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. After decades of repressive rule, free and fair legislative elections took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's third most populous 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, reforming the criminal justice system, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, addressing climate change, and controlling infectious diseases, particularly those of global and regional importance. 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 low intensity armed resistance by the separatist Free Papua Movement.

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean

5 00 S, 120 00 E

Southeast Asia

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

54,716 km

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

67,220 sq km (2003)

2,838 cu km (1999)

occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires

deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

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)

Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (of which the most widely spoken is Javanese)

Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)

248,645,008 (July 2012 est.)

1.03% (2012 est.)

17.7 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

-1.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

JAKARTA (capital) 9.121 million; Surabaya 2.509 million; Bandung 2.412 million; Medan 2.131 million; Semarang 1.296 million (2009)

220 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

2.23 children born/woman (2012 est.)

5.5% of GDP (2009)

0.288 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2002)

urban: 67% of population

rural: 36% of population

total: 52% of population

urban: 33% of population

rural: 64% of population

total: 48% of population

0.2% (2009 est.)

310,000 (2009 est.)

8,300 (2009 est.)

2.4% (2001)

19.6% (2007)

2.8% of GDP (2008)

republic

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 (West Java), Jawa Tengah (Central Java), Jawa Timur (East Java), Kalimantan Barat (West Kalimantan), Kalimantan Selatan (South Kalimantan), Kalimantan Tengah (Central Kalimantan), Kalimantan Timur (East Kalimantan), Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (Bangka Belitung Islands), Kepulauan Riau (Riau Islands), Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara (North Maluku), Nusa Tenggara Barat (West Nusa Tenggara), Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara), Papua, Papua Barat (West Papua), Riau, Sulawesi Barat (West Sulawesi), Sulawesi Selatan (South Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tengah (Central Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tenggara (Southeast Sulawesi), Sulawesi Utara (North Sulawesi), Sumatera Barat (West Sumatra), Sumatera Selatan (South Sumatra), Sumatera Utara (North Sumatra), Yogyakarta*

17 August 1945 (declared); 27 December 1949 (recognized by the Netherlands); note - in August 2005 the Netherlands announced that it had recognized de facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945

Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of amendments concluded in 2002

civil law system based on the Roman-Dutch model and influenced by customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) is the upper house; it consists of members of the DPR and DPD and has role in inaugurating and impeaching the president and in amending the constitution but 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 (132 members, four from each of Indonesia's 30 provinces, two special regions, and one special capital city district)

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; anti-corruption courts have jurisdiction over corruption cases brought by the independent Corruption Eradication Commission

Democrat Party or PD [Anas URBANINGRUM]; 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 [Hatta RAJASA]; People's Conscience Party or HANURA [WIRANTO]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Luthfi Hasan ISHAQ]; United Development Party or PPP [Suryadharma ALI]

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

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-11, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OECD (Enhanced Engagement, OIC, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; the colors derive from the banner of the Majapahit Empire of the 13th-15th centuries; red symbolizes courage, white represents purity

garuda (mythical bird)

Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, grew an estimated 6.1% and 6.4% in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The government made economic advances under the first administration of President YUDHOYONO (2004-09), introducing significant reforms in the financial sector, including tax and customs reforms, the use of Treasury bills, and capital market development and supervision. During the global financial crisis, Indonesia outperformed its regional neighbors and joined China and India as the only G20 members posting growth in 2009. The government has promoted fiscally conservative policies, resulting in a debt-to-GDP ratio of less than 25%, a fiscal deficit below 3%, and historically low rates of inflation. Fitch and Moody's upgraded Indonesia's credit rating to investment grade in December 2011. Indonesia still struggles with poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and unequal resource distribution among regions. The government in 2013 faces the ongoing challenge of improving Indonesia's insufficient infrastructure to remove impediments to economic growth, labor unrest over wages, and reducing its fuel subsidy program in the face of high oil prices.

