] * [http://www.rri-online.com/ RRI - National Radio Station] * [http://www.tvri.co.id/ TVRI - National Television Station] (in Indonesian) * [http://www.bi.go.id/ Bank Indonesia - Indonesian Central Bank] * [http://www.deplu.go.id/2003/process/language.php?lang=english List of Indonesian embassies and consulates worldwide (Department of Foreign Affairs)] (follow the "Embassies & Consulates" link in the linked page) '''Other Sites (''not'' owned nor operated by the government of Indonesia and its agencies)''' {{commons|Indonesia}} * [http://www.promotingbali.com/indonesia/ Indonesia info] * [http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Indonesia Indonesia travel guide at Wikitravel] * [http://www.wirantaprawira.de/links/government.htm Link list of all Government Institutions] * [http://www.indonesia-house.org/ Indonesia House] (in English and in Dutch) * [http://www.insideindonesia.org/ Inside Indonesia Journal] * [http://www.aseannewsnetwork.com/indonesia.html News from Indonesia] (in English and in Indonesian) * [http://www.ngobrol.com Indonesian Online Community] * [http://indonesia.rinkes.nl indonesia.rinkes.nl | Indonesia] * [http://www.business-indonesia.com/ Business Indonesia] * [http://www.insightnewstv.com/d10 Indonesia: The Whale Hunters] * [http://www2.iisg.nl/indoc/ INDOC Database on Indonesian Labour] * [http://muzeumazji.pl/ Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw] * [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1104447162&men=gmap&lng=en&gln=xx&dat=32&geo=-101&srt=npan&col=aohdq Maps] * [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/id.html CIA World Factbook - ''Indonesia''] {{Southeast_Asia}} {{Pacific Islands}} Category:Indonesia Category:Southeast Asian countries Category:Island nations Category:Republics Category:ASEAN member states bg:Индонезия id:Indonesia su:Indonésia ca:Indonèsia cy:Indonesia da:Indonesien de:Indonesien et:Indoneesia es:Indonesia eo:Indonezio fr:Indonésie gl:Indonesia ht:Endonezi io:Indonezia it:Indonesia he:אינדונזיה jv:Indonesia li:Indonesië mi:Initonihia ms:Indonesia minnan:Ìn-nî nds:Indonesien nl:Indonesië ja:インドネシア ko:인도네시아 lv:Indonēzija no:Indonesia pl:Indonezja pt:Indonésia ro:Indonezia ru:Индонезия sa:इन्दोनेशिया simple:Indonesia sk:Indonézia sl:Indonezija sr:Индонезија fi:Indonesia sv:Indonesien tl:Indonesia th:ประเทศอินโดนีเซีย uk:Індонезія zh-cn:印度尼西亚 hi:इंडोनिशया lt:Indonezija oc:Indonesia First page | Prev | Next | Last page | This article on Indonesia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. 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