Indonesia
Capital: Jakarta · Asia
Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation and the largest economy in Southeast Asia. An archipelago of over 17,000 islands straddling the equator, home to more than 270 million people, it has the world's largest Muslim population yet holds together through a philosophy of unity in diversity. Abundant natural resources, a vast domestic market and a fast-growing middle class make it an emerging-market star. Its capital is moving from crowded Jakarta to a new city, Nusantara. As the de facto leader of ASEAN and a G20 member, Indonesia carries ever more weight in regional and global affairs.
Indonesia in world rankings
- 4th largest by population in the world (of 219)
- 16th largest by area in the world (of 219)
- 16th largest economy (GDP) in the world (of 178)
- 111th highest GDP per capita in the world (of 178)
- Capital
- Jakarta
- Population
- 275,439,000
- Area
- 1,904,570 km²
- Currency
- rupiah
- GDP
- $1.45T
- GDP per capita
- $5,060
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 yrs
- Urban population
- 59%
- Calling code
- +62
- Internet users
- 73%
- Forest cover
- 48%
- Languages
- Indonesian
Indonesia compared with Taiwan
How Indonesia measures up against Taiwan — home to 23.3 million people across 36,193 km².
Countries bordering Indonesia
Latest news — Indonesia
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Indonesia's Flores Island Hit by 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake, At Least 47 Killed
Flores Island in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara Province Hit by 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake, at Least 47 Dead Recently, Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara Provinc
At Least 38 Killed, Scores Injured After Powerful Earthquake Hits Indonesian Island of Flores.
A recent powerful earthquake struck East Kalimantan Province in Indonesia, resulting in at least 38 fatalities and numerous injuries. Located in the provin
Fire Engulfs Ferry Off Coast of Indonesia's Bali Island in Devastating Incident.
A ferry caught fire off the coast of Bali Island, Indonesia, resulting in the death of one person and the rescue of 172 others. The incident has raised con
Philippines Hit by Devastating Floods, Leaving 16 Dead and Millions Affected.
At least 16 people died in the Philippines due to torrential rains that have been ravaging the country for nine days. According to a statement from the Phi
Indonesian Authorities Detain Malaysian Pilot Suspected of Carrying Narcotics Aboard Plane
Indonesian authorities announced the arrest of a Malaysia Airlines pilot suspected of carrying more than 26 kilograms of heroin and a package of ice at Soe
Country profile
Background
The archipelago was once largely under the control of Buddhist and Hindu rulers. By around the 7th century, a Buddhist kingdom arose on Sumatra and expanded into Java and the Malay Peninsula until it was conquered in the late 13th century by the Hindu Majapahit Empire from Java. Majapahit (1290-1527) united most of modern-day Indonesia and Malaysia. Traders introduced Islam around the 11th century, and the religion gradually expanded over the next 500 years. The Portuguese conquered parts of Indonesia in the 16th century, but the Dutch ousted them (except in East Timor) and began colonizing the islands in the early 17th century. It would be the early 20th century before Dutch colonial rule…
Location
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains
Natural resources
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
Ethnic groups
Javanese 40.1%, Sundanese 15.5%, Malay 3.7%, Batak 3.6%, Madurese 3%, Betawi 2.9%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Buginese 2.7%, Bantenese 2%, Banjarese 1.7%, Balinese 1.7%, Acehnese 1.4%, Dayak 1.4%, Sasak 1.3%, Chinese 1.2%, other 15% (2010 est.)
Religions
Muslim 87.4%, Protestant 7.5%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, Hindu 1.7%, other 0.8% (includes Buddhist and Confucian) (2022 est.)
