SOME SERIOUS FACTS ABOUT INDONESIA:
| Location: | 17,508 islands (6000 inhabited) nestling in the World’s largest archipelago around Equator, between the Asian and Australian continents and between the Indian and Pacific Ocean. Indonesia is located on the “Ring of Fire” with around 400 volcanoes, of which about 100 are “active” |
| Borders: | Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Timor Leste |
| Land mass: | About 2 million sq. km |
| Coastline: | About 54,000 km |
| East-West: | About 5,100 km |
| Highest point: | Puncak Jaya in Irian Jaya – 4,884 m |
| Time zones: | 3 (GMT + 7,8,9) |
| Major islands: | Irian Jaya, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Sulawesi |
| Climate: | Tropical, hot and dry from April to October, hot and humid November to March |
| Flora & fauna: | Thousands of species of plants and animals – new still being found |
| Population: | About 245 million – almost 60% live on Java |
| Ethnic groups: | Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, Minangkabau, Betawi, Bugis, Chinese |
| Diversity: | over 300 ethnic and language groups |
| Religions: | Islam (86%), Protestant, Roman Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist |
| Language: | Bahasa Indonesia |
| Country name: | Republic of Indonesia |
| Motto: | Bhinneka Tunggal Ika – Unity in Diversity |
| Admin: | 33 provinces |
| Capital: | Jakarta, Java |
| Independence: | 17th August, 1945 |
| GDP/capita: | About USD 4,500 |
| Resources: | Oil and gas, tin, nickel, copper, coal, gold, silver, timber, spices |
| Currency: | Indonesian Rupiah |
| Legal system: | Based on Roman-Dutch law |
SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT INDONESIA:
- Indonesia has on average 3 noticeable earthquakes a day
- Indonesia has three of the 10 largest islands in the World
- Java is the home for the Ape man, Homo Erectus, with a museum in Sangiran.
- Home to 35 cm miniature deer, fish that climb trees to catch insects, and spiders that catch small birds
- Fourth largest population in the World and the largest muslim country
- Marco Polo visited Indonesia and reported home about the wealth of natural resources and the abundance of gold in Bali
- More than 6000 plant species used in the local herbal concoctions of “Jamu”, used to treat almost any conceivable illness
- Batik, the locally produced, hand painted textiles have become World Heritage, approved by U.N. Indonesia celebrates World Batik Day on 2nd October, a day where almost everybody in the country wear the beautiful shirts, skirts, dresses
- Indonesia is home to the Komodo, the World’s largest lizard, which can be seen in the wild in the islands between Sumbawa and Flores
- The Western end of Irian Jaya is the World’s epicentre of marine bio-diversity
- Indonesia is the World’s largest producer of palm oil
