Welcome To The Land Of Colorful Culture And Contrasts

Originally known as the Dutch East Indies, the Asian nation of Indonesia comprises over thirteen thousand small and large islands in the western Pacific. Indonesia has a population of over two hundred million. An early Pacific trade center, modern Indonesia is a mosaic of different ethnic, religious, and international influences.

With a warm equatorial climate all year, temperatures vary little with the high humidity. The mountainous areas in western Sumatra, west Java, and Papua get frequent rains. Melati is the Indonesian national flower, plus the provinces have their own designated flowers. The fauna and flora diversity within Indonesia is second only to Brazil, with a blend of species from north and south Asia plus Australia mixed with local varieties.

Indonesia is divided into 33 provinces, which are in turn divided further into regencies and cities. Five provinces have special status, and in recent years the government has allowed greater provincial freedom. The largest economy in south Asia, Indonesia has a mixed private-government economy that depends greatly on exports. International economic problems rock the local economy frequently.

The top tourist attraction is Bali, an island just east of Java where Hindu influence predominates. Most of Borneo is part of Indonesia, and east of it is Sulawesi island. Over 300 ethnic groups speaking over 700 languages and dialects inhabit Indonesia. The most crowded island in the world is Java, home to the capital and largest city of Jakarta. Sumatra is the westernmost island, where Lake Toba covers over a thousand square miles.

The western half of New Guinea Island is also part of Indonesia where at 16 thousand feet, Puncak Jaya is the highest peak in the nation. Indonesia has over 150 volcanoes, and a long history of eruptions and earthquakes. Many ferries provide transportation between islands, as well as several airlines.