Republic of Indonesia Indonesia is the abbreviated RI or country in Southeast Asia, which is crossed by the equator and located between the continents of Asia and Australia as well as between the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic country consisting of 13 487 islands [5] [6], therefore it is also known as Nusantara ("outer islands", in addition to Java, which is considered the center). [7] With a population of 222 million people in 2006, [8] Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world and the largest Muslim country in the world, although not officially an Islamic state. Indonesia is a republic form of government, the House of Representatives, Regional Representative Council and the President is elected directly. Capital city is Jakarta. Indonesia borders Malaysia on Borneo island, with Papua New Guinea on New Guinea and East Timor on the island of Timor. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and the territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India.
History of Indonesia is heavily influenced by other nations. Indonesia archipelago became an important trade region since at least the 7th century, when the kingdom of Palembang Srivijaya in religion and trade relations with China and India. Hindu kingdoms and Buddhism has been growing in the early centuries AD, followed by the traders who brought Islam, and various European powers fought each other to monopolize the spice trade in the Moluccas during the era of ocean exploration. Having been under Dutch rule, Indonesia which was called the Dutch East Indies declared its independence at the end of World War II. Indonesia's history has many obstacles, threats and challenges of natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratization process and a period of rapid economic change.From Sabang to Merauke, Indonesia consists of various ethnic, linguistic and religious groups. The Javanese are the largest ethnic group and most politically dominant. Indonesia's national motto, "Unity in Diversity" ("It varies, but remains one"), articulates the diversity that shapes the country. Besides having a dense population and vast territory, Indonesia has a natural area that supports the second largest biodiversity in the world.
source : http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia
