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| CIA Background Information |
The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing financial sector reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist movement in Papua.
| U.S. State Department Description |
Country Description:
Indonesia is an independent republic consisting of more than 17,500 islands spread over 3,400 miles along the Equator. The main islands are Java, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan (Borneo), Sulawesi (Celebes), Papua, Halmahera, and Seram. The capital city of Jakarta lies in the lowlands of West Java, the most populated island. The country has approximately 245,500,000 people and more than 300 ethnic groups.
Indonesia’s geographic location and topography make the country prone to natural disasters, especially seismic upheaval due to its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. Indonesia is ... Read this Article
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Indonesian(s).
Population (July 2008 est.): 237.5 million.
Annual population growth rate (2008 est.): 1.175%.
Ethnic groups (2000 census): Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, others 38.4%.
Religions (2000 census): Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, others 3.4%.
Languages: Indonesian (official), local languages, the most prevalent of which is Javanese.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Enrollment--94% of eligible primary school-age ... Read this Article
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Location: Indonesia is Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean See Map
Capital: name: Jakarta
geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones
Currency (Code): Indonesian rupiah (IDR) ...More
Area: total: 1,919,440 sq km , land: 1,826,440 sq km , water: 93,000 sq km ( 1 sq km is approximately 0.4 sq miles or 250 acres)
Area Comparison: slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Elevation Extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m , highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
Population: 237,512,352 (July 2008 est.)
Unemployment: 9.1% (2007 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9% (2000 census)
Religion: Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is Javanese)
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| History
By the time of the Renaissance, the islands of Java and Sumatra had already enjoyed a 1,000-year heritage of advanced civilization spanning two major empires. During the 7th-14th centuries, the Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya flourished on Sumatra. At its peak, the Srivijaya Empire reached as far as West ... Read this Article
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| Geographic Info for Indonesia : |
Geography
Area: 2 million sq. km. (736,000 sq. mi.), about three times the size of Texas; maritime area: 7,900,000 sq. km.
Cities: Capital--Jakarta (est. 8.8 million). Other cities--Surabaya 3.0 million, Medan 2.5 million, Bandung 2.5 million.
Terrain: More than 17,500 islands; 6,000 are inhabited; 1,000 of which are permanently settled. Large islands consist of coastal plains with mountainous interiors.
Climate: ... Read this Article
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