Country Information on Indonesia 

Terrain

The islands of Indonesia can be divided into two groups: those in the north (Borneo, Celebes, the Moluccas and New Guinea) and those in the south (Sumatra, Java and Timor). A mountain range that consists of active and extinct volcanoes runs across those islands in the south from west to east.

The northern islands are characterized by their lowland coastlines and mountains inland. The country's highest peak, which is situated in New Guinea, is Puncak Jaya, at a little over 5,000 metres. Less than 10% of the country is suitable for cultivation; two thirds consist of woods and mangrove swamps (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya in particular).

Climate

As a result of the fact that it is located on the equator, Indonesia's climate varies very little, and is mainly characterized by high temperatures. During the rainy season (from October to April), the climate is hot and humid; it is dry between May and September and it remains hot. Temperatures can reach up to about 31°C in coastal regions and gradually decrease further inland.

Fauna/Flora

Indonesia's rich natural environment provides favourable conditions for a great range of flora and fauna. The archipelago is home to elephants, tigers, leopards, and orang-utans. Sea turtles are found in the waters around Bali and the rafflesia, the world's largest flower, grows in Sumatra. National parks have been created on islands of Irian Jaya, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Sumatra; other parks have been created to protect special areas such as Komodo, which is home to the "Komodo dragon," a species of lizard that has survived for more than two million years.

History/Politics

Archaeological remains show that Indonesia was one of the first places to be inhabited by Homo sapiens. However, the islands were again settled during the great migrations that took place in South East Asia between the 25th and 5th centuries BC. During the first centuries AD, India influenced the culture of the region greatly and played and important role in the formation of the island's kingdoms.

At the end of the end of the 13th century AD, the kingdoms began to convert to Islam, which became stronger a century later when the Sultanate of Malacca was established. From the late 15th century onwards, European traders came to gain control of the spice trade in the area. The Dutch East India Company had control over the region in the 17th century.

At the end of the 18th century, the company went bankrupt and the Dutch government took control of the land. The Netherlands's strict trade policies in the 19th and 20th centuries resulted in a national uprising in 1912. At the beginning, the Netherlands was conciliative, but following the First World War and Communist uprisings in the islands, it adopted more repressive policies. Following the Second World War, the Indonesians declared their independence and in 1954 they gained complete sovereignty.

Over the decades that followed, politics in the country were characterized by tension between the different islands; an ongoing economic crisis and the subsequent nationalization of all foreign businesses; an increase in the Communists' political power and tensions between the Communists and the government. In 1965, General Suharto came to power and in 1966 he not only declared the Communist Party illegal, but also brutally repressed it. It is estimated that there were around a million victims.

In 1975, Indonesia annexed the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, during which more than 150,000 people died. Despite the fact that Suharto was re-elected in 1983, 1988, 1993 and 1998, the country's deepening economic crisis and street protests meant that he was forced to step down a few months after he had been appointed. He was succeeded by Jusuf Habibie, who agreed that Indonesia would leave Timor, but was unable to prevent violent ethnic and religious conflicts for taking place in 1999.

East Timor gained its independence in a referendum, which meant the beginning of a bloody fight between those in favour of integration and those who were for independence immediately afterwards. As a consequence, Habibie withdrew his candidature for president. Abdurrahman Wahid was elected president, but he was relieved of his duties due to incompetence in 2001 and he was replaced by Vice President Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri. In September 2004, the retired general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was elected as the new president. Three months later, in December, a tsunami hit the country badly, not only destroying dozens of buildings, but also killing 220,000 people and leaving 130,000 unaccounted for.

Economy

Around 1960, Indonesia's economy had colonial characteristics, which was why the government nationalized foreign businesses. In spite of this, the economy almost collapsed in 1966, which made it necessary to introduce new governmental policies and obtain foreign economic support. These measures helped stabilize and reinforce the national economy as a result of the export of raw materials, such as petroleum and gas. The fall in the prices of hydrocarbons in the 1980s forced the country to look for other export opportunities, such as in manufacturing and agriculture.

The Asian economic crisis in 1998 had a significant impact on Indonesia, which led the government to create a new economic and fiscal policy and to introduce a series of reforms that would allow it to renegotiate its debt with the IMF. The Indonesian economy has recovered since then. However, in 2003 the unemployment rate was 10.5% and the inflation rate was 6.6%.

Culture

As a result of its ethnic diversity, Indonesia has a great number of cultural events throughout the year. Mock battles that date back to the era of internecine warfare are held in Sumba in February and March. At Balinese Caka New Year (March-April) temple icons are taken to the sea to be bathed and drummers drive away evil spirits. There is a dramatic Easter Parade on the island of Larantuka and there are whip duels in Ruteng and Flores.