The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. Indonesia's first free parliamentary election after decades of repressive rule took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for past human rights violations, addressing climate change, and controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in Aceh in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist movement in Papua.
The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. Indonesia's first free parliamentary election after decades of repressive rule took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for past human rights violations, addressing climate change, and controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in Aceh in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist movement in Papua.
| Geography |
| Archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean |
| Location: | Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean |
| Geographic coordinates: | 5 00 S, 120 00 E |
| Area: | total: 1,904,569 sq km land: 1,811,569 sq km water: 93,000 sq km
Size comparison: slightly less than three times the size of Texas |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 2,830 km border countries: Timor-Leste 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km |
| Coastline: | 54,716 km |
| Maritime claims: | measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands |
| Terrain: | mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver |
| Land use: | arable land: 11.03% permanent crops: 7.04% other: 81.93% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 45,000 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires |
| Current Environment Issues: | deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| People |
| Population: | 240,271,522 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 28.1% (male 34,337,341/female 33,162,207) 15-64 years: 66% (male 79,549,569/female 78,918,321) 65 years and over: 6% (male 6,335,208/female 7,968,876) (2009 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 27.6 years male: 27.1 years female: 28.1 years (2009 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.136% (2009 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 18.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 29.97 deaths/1,000 live births male: 34.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.76 years male: 68.26 years female: 73.38 years (2009 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.31 children born/woman (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 270,000 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 8,700 (2007 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian |
| Ethnic groups: | Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9% (2000 census) |
| Religions: | Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census) |
| Languages: | Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is Javanese) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.4% male: 94% female: 86.8% (2004 est.) |
| Government |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Jakarta geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones |
| Administrative divisions: | 30 provinces (provinsi-provinsi, singular - provinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Papua Barat, Riau, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta* note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, the 465 regencies and municipalities have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services |
| Independence: | 17 August 1945 (declared); 27 December 1949 (by the Netherlands) note: in August 2005, the Netherlands announced it recognized de facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945 |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 17 August (1945) |
| Constitution: | August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of amendments concluded in 2002 |
| Legal system: | based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President BOEDIONO (since 20 October 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President BOEDIONO (since 20 October 2009) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president are elected for five-year terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry; last held on 8 July 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president; percent of vote - Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO 60.8%, MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri 26.8%, Jusuf KALLA 12.4% |
| Legislative branch: | People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) is the upper house, consists of members of DPR and DPD, has role in inaugurating and impeaching the president and in amending the constitution, does not formulate national policy; House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (560 seats, members elected to serve five-year terms), formulates and passes legislation at the national level; House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues affecting regions elections: last held 9 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - PD 20.9%, GOLKAR 14.5%, PDI-P 14.0%, PKS 7.9%, PAN 6.0%, PPP 5.3%, PKB 4.9%, GERINDRA 4.5%, HANURA 3.8%, others 18.2%; seats by party - PD 148, GOLKAR 107, PDI-P 94, PKS 57, PAN 46, PPP 37, PKB 28, GERINDRA 26, HANURA 17 note: 29 other parties received less than 2.5% of the vote so did not obtain any seats; because of election rules, the number of seats won does not always follow the percentage of votes received by parties |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung is the final court of appeal but does not have the power of judicial review (justices are appointed by the president from a list of candidates selected by the legislature); in March 2004 the Supreme Court assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi (invested by the president on 16 August 2003) has the power of judicial review, jurisdiction over the results of a general election, and reviews actions to dismiss a president from office; Labor Court under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning in January 2006; the Anti-Corruption Court has jurisdiction over corruption cases brought by the independent Corruption Eradication Commission |
| Political parties and leaders: | Democrat Party or PD [Hadi UTOMO]; Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Aburizal BAKRIE]; Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [SUHARDI]; Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; People's Conscience Party or HANURA [WIRANTO]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Luthfi Hasan SHAQ]; United Development Party or PPP [Suryadharma ALI] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Commission for the "Disappeared" and Victims of Violence or KontraS; Indonesia Corruption Watch or ICW; Indonesian Forum for the Environment or WALHI; Islamic Defenders Front or FPI; People's Democracy Fortress or Bendera |
| International organization participation: | ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CICA (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron R. HUME embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922 consulate(s) general: Surabaya |
| Economy |
| Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has weathered the global financial crisis relatively smoothly because of its heavy reliance on domestic consumption as the driver of economic growth. Although the economy slowed significantly from the 6%-plus growth rate recorded in 2007 and 2008, expanding at 4% in the first half of 2009, Indonesia outperformed its regional neighbors and joined China and India as the only G20 members posting growth during the crisis. The government used fiscal stimulus measures and monetary policy to counter the effects of the crisis and offered cash transfers to poor families; in addition, campaign spending in advance of legislative and presidential elections in April and July helped buoy consumption. The government made economic advances under the first administration of President YUDHOYONO, introducing significant reforms in the financial sector, including tax and customs reforms, the use of Treasury bills, and capital market development and supervision. Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio in recent years has declined steadily because of increasingly robust GDP growth and sound fiscal stewardship. Indonesia still struggles with poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and unequal resource distribution among regions. YUDHOYONO's reelection, with respected economist BOEDIONO as his vice president, suggests broad continuity of economic policy, although the start of their term has been marred by corruption scandals. The government in 2010 faces the ongoing challenge of improving Indonesia's insufficient infrastructure to remove impediments to economic growth, while addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation needs, particularly with regard to conserving Indonesia's forests and peatlands. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $968.5 billion (2009 est.) $927.7 billion (2008 est.) $874.4 billion (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $514.9 billion (2009 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 4.4% (2009 est.) 6.1% (2008 est.) 6.3% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,000 (2009 est.) $3,900 (2008 est.) $3,700 (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 14.4% industry: 47.1% services: 38.5% (2009 est.) |
| Labor force: | 113.3 million (2009 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 42.1% industry: 18.6% services: 39.3% (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 7.7% (2009 est.) 8.4% (2008 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 17.8% (2006) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 32.3% (2005) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 39.4 (2005) 37 (2001) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2009 est.) 9.9% (2008 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 27.1% of GDP (2009 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $83.77 billion expenditures: $97.24 billion (2009 est.) |
| Public debt: | 29.8% of GDP (2009 est.) 29.3% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs |
| Industries: | petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 2% (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 134.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 119.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2008 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 1.051 million bbl/day (2008 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 1.564 million bbl/day (2008 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 85,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 671,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 3.99 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 70 billion cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 36.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 33.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 3.001 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $10.7 billion (2009 est.) $604 million (2008 est.) |
| Exports: | $115.6 billion (2009 est.) $139.3 billion (2008 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber |
| Exports - partners: | Japan 20.2%, US 9.5%, Singapore 9.4%, China 8.5%, South Korea 6.7%, India 5.2%, Malaysia 4.7% (2008) |
| Imports: | $86.6 billion (2009 est.) $116 billion (2008 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners: | Singapore 16.9%, China 11.8%, Japan 11.7%, Malaysia 6.9%, US 6.1%, South Korea 5.4%, Thailand 4.9% (2008) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $62.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $51.64 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $150.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $155.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $73.02 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $67.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $10.51 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $6.656 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $98.76 billion (31 December 2008) $211.7 billion (31 December 2007) $138.9 billion (31 December 2006) |
| Exchange rates: | Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar - 10,399.2 (2009), 9,698.9 (2008), 9,143 (2007), 9,159.3 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005 |
| Communications |
| Telephones in use: | 30.378 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 10 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 140.578 million (2008) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system; coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile cellular subscribership growing rapidly international: country code - 62; landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks that provide links throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 54 local TV stations (11 national TV networks; each with its group of local transmitters) (2006) |
| Internet country code: | .id |
| Internet hosts: | 865,309 (2009) |
| Internet users: | 30 million (2008) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: | 683 (2009) country comparison to the world: 10 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 164 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 35 (2009) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 519 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 489 (2009) |
| Heliports: | 36 (2009) |
| Pipelines: | condensate 735 km; condensate/gas 73 km; gas 5,797 km; oil 5,721 km; oil/gas/water 12 km; refined products 1,370 km; water 44 km (2008) |
| Railways: | total: 8,529 km narrow gauge: 8,529 km 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified) (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 391,009 km paved: 216,714 km unpaved: 174,295 km (2005) |
| Waterways: | 21,579 km (2008) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 971 by type: bulk carrier 54, cargo 514, chemical tanker 35, container 80, liquefied gas 7, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 68, petroleum tanker 143, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 43 (China 2, France 1, Germany 1, Japan 6, Norway 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 27, Taiwan 2, UAE 2) registered in other countries: 114 (Bahamas 2, Cambodia 2, China 1, Hong Kong 7, Liberia 2, Mongolia 1, Panama 31, Singapore 66, unknown 2) (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Kotabaru, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok |
| Military |
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| Military branches: | Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL); includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Kommando Pertahanan Udara Nasional (Kohanudnas)) (2009) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2008) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 63,800,825 females age 16-49: 61,729,717 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 52,997,922 females age 16-49: 52,503,046 (2009 est.) |
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