Indonesia

Lore & Background

The Indonesian archipelago has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with early human presence evidenced by fossils of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens, and megalithic sites. It became connected to regional and international maritime trade networks by the first millennium BCE. Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms developed by early centuries CE, followed by the spread of Islam and the growth of Islamic states from the late medieval period. European powers later competed to monopolise trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Dutch commercial and colonial control expanded from the 17th century and was consolidated over most of the archipelago during the 19th and early 20th centuries, before Indonesia proclaimed its independence in the aftermath of World War II.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist clings to the slopes of Mount Bromo as the first light hits the caldera. A local guide adjusts his headscarf, his boots crunching on the volcanic sand, while in the distance, the silhouette of a temple spire rises from the jungle canopy. The air smells of sulfur and clove, a sensory reminder that this land has been a meeting point for the world's merchants and travelers for millennia.

Reader's Guide

Since independence, Indonesia has experienced separatist conflicts, corruption, political upheaval and natural disasters, alongside democratisation and rapid economic growth. The country today is a presidential republic with an elected legislature and consists of 38 provinces, some of which enjoy greater autonomy than others. Home to over 280 million people, Indonesia ranks fourth in the world by population and has the largest Muslim population of any country. More than half of Indonesians live on Java, the most heavily populated island in the world, while the capital Jakarta is the world's most populous city. Indonesia has hundreds of ethnic groups and more than 700 languages, alongside diverse regional cultures. This diversity is reflected in the national motto, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. Indonesian, a standardised variety of Malay, is the official and national language as well as the nation's lingua franca. Indonesia has the largest economy in Southeast Asia, with services and industry accounting for most output and economic activity concentrated on Java. Sea and air transport are the primary means of connecting the country's many islands. Indonesia is a middle power active in regional and global affairs and is a member of the United Nations, G20, the Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Did You Know?

• The name Indonesia combines 'India' and the Greek word 'nesos', meaning 'Indian islands'.
• The island of Java has yielded numerous hominin fossils of Homo erectus.
• Srivijaya, founded in southeastern Sumatra in the late 7th century CE, was a maritime trading polity and a centre of Buddhist learning.
• The earliest firm evidence of an Islamic kingdom in the archipelago comes from northern Sumatra, with Muslim rule established at Perlak and Samudra by the end of the 13th century.