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Featured Country

Indonesia

Photo by: Okko Hamalainen
The islands of the Indonesian archipelago are strung like beads across the equator. Clear blue seas lap pristine beaches, gentle breezes carry scents of spices and flowers, and divers are entranced by the ocean’s riches. Inland, dramatic volcanic ranges tower above a green mantle of terraced h... more >>

Indonesia Main | Currency | General | Health | Overview

Indonesia Overview

Indonesia lies between the mainland of South-East Asia and Australia in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is the world’s largest archipelago state. Indonesia is made up of five main islands – Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan (part of the island of Borneo) and Irian Jaya (the western half of New Guinea) – and 30 smaller archipelagos. In total, the Indonesian archipelago consists of about 17,508 islands; 6,000 of these are inhabited and stretch over 4,828km (3,000 miles), most lying in a volcanic belt with more than 300 volcanoes, the great majority of which are extinct. The landscape varies from island to island, ranging from high mountains and plateaux to coastal lowlands and alluvial belts.

Area
1,922,570 million sq km (742,308 sq miles).

Government
Republic. Declared independence from The Netherlands in 1945. Head of State and Government: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono since 2004. Recent history: In 2004, Indonesia’s first-ever direct presidential elections saw Megawati Sukarnoputri replaced by the new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. On taking office, the retired army general and former security minister vowed to set an ambitious agenda for reform. The president has identified the fight against terrorism as a key challenge, and previously, as security minister, he led operations to capture Islamic extremists blamed for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings. In 2005, Yudhoyono’s administration won international acclaim for signing a peace deal with separatist rebels in Aceh province.

Population
245 million (CIA estimate 2006).

Population Density
127 per sq km.

Language
Bahasa Indonesia is the official national language. Altogether, there are an estimated 583 languages and dialects spoken in the archipelago. The older generation still speaks Dutch as a second language.

Religion
There is a Muslim majority of approximately 90%, with Christian, Hindu (mainly in Bali) and Buddhist minorities.

Time
GMT + 7 (West) in Sumatra, Java and Western Borneo; GMT + 8 (Central) in Sulawesi, Lesser Sunda Islands, Bali and Eastern Borneo; GMT + 9 (East) in Papua and Maluku.

Capital
Jakarta (Java). Population: 13.2 million (UN estimate 2005).

Electricity
127/230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs used are European-style with two circular metal pins and British-style with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade.