About Indonesia
About Indonesia |
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The Republic of Indonesia comprises the world's largest archipelago, spanning 3,200 miles from east to west along the Equator-roughly equivalent to the expanse of United State from coast to coast-and 1,100 miles from north to south. Indonesia's 17,000 islands are nestled between two continents, Asia and Australia, and two oceans, the Indian and the Pacific.
Main Islands: Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Bali, Kalimantan, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Irian Jaya (the western part of New Guinea).
Area: Indonesia's land are totals 782,665 square-miles and its sea territory 1,222,466 square-miles. Indonesia shares land border with Malaysia and Papua New Guinea and sea border with Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia.
Major Cities: Jakarta (the capital; 1990 Census population: 8.2 million), Surabaya (2.5 million), Bandung (2.0 million), Medan (1.7 million), Semarang (1.2 million).
Climate: Equatorial, but cooler in the highlands. Temperatures generally range from 68 to 89 degrees. Humidity ranges from 60 to 90 percent. Indonesia's "wet season" lasts from November through April and its "dry season" from May through October, with slight variations in its regional sub-climatic zones.
Population: With 179 million inhabitants in 1990, Indonesia is ranked the world's fourth most populous nation after China, India and the United States.
Annual Growth Rate: 1.97 percent from 1980 to 1990.
Language and Ethnicity: While largely of Malay stock, the inhabitants of the Indonesia archipelago constitute a rich array of some 300 distinct cultures, each with its own individual language or dialect. Virtually all Indonesians are united by a common national language, Bahasa Indonesia.
Religion: A full 85 percent of Indonesians subscribe to the Islamic faith, ten percent to Christianity, two percent to Hinduism, and three percent to either Buddhism or animism.
Education: Ninety percent of Indonesians attend primary schools, and 86.3 percent are literate. There are 49 state universities and over 200 private universities.
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Jakarta, the nation's capital, started as a small harbor town, Sunda Kelapa, but its founding dates back to 1570 when it was named Jayakarta (City of Great Victory) by Fatahillah of the neighboring Sultanate of Banten. The name was later changed to Batavia under the Dutch. Now a center of government, business and industry, the city spreads over an area of 656 sq. km (410 sq. miles) and has a population of over seven million. A special territory, it is administered by a governor and has the status of a province. |
The main gateway to Indonesia, it is a contrast of modern western architecture and traditional Indonesian culture. Its rapid growth into a metropolitan city reflects the economic, political, social and industrial development of the nation. In recent years, Jakarta has expanded its facilities for the visitor with luxury hotels, fine restaurants, exciting night-life and shopping centers besides tourist attractions like "Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature" Park, restored colonial period buildings, sea resorts in the Bay of Jakarta, and an extensive beach recreation complex.
Climate-wise, Indonesia is distinctly tropical. The east monsoon from June to September brings dry weather while the west monsoon from December to March is moisture-laden bringing rain. The transitional period between these two are interposed by occasional rain showers, but even in the midst of the west monsoon season, temperatures range from 21 degrees C. (70 F). to 33 degrees C. (90 F) except at higher altitudes which are much cooler. Heaviest rainfalls are recorded in December and January. Humidity is between 60 and 100 percent.
The majority of the population (about 85%) is Moslem, however, the Indonesian Constitution recognizes freedom of religion as specified in the first Principle of the "Pancasila" state philosophy being "Belief in one Supreme God." Churches, Hindu and Buddhist temples are found throughout the country as are mosques of the Moslem faith.
Though there are 50 languages spoken throughout the country, Bahasa Indonesia is the national language which is akin to Malay, written in Roman script and based on European orthography.
In all tourist destination areas English is the number one foreign language fairly spoken and written, whereas some Dutch is still spoken and understood in the bigger cities and French increasing in its popularity at the better hotels and restaurants.
British naturalist A.R.Wallace (1823 - 1913) postulated an imaginary line (named after him-Walace's Line) as the dividing line between Asiatic and Australian fauna. It passes between Bali and Lombok islands between Kalimantan and Sulawesi, then continues south of the Philippines and north of Hawaii. This theory probably explains the presence of species of fauna familiar to both Asia and Australia found in Indonesia.
However, there are species indigenous to Indonesia, like the "orang utan" apes of Sumatera and Kalimantan, the giant "komodo" lizards which are the only ones of their kind in the world today roaming free on the island of Komodo; the one-horned rhinoceros of Java, the wild "banteng" oxen, tigers and many other species which are now protected in wildlife reserves. The flora of Indonesia ranges from the tiny orchid to the giant "Rafflesia" plant which has a bloom almost a meter (3.2 feet) in diameter - the largest flower in the world - and many other species of plant life which can be seen at the Bogor Botanical Gardens.
Agricultural produce include rubber, coconut, coffee, tea, cocoa, corn, spices, kapok, tobacco, rice, etc. and an abundance of vegetable and fruit. Indonesia has some of the richest timber resources in the world and the largest concentration of tropical hardwoods. The total area of state-controlled forests is approximately 12.9 million hectares. Meranti constitutes about 56% of the entire timber export. Other varieties include ramin, agathis, teak, pine wood and a range of other timber in smaller quantity, rattan and bamboo.
