| Introduction to Indonesia |
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Indonesia is an archipelago in Southeast Asia consisting of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited) and straddling the equator. The largest islands are Sumatra, Java (the most populous), Bali, Kalimantan (Indonesia's part of Borneo), Sulawesi (Celebes), the Nusa Tenggara islands, the Moluccas Islands, and Irian Jaya (also called West Papua), the western part of New Guinea. Its neighbor to the north is Malaysia and to the east is Papua New Guinea.
Indonesia, part of the “ring of fire,” has the largest number of active volcanoes in the world. Earthquakes are frequent. Wallace's line, a zoological demarcation between Asian and Australian flora and fauna, divides Indonesia. |
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| The 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia were home to a diversity of cultures and indigenous beliefs when the islands came under the influence of Hindu priests and traders in the first and second centuries A.D. Muslim invasions began in the 13th century, and most of the archipelago had converted to Islam by the 15th century. Portuguese traders arrived early in the next century but were ousted by the Dutch around 1595. The Dutch United East India Company established posts on the island of Java, in an effort to control the spice trade.
After Napoléon subjugated the Netherlands in 1811, the British seized the islands but returned them to the Dutch in 1816. In 1922, Indonesia was made an integral part of the Dutch kingdom. During World War II, Japan seized the islands. Tokyo was primarily interested in Indonesia's oil, which was vital to the war effort, and tolerated fledgling nationalists such as Sukarno and Mohammed Hatta. After Japan's surrender, Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed Indonesian independence on Aug. 17, 1945. Allied troops, mostly British Indian forces, fought nationalist militias to reassert the prewar status quo until the arrival of Dutch troops. |
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| Tourist Attractions - |
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• Jakarta
• Sumatra
• Sulawesi
• Bali
• Lombok
• Banda Islands
• Yogakartas |
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| Special Interest - |
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• The Marine Work
• Wildlive& Nature Reserve
• Monument& Museum |
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Location |
| Indonesia is located at the southeast part of Asia. It has a hot, humid climate that stays around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It has around 13,000 islands along the equator between Asia and Australia. The larger islands have central mountains and fertile plains and lowlands. The climate is tropical, and October to April is the rainy season. It's a diverse nation with a lot of resources. |
CURRENCY - Indonesian Rupiahs (IDR)
Main foreign currencies are exchangeable at the banks and money changers in major cities. Indonesian rupiahs come in denominations of the Rp. 50,000,-, Rp. 20,000,-, Rp. 10,000,-,Rp. 5,000,- Rp. 1,000,-, Rp. 500,- and Rp. 100,- in bank notes and the Rp. 100,- Rp. 50,- and Rp. 25,- in coins. Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and restaurants in the main cities.
$ 1 US DOLLAR = IDR 9005 approx. (subject to change as per the daily exchange rate)
1 IDR = INR 0.005 approx. (subject to change as per the daily exchange rate)
CAPITAL - Jakarta |
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