$1.212 trillion (2012 est.)

$1.143 trillion (2011 est.)

$1.074 trillion (2010 est.)

$894.9 billion (2012 est.)

6% (2012 est.)

6.5% (2011 est.)

6.2% (2010 est.)

$5,000 (2012 est.)

$4,700 (2011 est.)

$4,500 (2010 est.)

119.5 million (2012 est.)

6.7% (2012 est.)

6.6% (2011 est.)

12.5% (2011 est.)

36.8 (2009)

39.4 (2005)

33.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

15.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

-2.4% of GDP (2012 est.)

24.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

24.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

4.5% (2012 est.)

5.4% (2011 est.)

6.37% (31 December 2010)

6.46% (31 December 2009)

11.9% (31 December 2012 est.)

12.4% (31 December 2011 est.)

$90.24 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$79.73 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$355.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$317.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$323 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$307.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$390.1 billion (31 December 2011)

$360.4 billion (31 December 2010)

$178.2 billion (31 December 2009)

rice, cassava (manioc), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

4.1% (2011 est.)

-$20.73 billion (2012 est.)

$2.069 billion (2011 est.)

$199.1 billion (2012 est.)

$201.5 billion (2011 est.)

oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Japan 16.6%, China 11.3%, Singapore 9.1%, US 8.1%, South Korea 8.1%, India 6.6%, Malaysia 5.4% (2011)

$185 billion (2012 est.)

$166.1 billion (2011 est.)

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

China 14.8%, Singapore 14.6%, Japan 11%, South Korea 7.3%, US 6.1%, Thailand 5.9%, Malaysia 5.9% (2011)

$104.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$110.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$187.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$190.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$125.8 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$104.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$48.57 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$40.57 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar -

9,348.3 (2012 est.)

8,770.43 (2011 est.)

9,090.4 (2010 est.)

10,389.9 (2009)

9,698.9 (2008)

calendar year

156 billion kWh (2010 est.)

131.5 billion kWh (2009 est.)

0 kWh (2010 est.)

0 kWh (2010 est.)

32.8 million kW (2009 est.)

81.5% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

14.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

3.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

982,900 bbl/day (2011 est.)

293,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

324,900 bbl/day (2009 est.)

4 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)

935,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

1.322 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

142,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

407,700 bbl/day (2008 est.)

82.8 billion cu m (2010 est.)

41.35 billion cu m (2010 est.)

41.25 billion cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

3.994 trillion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

389.4 million Mt (2010 est.)

38.618 million (2011)

249.8 million (2011)

mixture of about a dozen national TV networks - 2 public broadcasters, the remainder private broadcasters - each with multiple transmitters; more than 100 local TV stations; widespread use of satellite and cable TV systems; public radio broadcaster operates 6 national networks as well as regional and local stations; overall, more than 700 radio stations with more than 650 privately-operated (2008)

.id

1.344 million (2012)

20 million (2009)

676 (2012)

76 (2012)

condensate 812 km; condensate/gas 73 km; gas 7,165 km; oil 5,984 km; oil/gas/water 12 km; refined products 617 km; water 44 km (2010)

21,579 km (2011)

Banjarmasin, Belawan, Kotabaru, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; 2010 saw the highest levels of armed robbery against ships since 2007; 40 commercial vessels were attacked, boarded, or hijacked both at anchor or while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL); includes marines (Korps Marinir, KorMar), naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Kommando Pertahanan Udara Nasional (Kohanudnas)) (2011)

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)

3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of establishing stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of its neighbors; three stretches of land borders with Timor-Leste have yet to be delimited, two of which are in the Oecussi exclave area, and no maritime or Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundaries have been established between the countries; many refugees from Timor-Leste who left in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; all borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches ; land and maritime negotiations with Malaysia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalizing their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; maritime delimitation talks continue with Palau; EEZ negotiations with Vietnam are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary

illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer of methamphetamine and ecstasy