Indonesia flag
Basic facts of Indonesia
Official name: Republic of Indonesia
Capital: Jakarta
Area: 1,904,570 sq km, 735,359 sq mi
Population: 237,512,360 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 1.18 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 130 persons per sq km, 337 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 48 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 52 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, Palembang
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (modified form of Malay; official), English, Dutch, Sundanese, Arabic, Chinese, and local dialects, especially Javanese (about 300 languages and dialects are spoken)
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 87 percent
Protestant 6 percent
Roman Catholic 3 percent
Hindu 2 percent
Buddhist 1 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 70.5 years (2008 estimate)
Female 73.1 years (2008 estimate)
Male 68 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 89.5 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 85.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 93.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Republic
Total number of military personnel: 302,000 (2004)
Introduction:
Republic of Indonesia, island republic of Southeast Asia, constituting most of the Malay Archipelago. Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country after China, India, and the United States. More than half the people live on Java, where Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital and largest city, is located. Although the islands are home to more than 100 ethnic groups, most Indonesians are of mixed Malay origins and practice Islam.
Several of Indonesia’s islands hosted powerful trading kingdoms between the 5th and 16th centuries ad. The Dutch took control of the islands in the early 1600s and for three centuries profited from Indonesia’s economy, largely at the expense of the local population. Dutch authority over the islands peaked in the early 20th century. But growing Indonesian nationalism led to a declaration of independence in 1945, and the Dutch finally transferred sovereignty in 1949. The country enjoyed tremendous economic growth in the 1980s and much of the 1990s, partly due to Indonesia’s abundant natural resources and increases in the manufacturing and services sectors. As a result, Indonesia’s middle class grew considerably, but poverty remained widespread. Indonesia plunged into an economic crisis in 1997 that led to significant political changes, including the resignation of President Suharto, who had been in office for more than 30 years. Democratic elections held in 1999 installed a new government.
Official name: Republic of Indonesia
Capital: Jakarta
Area: 1,904,570 sq km, 735,359 sq mi
Population: 237,512,360 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 1.18 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 130 persons per sq km, 337 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 48 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 52 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, Palembang
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (modified form of Malay; official), English, Dutch, Sundanese, Arabic, Chinese, and local dialects, especially Javanese (about 300 languages and dialects are spoken)
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 87 percent
Protestant 6 percent
Roman Catholic 3 percent
Hindu 2 percent
Buddhist 1 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 70.5 years (2008 estimate)
Female 73.1 years (2008 estimate)
Male 68 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 89.5 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 85.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 93.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Republic
Total number of military personnel: 302,000 (2004)
Introduction:
Republic of Indonesia, island republic of Southeast Asia, constituting most of the Malay Archipelago. Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country after China, India, and the United States. More than half the people live on Java, where Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital and largest city, is located. Although the islands are home to more than 100 ethnic groups, most Indonesians are of mixed Malay origins and practice Islam.
Several of Indonesia’s islands hosted powerful trading kingdoms between the 5th and 16th centuries ad. The Dutch took control of the islands in the early 1600s and for three centuries profited from Indonesia’s economy, largely at the expense of the local population. Dutch authority over the islands peaked in the early 20th century. But growing Indonesian nationalism led to a declaration of independence in 1945, and the Dutch finally transferred sovereignty in 1949. The country enjoyed tremendous economic growth in the 1980s and much of the 1990s, partly due to Indonesia’s abundant natural resources and increases in the manufacturing and services sectors. As a result, Indonesia’s middle class grew considerably, but poverty remained widespread. Indonesia plunged into an economic crisis in 1997 that led to significant political changes, including the resignation of President Suharto, who had been in office for more than 30 years. Democratic elections held in 1999 installed a new government.
Jakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta, the capital and largest city of Indonesia, lies on the northwestern coast of the island of Java. Jakarta is the country’s leading economic center and seaport. While most of the buildings in the Upper City (pictured) are modern, in the rest of the city single-story structures made of wood and sometimes bamboo mats are the most common dwellings.
Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, Indonesia
With space to accommodate tens of thousands of worshipers, the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, is one of Southeast Asia’s largest. Indonesia has the largest Islamic community in the world.
Merdeka Square, Jakarta
Merdeka Square provides the focal point of central Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Towering in the center of the square, the Monumen Nasional (National Monument), commonly known as Monas, commemorates Indonesia’s independence from the Netherlands in 1949. The presidential palace, the National Museum, and the Istiqlal Mosque surround the square.
Tsunami Aftermath in Indonesia
In December 2004 a magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami (massive waves) that spread out over the Indian Ocean, hitting coastal communities in 12 countries. The Indonesian island of Sumatra was the hardest-hit location as the closest land to the epicenter of the quake. In the aftermath, the death toll in Sumatra exceeded 90,000.