Indonesia

Republic of Indonesia
Republic of Indonesia Republik Indonesia
	Motto: Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Old Javanese); Unity in Diversity; National ideology: Pancasila
	Anthem: ; Indonesia Raya; "Great Indonesia";
Capital; (and largest city)	Jakarta; 6°10.5′S 106°49.7′E / 6.175°S 106.8283°E
Official language(s)	Indonesian
Demonym	Indonesian
Government	Unitary presidential constitutional republic
Legislature	People's Consultative Assembly
Independence	following Dutch colonial rule and Japanese occupation
Area
Population
GDP (PPP)	2011 estimate
GDP (nominal)	2011 estimate
Gini (2011)	36.8 (medium)
HDI (2011)	▲ 0.617 (medium) (124th)
Currency	Rupiah (IDR)
Time zone	various (UTC+7 to +9)
Drives on the	Left
Internet TLD	.id
Calling code	+62

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Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia. It is part of the Malay Archipelago. It has 18,108 islands. 6,000 of these islands are inhabited. The most important islands of Indonesia are Java, Bali, Borneo, Sulawesi, and Sumatra. The capital of Indonesia is Jakarta, on Java. The current president is Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Modern Indonesia began on the 17th of August 1945. At 10 o'clock on that Friday morning, Ir. Soekarno read Indonesia's Declaration of Independence. Indonesia's Independence Day is a national holiday.

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world with a population of 238,452,952 (2004 est.) There are 111 inhabitants per km² and the population of man and women is equal. The official language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia, but a total of 737 languages are spoken throughout Indonesia mostly confined to remote tribal groups. Other languages widely spoken in Indonesia include Javanese, Balinese and Sundanese. The closest countries are Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, and East Timor which share land borders with Indonesia. Other neighbouring countries are Australia to the south, Singapore to the Northwest, and Philippines to the Northeast.

The religion that most people in Indonesia follow is Islam, although formally not an Islamic country. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population on earth. Other religions include Christianity (Protestant, and Roman Catholic), Hinduism, and Buddhism.

[change] History

Indonesia

[change] Pre World War II

Indonesia has written history as far back as the 7th century. Before the colonial Dutch came in the 1700s, Indonesia was made up of many kingdoms in constant warfare. Indonesia was ruled by the Netherlands from the 17th century until World War II.

[change] Modern Indonesia

During World War II, the Japanese drove out the Dutch and took control of Indonesia. After Japan surrendered in the war, Indonesia claimed its independence on the 17th of August 1945. The proclamation was read by Ir. Soekarno in Jakarta. Soekarno later became Indonesia's first President.

British troops came into Indonesia to restore peace and to rescue Europeans who had been prisoners of the Japanese. The British troops also had the job of shipping home 300,000 Japanese troops. The Indonesian Republicans fought the British troops, because it was expected that the British would give Indonesia back to the Dutch. The Indonesian Republicans killed many of the Japanese prisoners, before they could be sent home. They also began killing people from minority groups who might be against the new Republic. Many European and Indonesian European people were killed. Many Chinese business people and other minority groups were killed or made homeless. In Java there were many thousands of homeless people.

In 1946, the Dutch came back. When the British left in 1947, there were 55,000 Dutch soldiers in Indonesia. The Dutch action was called "Operatie Product" or "Politionele Acties". The Indonesian Republicans fought the Dutch until 1949. But the Indonesian Republicans were badly organised and often fought among themselves. As the Dutch forced the Republican soldiers out of different areas, they moved in more troops until there was 100,000 Dutch troops. The Dutch refused to obey the United Nations who said they should stop the fighting in Indonesia. The United States of America organised for meetings between Dutch and Indonesian leaders. The Dutch finally agreed to recognise Indonesia's independence in November 1949.

Because of the fighting and the bad organisation, it took a long time for the country to become peaceful, and for the economy to get better. Many Indonesian soldiers had died, between 45,000 and 100,000. Also, a very large number of civilian (people not in the army), Indonesians, Europeans and Chinese, had died; perhaps as many as 200,000.

[change] Indonesian people and culture

There are people of many different cultural groups living in Indonesia, has more than 700 ethnic groups, affected by Indians, chineses, arabes, malaies and Europeans

[change] Album

National Museum of Indonesia in Central Jakarta
The National Monument
Wisma 46, Indonesia's tallest office building, located in the middle of Jakarta skyscraper.
Jalan Thamrin, the main avenue in Central Jakarta
A train at Gambir station in Central Jakarta
The Bung Karno Stadium is capable of hosting more than 80,000 spectators
Map of Indonesia
Provinces of Indonesia
Malioboro, the most famous street in Yogyakarta city
Trans Jogja Bus. A bus rapid transit system in Yogyakarta city
A selection of Indonesian food, including Soto Ayam (chicken soup), sate kerang (shellfish kebabs), telor pindang (preserved eggs), perkedel (fritter), and es teh manis (sweet iced tea)
An Indonesian Army infantryman participating in the U.N.'s Global Peacekeeping Operation Initiative
Pindad Panser "Anoa" shown during Indo Defense and Aerospace Expo 2008
Indonesian Naval vessels
B-25 Mitchell bombers of the AURI in the 1950s
A Javanese engineer closes one of the gun bay doors on a Dutch Buffalo, January 1942.
Mazda6 used by the Jakarta Metro Highway Patrol (Ditlantas Polda Metro Jaya) as a patrol car
Mitsubishi Lancer used by Vital Object Protection of Indonesian National Police
GE U20C in Indonesia, #CC201-05
GE U20C "Full-Width Cabin" in Indonesia, #CC203-22
GE U20C full computer control locomotive in Indonesia, #CC204-06