The staple food of most of Indonesia is rice. On some of the islands in eastern Indonesia, staple food traditionally ranged from corn, sago, cassava to sweet potatoes, though this is changing as rice becomes more popular.
From the surrounding seas as well as from fresh water fisheries fish is abundant and of great variety, such as lobsters, oysters, prawns and shrimps, squid, crab, etc. Fish features prominently in the diet as fresh, salted, dried or smoked. Coconut is found everywhere and besides being produced for cooking oil, its milk the juice from the white meat - is an ingredient for many dishes. Spices and hot chili peppers are the essence of most cooking, and in some areas they are used generously such as in West Sumatera and North Sulawesi. Each province or area has its own cuisine, which vary in the method of cooking and ingredients.
The Javanese cuisine is probably more palatable to the general taste and consists of vegetables, soybeans, beef, chicken and other varieties. The Sumatrans generally eat more beef compared to the other regions. West Sumatera particularly is known for its Padang (capital of the province) specially restaurants found nationwide. Besides the hot and spicy food, these restaurants are known for their unique style of service.
Further to the east, seafood features on the daily diet, either grilled or made into curries. In Bali, Irian Jaya and the highlands of North Sumatra and North Sulawesi pork dishes are specialities. As the population of Indonesia is predominantly Moslem, pork is usually not served except in Chinese restaurants, non-Moslem regions and in places serving international cuisine.
There is a wide variety of tropical and sub-tropical vegetables all year round. Fruit is available throughout the year. Some fruits such as mangoes and water melons are seasonal, but most of the other fruits can be bought through out the whole year, such as bananas, apples, papayas, pineapples, oranges, etc. Coffee and tea plantations are plentiful, growing on several islands, and served everywhere from fine restaurants to small village stalls. There are several breweries which produce local beer. Bali produces "brem" which is a rice wine, whereas Toraja has its "tuak" which is also known in North Sumatra and other areas.
For most people, a meal consists of steamed white rice with side dishes of meat, chicken, fish and vegetables along with a glass of tea.
There is such a rich variety in the Indonesian cuisine that one should sample specialities in each area. However, most common nationwide are "sate" (skewered grilled meat), "gado-gado" (vegetables salad with a peanut sauce), "nasi goreng" (fried rice served at anytime) and "bakmi goreng" (fried noodles). Chinese restaurants are found all over the country. There are fine restaurants specializing in Continental and Japanese and Korean cuisine.
Indonesia abounds in monuments of the past. There are the temples of the Buddhist and Hindu dynasties; Hindu temples of Prambanan and the Dieng Plateau, the "kraton" (palace) of sultans in Surakarta, Yogyakarta, the Maimun palace of the Sultanate of Deli (in Medan), the Hall of justice in Bali, ruins of ancient fortresses and museums, mosques and churches steeped in folklore. Graves of past royalty and national heroes are also monuments where as many war graves of World War II still hold a certain interest. The main destination areas contain many of these places of interest which are easily accessible.
LivelihoodAlthough the industrial sector of the economy is gradually gaining importance as a result of conscientious government policies, Indonesia is still predominantly agrarian. Major agricultural products for domestic consumption and export include rice, corn, cassava, soybeans, timber, rubber, palm-oil and various spices for which it has for centuries been famed. |
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Indonesian agronomists, in cooperation with the International Rice Institute based in the Philippines, are continuously developing new rice varieties suitable for growing under particular conditions prevailing in the various regions of Indonesia. The government has since 1968 been actively involved in providing guidance to peasants under the BIMAS mass guidance program, with considerable results.
Similar progress has been made in the field of fishery. Shrimp has become a major foreign exchange earner. To support the growing shrimp culture, a Shrimp Research Center has been set up in Jepara (Central Java) with UNDP assistance. Under government guidance, fish production in the Indonesian waters is estimated to have increased at a rate of 5.4% annually.
Snail production is also growing as an export item to countries in Europe where it is considered a delicacy, like in France. Estates play an important role within the context of agricultural development, as their total area covers approximately 6.6 million hectares of which 83.7% are small holders. Tobacco planting has been intensified in several areas, the largest estates being in East Java where they cover a total area of 1,000 hectares. Tea is continuously being cultivated. The rejuvenation of coconut plantations proceeds in order to regain Indonesia's prominent pre-World War 11 position in the export of this crop. Rejuvenating rubber estates, the majority of which are located in Sumatra, is also being encouraged.
Development in the field of palm-oil has resulted in a steady increase in output, i.e. a round 15% annually. Indonesia's first cotton growing company was set up in 1978 in South Sulawesi to answer Indonesia's present need for around 350,000 bales annually for its growing textile industry.
The country is rich in natural resources. While 75% of the population is engaged in agriculture, oil and gas contribute 50% of total export earnings and 40% of the government revenues.
