Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia is located in the Malay Archipelago, the world's largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world and the fourth most populous overall. It has had free elections since the 1998 Revolution which led to the resignation of President Suharto, who came to power in 1965.

Demographics

Indonesia's population can be roughly divided into two groups. The west of the country is Asian and the people are mostly Malay, while the east is more Pacific and people on New Guinea are Papuan, with roots in the islands of Melanesia. There are, however, many more subdivisions, which is logical given the fact that Indonesia spans an area the size of Europe or the USA and that it consists of many islands that to a large degree had their own separate development. Many Indonesians identify with a more specific ethnic group that is often linked to language and regional origins; examples of these are Javanese, Sundanese, or Batak. But there are also quite different groups within many islands, such as Borneo, with its Dayak and Punan, who have different lifestyles and skintones.

Related Topics:
Malay - Melanesia - Javanese - Sundanese - Batak - Borneo - Dayak - Punan

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Most Indonesians speak a local language (bahasa daerah) as their first tongue, but the official national language, Indonesian (locally called Bahasa Indonesia or simply Bahasa, meaning language) is almost universally taught in schools and is spoken by nearly every Indonesian. Originally a lingua franca for most of the region, including present-day Malaysia (and thus closely related to Malay), it was accepted by the Dutch as the de facto language for the colony and declared the official language after independence.

Related Topics:
Indonesian - Lingua franca - Malaysia - Malay

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Islam is Indonesia's main religion, with almost 88% of all Indonesians adhering to it according to the 2000 religious census. Although Islam was once only practiced in Java and parts of Sumatra, the transmigration program has exported Muslims to Bali, Borneo, the Celebes, the Moluccas, and Papua, making Indonesia the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world. The remainder of the population is Christian (8%) of which 6% is Protestant and 2% is Catholic, Hindu (3%) and Buddhist (1%) with small communities of Jews and other Christian denominations. Importantly, all Indonesians are required to choose an approved religion. As a result, many Indonesian "Muslims," especially, are actually nonpracticing Muslims of the "I was raised Muslim" variety, animists (a fact that the government strenuously denies), or entirely secular.

Related Topics:
Indonesia's main religion - Transmigration program - Christian - Hindu - Buddhist

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