Country Guide • Indonesia
Indonesia is in south east Asia consisting of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited) and straddling the equator.Indonesia is the largest archipelago nation in the world. It is bound by Malaysia and the South China Sea to the north west, Papua New Guinea to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the north east and the Indian Ocean to the south west. The country consists of five main islands, Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan (60% of Borneo) and Irian Jaya.
| Official Name | Republic of Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Area | 1,906,230km² (736,000mile²) |
| Population | 212,000,000 |
| Continent | Asia |
| Population per mile² | 317 |
| Capital City | Jakarta |
| Religions | 87% Muslims, 10% Christians, 2% Hindus. The remainder are Buddhists, Taoists and Confucianists |
| Language | Official language is Bahasa Indonesian, but there are over 250 languages spoken throughout the country. Javanese is spoken by 40% of the population, Sundanese by 15%, Madurese and Malay by 5 to 10% each. English is also widely understood |
| Government | Unitary Multiparty Republic |
| Currency | Rupiah |
| GDP | $663 billion |
| GDP per Head | $3,100 |
| Natural Resources | Petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, coal, gold and silver |
| Land Use | Arable Land 10% |
| Agriculture | Rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs |
| Industry | Fish and Food Processing, Forestry, Mining, Oil and Gas Production and Refining, Textiles and Transport Equipment |
| Tourism | The British and Foreign Commonwealth office advise against all non-essential travel to Indonesia |
| Natural Hazards | Occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires |
| Health Risks | Dengue fever, giardiasis, hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, paratyphoid, rabies, typhoid |
| Climate | Indonesia has an equatorial climate with two seasons. The dry season is from June to September and the wet season is from November to March. Relative humidity averages 80% all year round and thunderstorms are frequent. Average annual temperature ranges in Jakarta are from 23°C to 33°C all year |
| Time | GMT/UTC hours - There are three time zones: Sumatra, Java and West and Central Kalimantan, GMT/UTC+7 hours; Bali, Nusa Tenggara, South and East Kalimantan and Sulawesi GMT/UTC+8 hours; and Irian Jaya and Maluku GMT/UTC+9 hours |
| National Days | Independence Day 17 August |
| Visas | All passports must be valid for a minimum period of six months upon arrival. Entry to Indonesia may be refused and airlines may not carry passengers holding passports with less than six months validity. You should ensure that you have obtained the correct type of visas for the activity planned. To ensure that you have the correct visa you should preferably apply to the Indonesian Embassy in advance and submit a letter outlining the reason for your visit with your application |
| British Embassy | Embassy Details |
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