Indonesia

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
  - Islands of the Sunda Shelf
  - Islands of the Sahul Shelf
  - Celebes and the Moluccas
  - Volcanoes
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
  - Western islands
  - Eastern islands
  - Chinese and other Indonesian peoples
- Languages
- Religions
- Settlement patterns
  - Rural settlement
  - Urban settlement
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour
- Transportation and telecommunications
  - Roads and railways
  - Water and air transport
  - Telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- The arts
  - Literature
  - Theatre and dance
  - Music
  - Visual arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- The archipelago: its prehistory and early historical records
- Indonesian “Hinduism”
  - The arrival of Hindu religious conceptions
  - Indonesian religious conceptions
- The Malay kingdom of Srivijaya-Palembang
  - Buddhism in Palembang
  - The maritime influence
- Central Java from c. 700 to c. 1000
- Eastern Java and the archipelago from c. 1000 to c. 1300
  - Government and politics
  - The empire of Kertanagara
- The Majapahit era
- Islamic influence in Indonesia
  - Muslim kingdoms of northern Sumatra
  - Muslims in Java
- Expansion of European influence
  - Growth and impact of the Dutch East India Company
  - The French and the British in Java, 1806–15
- Dutch rule from 1815 to c. 1920
  - The Culture System
  - Dutch territorial expansion
  - The Ethical Policy
- Toward independence
  - The rise of nationalism
  - Japanese occupation
  - The revolution
- Independent Indonesia to 1965
  - The years of constitutional democracy
  - Introduction of Guided Democracy
  - Sukarno’s policies
- Indonesia from the coup to the end of the New Order
  - The coup
  - Suharto’s New Order
    - Economic development
    - Political developments
    - Changes in Indonesian society
    - International relations
  - Economic crisis, public unrest, and the fall of Suharto
- Indonesia after Suharto

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Krakatoa (Krakatau) volcano

For Students

Indonesia summary

Discover

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Indonesia: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Indonesia’s student protests continue in Jakarta, testing Prabowo’s leadership • Feb. 20, 2025, 10:27 PM ET (Straits Times)

Students lead ‘Dark Indonesia’ protests against budget cuts • Feb. 20, 2025, 3:49 AM ET (Straits Times)

Indonesia’s plan to export solar power to S’pore spurs investment amid low green energy adoption • Feb. 20, 2025, 1:27 AM ET (Straits Times)

$1 million glamping retreat for Indonesia leaders sparks criticism as budget cuts bite • Feb. 19, 2025, 3:49 AM ET (Straits Times)

‘Dark Indonesia’ protests erupt nationwide with students taking to streets • Feb. 18, 2025, 9:12 PM ET (Straits Times)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Indonesia • Republik Indonesia
Head Of State And Government	President: Prabowo Subianto
Capital	Jakarta
Population	(2025 est.) 284,698,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 16262.625 Indonesian rupiah
Form Of Government	multiparty republic with two legislative houses (Regional Representative Council¹ [132]; House of Representatives [560])
Official Language	Indonesian
Official Religion	monotheism
Official Name	Republik Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia)
Total Area (Sq Km)	1,892,410
Total Area (Sq Mi)	730,660
Monetary Unit	rupiah (Rp)
Population Rank	(2023) 4
Population Projection 2030	298,806,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 389.6
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 150.4
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 59.2% • Rural: (2024) 40.8%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 70.9 years • Female: (2022) 75.4 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2020) 97% • Female: (2020) 95%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 1,352,588
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 4,870
¹Has limited legislative authority.

Photos and Videos

Krakatoa (Krakatau) volcano

eruption of Krakatoa

The beautiful dance traditions of Bali

Explore with German biologist Matthias Kopfmüller and his team to document one of the world's rich biodiversity in the waters off Indonesia

Explore the dark undersea depths of Indonesian waters in search of prehistoric sea life and discover two coelacanths

National anthem of Indonesia

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

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