Indonesia
Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Republik Indonesia) is a country and huge archipelago lying between South-East Asia and Australia. The population is about 245 million. Indonesia is predominantly (88%) Islamic, with small numbers of Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. Indonesia actually has more Muslims than any other country. The capital of Indonesia is Jakarta.
| Republik Indonesia | |
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| Flag | Coat of Arms |
| Capital | Jakarta |
| Government | Presidential Republic |
| Language | Indonesian (official) |
| President | Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono |
| Area | 735,355 sq. mi. |
| Population | 234,693,997 (2007) |
| GDP per capita | $4,616 (2007) |
| Currency | rupiah |
The major islands of the Indonesian archipelago include Sumatra, Java, Borneo (shared with Malaysia and Brunei), New Guinea (shared with Papua New Guinea), Bali, Flores, Lombok, Sulawesi, Sumba, Sumbawa, part of Timor (shared with East Timor), and thousands of smaller islands.
History
Historically known as the Spice Islands for its famed production of pepper, cloves and nutmeg, Indonesia was a Dutch colony up until World War II, when it was invaded by Japan, declaring its independence at the war's end. Indonesia is today an important world producer of oil and rubber.
Natural History
Indonesia is home to much interesting (and frequently threatened) wildlife, including tigers, the Javan and Sumatran rhinoceroses, the orang-utan, the Komodo dragon, birds of paradise and the coelacanth.
Indonesia is prone to natural calamities. There are many volcanos, most famously Krakatoa, and earthquakes, mudslides, tsunamis and typhoons are all common events.
Further reading
- Another Christian Church Attacked in Bandung, AKI/Jakarta Post, 4 June 2007.