World > Asia > Indonesia

Introduction:

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago; it achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty, implementing IMF-mandated reforms of the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing separatist pressures in Aceh and Papua.

Official name: Republic of Indonesia Capital: Jakarta Government type: republic Population: 234,893,453 (July 2003 est.) Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese Official Currency: Indonesian rupiah (IDR) Currency code: IDR Area: total: 1,919,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Map of Indonesia