Indonesia, Indonesia, Republic of, island republic and largest nation of South East Asia, constituting most of the Malay Archipelago and including all of the former Netherlands Indies. Indonesia comprises 13,677 islands straddling the equator, 6,000 of which are inhabited. From the island of Sumatra in the west to that of New Guinea in the east, Indonesia stretches across some 5,150 km (3,200 mi) of ocean, or almost one eighth of the Earth’s circumference; Indonesia’s north-south spread is about 1,931 km (1,200 mi). The republic shares the island of Borneo with Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam; Indonesian Borneo, equivalent to about 75 per cent of the island, is called Kalimantan. The western half of New Guinea is the Indonesian province of Papua (formerly West Irian and Irian Jaya); the eastern half is part of Papua New Guinea. Kalimantan and Papua, together with Sumatra (also called Irian Sumatera), Java (Jawa), and Celebes (Sulawesi) are the largest islands of Indonesia and, together with the insular provinces of Kalimantan and Jaya, account for about 95 per cent of its land area. The smaller islands, including Madura, Timor, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, and Bali predominantly form part of island groups. The Moluccas (Maluku) and the Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusatenggara) are the largest island groups. In 2003, satellite data suggested that Indonesia had an additional 500 islands than previously thought. The marine frontiers of Indonesia include the South China Sea, the Celebes Sea, and the Pacific Ocean to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the south and west. Indonesia has a land area of 1,904,443 sq km (735,310 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Jakarta.

POPULATION

Indonesia, Republic of, island republic and largest nation of South East Asia, constituting most of the Malay Archipelago and including all of the former Netherlands Indies. Indonesia comprises 13,677 islands straddling the equator, 6,000 of which are inhabited. From the island of Sumatra in the west to that of New Guinea in the east, Indonesia stretches across some 5,150 km (3,200 mi) of ocean, or almost one eighth of the Earth’s circumference; Indonesia’s north-south spread is about 1,931 km (1,200 mi). The republic shares the island of Borneo with Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam; Indonesian Borneo, equivalent to about 75 per cent of the island, is called Kalimantan. The western half of New Guinea is the Indonesian province of Papua (formerly West Irian and Irian Jaya); the eastern half is part of Papua New Guinea. Kalimantan and Papua, together with Sumatra (also called Irian Sumatera), Java (Jawa), and Celebes (Sulawesi) are the largest islands of Indonesia and, together with the insular provinces of Kalimantan and Jaya, account for about 95 per cent of its land area. The smaller islands, including Madura, Timor, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, and Bali predominantly form part of island groups. The Moluccas (Maluku) and the Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusatenggara) are the largest island groups. In 2003, satellite data suggested that Indonesia had an additional 500 islands than previously thought. The marine frontiers of Indonesia include the South China Sea, the Celebes Sea, and the Pacific Ocean to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the south and west. Indonesia has a land area of 1,904,443 sq km (735,310 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Jakarta.

LANGUAGE

Indonesia’s position as a point of juncture between Asia and Australasia and as a focus of diversity is reflected in its human population as well as its fauna. The islands contain people of more than 330 ethnic groups, speaking 250 distinct languages; adherents of all the world’s major religions are found, as well as a variety of indigenous ones. However, some broad categories can be distinguished. The majority of the population is related to the peoples of East Asia, with considerable mixing over the centuries with people of Arab, Indian, and European stock. This population is concentrated in the islands west of, and including, Celebes and Flores. The population of the islands to the east of this line is predominantly of Melanesian origin.

RELIGION

Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution. Indonesia has been influenced by most of the world’s major religions, which were first introduced in coastal areas and spread inland. Islam in various forms is the faith of about 87 per cent of the population, and Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Christianity is the largest of the minority religions with about 17 million adherents, or almost 9 per cent of the population; about two thirds of the population is Protestant. The main centres of Christianity are the island of Flores and Minahasa in northern Celebes, where more than 80 per cent of the population are Christian; in the central and southern Moluccas, and in the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra, about 50 per cent of the population are Christian. Buddhism is practised by about 1 per cent of the population, most of whom are of Chinese background. Hinduism, once the predominant religion, is now practised by only about 2 per cent of the population, principally in Bali; however, Hindu influences remain strong within wider Indonesian culture and society. Indigenous religions are still practised in more remote areas.