Government
presidential republic
Economy
upper middle-income, largest and growing Southeast Asian economy; higher lending rates to moderate inflation; ongoing relocation of capital fueling infrastructure projects; major tourism sector prompting green economy goals
Indonesia · Travel guide
Understand
With 17,500 islands, 6,000 of them inhabited, Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. To imagine how vast Indonesia is, Indonesia stretches from west to east as wide as the United States or Western and Eastern Europe combined, yet more than two thirds of the area is sea water. With more than 260 million people, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world — after India, China and the United States — and by far the largest in Southeast Asia. The population is not spread equally among the five biggest islands, Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Papua; Java has half of the population. More than 50% of foreign tourists enter Indonesia through the airport of Bali, and most of the rest come in through Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for business or as a hub to other Indonesia tourist destinations or through Batam mostly by ferry from Singapore. These three arrival sites account for about 90% of foreign arrivals. Indonesia also has the largest Muslim population in the world, mostly Sunni. Indonesia is a member of the G20 and although it has potential to become a world leader, it is still hampered by corruption and shortcomings in education as well as an infrastructure hampered by difficult terrain and water. Indonesia's tropical forests are the second-largest in the world after Brazil, and are being logged and cut down to grow oil palm plantations at the same alarming speed. While the rich shop and party in the cities and resorts, the poor work hard and struggle to survive. After decades of economic mismanagement 50.6% of the population still earns less than US$4 per day according to figures compiled by the World Bank in 2012. In 2015, the poverty rate was 5.5% and declining, due to Indonesia's stable growth at 4-6% annually since 2
Getting there
Indonesia offers a multitude of visas via its official e-Visa website. The easiest to get is the 30-day electronic visa on arrival / B1 tourist visa, which is approved within minutes after supplying passport details, the intended address of stay in Indonesia, and a PDF copy of outbound transportation (e.g. a flight which can be cancelled later if plans change). The visa application wizard makes the process pretty straightforward. Just make sure to check "Credit/debit card" for the payment type. The fee for the 30-day visa is Rp500,000, and the visa can be extended for another 30 days. There is also a 60-day tourist visa (C1; also known as 211A), which can be issued within 5 business days for a cost of Rp1,500,000, and can be extended twice, for a total of 180 days. Alternatively, a visa can be obtained on arrival, but the process will take longer due to queues at the airport. A minimum of 6 months' validity must be available in your passport and it must contain at least one or more blank pages. This same rule applies to any visa extension that may be sought whilst in the country. In addition to the visa, all travelers must complete the All Indonesia arrival card before arrival. The website opens 72 hours before your flight, and replaces previous customs, immigration and health form. With the visa obtained online, and their passport in hand, tourists can pass through certain entry points in minutes (e.g. the Denpasar airport in Bali) using auto-gates, without needing to talk to any immigration officer. The days a visa holder is within Indonesia are counted with the day of entry being day 1, not day 0. This means that by 00:00 on the night of the day of arrival you have been in Indonesia for one day. If you enter at 23:59, then the next minute would have been your second
Getting around
By plane Indonesia's vast area and lack of fixed links between islands mean that the only rapid means of long-distance travel within Indonesia is by air. State-owned carrier Garuda Indonesia is a full-service airline and thus usually comes out as the most expensive, but offers seamless connection between its extensive domestic networks and international flights, and has the best safety record of the lot. Lion Air is a low cost carrier (LCC) that has plenty of flights to a specific destination, though major delays occur sporadically. Wings Air is a subsidiary of Lion Air is also a LCC. Other low-cost competitors include Citilink, Garuda Indonesia's subsidiary, and Indonesia AirAsia, a subsidiary of Malaysia's AirAsia. Sriwijaya Air is one of the provides a middle-of-the-road service between full fare and low cost carrier, with more spacious leg room compared to low cost carriers, and also has modest on board meals. Routes for a few less popular destinations are usually served by Air Fast, Susi Air, Trigana, and Wings Air (a Lion Air subsidiary), operates mostly propeller aircraft to smaller airports. If you really get off the beaten track, e.g
Cities & destinations in Indonesia 213
World Heritage in Indonesia 6
Museums in Indonesia 6
National parks in Indonesia 6
Airports in Indonesia 60
Tallest buildings in Indonesia 4
Caves in Indonesia 11
Nature reserves in Indonesia 12
Ports in Indonesia 12
Railway stations in Indonesia 12
Hospitals in Indonesia 12
Hotels in Indonesia 12
Shopping malls in Indonesia 12
Aquariums in Indonesia 11
Churches in Indonesia 12
Gardens in Indonesia 9
City parks in Indonesia 12
Notable schools in Indonesia 4
Music venues in Indonesia 3
Arenas in Indonesia 2
Town halls in Indonesia 2
Racecourses in Indonesia 8
Windmills in Indonesia 1
Cemeteries in Indonesia 12
Observatories in Indonesia 3
Prisons in Indonesia 4
Mines in Indonesia 12
Amusement parks in Indonesia 9
Zoos in Indonesia 12
Canals in Indonesia 2
Palaces in Indonesia 12
Botanical gardens in Indonesia 6
Squares & plazas in Indonesia 3
Monuments & memorials in Indonesia 12
Libraries in Indonesia 9
Forts & fortresses in Indonesia 12
Tunnels in Indonesia 6
Power stations in Indonesia 11
Glaciers in Indonesia 3
Archaeological sites in Indonesia 12
Monasteries in Indonesia 5
Hindu temples in Indonesia 12
Mosques in Indonesia 12
Cathedrals in Indonesia 12
Explore Indonesia by category
Country fields from Wikidata (CC0); flag via Wikimedia Commons; profile from the CIA World Factbook (public domain); travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA); GDP, GDP per capita and life expectancy from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).