Indonesia is a Southeast Asian archipelagic nation located off the coast of mainland Asia. This beautiful country consists of over 17,500 islands, of which more than 7,000 are uninhabited. It has an area of 1,916,907 sq km, and its estimated population for 2023 is 278,946,000. The capital city of Indonesia is Jakarta, located on the island of Java.
Indonesia is home to numerous ethnic groups, divided into three main categories in the western islands: inland wet-rice cultivators, coastal trading, farming, and fishing peoples, and inland societies of shifting cultivators. In the east, the distinction is between coastal and interior peoples. The official language is Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), but there are hundreds of other languages spoken by different ethnic groups. The main religions are Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and traditional beliefs. The currency is the rupiah.
Indonesia's archipelago stretches 3,200 miles from west to east, and its major islands include Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Kalimantan (three-fourths of Borneo), Celebes (Sulawesi), the Moluccas, and the western portions of Timor and New Guinea. The islands are characterized by rugged volcanic mountains and tropical rainforests, and are prone to frequent earthquakes due to their geologically unstable nature.
Roughly one-fifth of Indonesia's land is arable, with rice being the staple crop. Its main exports are petroleum, natural gas, timber products, garments, and rubber. The form of government is a multiparty republic with two legislative houses; the head of state and government is the President.
Overall, Indonesia is a diverse and fascinating country that is worth exploring.