However, fluctuations in world prices of traditional export commodities have led to a change in recent years in the structure of the economy. Tourism is gaining a more important sector as a foreign exchange earner. For production and growth in the industry, the government has formulated new policies and improved facilities. Significant progress has been made in communications and transportation and since 1976, Indonesia has had its own communications satellite system which has enabled rapid expansion of telephone, television and broadcast facilities to all 27 provinces.
Air and sea ports are being extended to cater to the growing traffic on both domestic and international sectors, of passengers as well as freight.
Besides oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), forestry products, rubber, coffee, tea, tin, nickel, cooper, palm products and fish make important contributions to export earnings.
In recent years a number of steps have been taken to promote and stimulate non-oil exports which include handicrafts, textiles, precious metals, tea, tobacco, cement, fertilizers as well as manufactured goods.
To meet domestic needs, Indonesian plants assemble various types of automobiles, trucks, buses and motor-cycles under license from foreign manufacturers. Also produced are electronic equipment and electrical appliances.
The aviation industry has been growing and the state owned Indonesian Aircraft Industry (IPTN) produces two types of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. New production lines are coming on stream as well as its Universal Maintenance Center for the overhaul of aircraft engines. The aircraft are for domestic use as well as for export.
In the agricultural sector, Indonesia has become self sufficient in rice and does not need to import this staple food as it had for years.
Indonesia maintains a liberal foreign exchange system and has few restrictions on transfers abroad, and in general freely allows conversions to and from foreign currencies.
Bank Indonesia, the Central Bank, maintains the stability of the Indonesian Rupiah and reviews the exchange rate against other currencies on a daily basis. The Rupiah is linked to a basket of currencies of Indonesia's major trading partners. The unitary exchange rate allows for fluctuations. With the objective of a more equitable distribution of development gains, the government gives high priority to expansion in the less developed regions of the country and the creation of employment opportunities for the country's growing labor force. To attract foreign capital, certain incentives are provided and several sectors are open to foreign investment.
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Indonesia is rich in minerals although only less than half the country's geology has been explored. Oil and gas accounts for a major part of the nation's foreign exchange earnings. Exploration of oil dates back to 1871 in West Java but it was not till 1883 that the first successful oil well was drilled in North Sumatera and the first commercial oil field established. Since then there have been several oil discoveries, including those off-shore. |
Pertamina, the state-owned oil company has the sole right in oil and gas production which is carried out mainly by a production sharing agreement with foreign oil companies. Apart from oil and gas, exploitation of geothermal reserves are being accelerated, coal production is increasing.
Indonesia is the third largest producer of tin in the world. Copper is found throughout the archipelago. There are also large deposits of nickel oxide, bauxite, gold, lead, manganese, silver, titanium, uranium, zinc, etc.
The Department of Social Affairs supervises all activities in the field of social welfare. Houses for the aged, orphanages and schools for the handicapped are found all over the country, operated by either the government or by private institutions. Especially well-known is the Rehabilitation Center for the physically handicapped in Solo, Central Java.
For public health-care among the masses and especially in places far removed from modern hospitals, community health centers have been set up in even the remotest areas. Through such efforts, modern medicine is gradually taking over from more traditional methods, although the practice of witch-doctors and the use of herb for curing has not entirely disappeared, especially in isolated areas. Quite well-known are the herbal medicines of Java known as "jamu", now becoming increasingly popular. Another area which has of late received increased government attention is that of housing. More focus is aimed at providing low-cost housing for the public besides improving "kampong" neighborhoods, especially in the over-populated urban areas. However, in spite of all aforementioned efforts very much is still to be done.
The number of newspapers and magazines circulating throughout the country at present is approximately seven million a day. There are 97 dailies, 65 weeklies, 25 fortnightlies, 41 weekly magazines, two quarterly magazines, 25 monthly magazines and ten bulletins. There are three English-language dailies in Jakarta. Radio Republik Indonesia, the national radio network has stations throughout the archipelago, with the main station in Jakarta. There are five "Nusantara" coordinating stations, i.e.Medan, Yogyakarta, Banjarmasin, Ujung Pandang and Jayapura besides regional and district stations.
Apart from the state-controlled stations there are almost 400 privates stations, commercial and non- commercial. The orbiting communications satellite has made it possible to spread the television network to cover most areas of the country.
Entirely state-controlled, there is one channel run by the government and another one is privately run although nine provincial stations have some of their own limited programs. Production of national feature films totaled 340 titles in 1990. There is an annual quota for the importation of foreign movies and in so doing, this encourages the growth in the domestic production of feature as well as documentary films.
The shooting of films in Indonesia requires a permit from the Directorate of Film of the Department of Information in Jakarta. Private video cameras carried by tourists may be used freely, except where restrictions at certain areas apply.
Last updated, Sept 17, 1998
Transfered to hypertext by Liono Setiowijoso.
Portland, Oregon. August 1994.
