| Local name: Republik Indonesia |
| Surface : 1,922,570
sq km (742,308 sq miles) - The name Indonesia was derived from
"indos nesos", meaning islands near India, The country is in
fact the largest archipelago in the world with a thousand islands,
17,508 to be precise, spread in an area between the Asian continent
and Australia, and between the Pacific and the Indian oceans.
Indonesia is made up of six main islands – Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi,
Bali, Kalimantan (part of the island of Borneo) and Irian Jaya (the
western half of New Guinea) – and 30 smaller archipelagos. |
| Population : 224,784,210
inhabitants |
| Climate: The climate and weather of Indonesia
is characterized by two tropical seasons, which vary with the
equatorial air circulation and the meridian air circulation. The dry
season (June to September) is influences by the Australian continental
air masses; while the rainy season (December to March) is the result
of the Asian and Pacific Ocean air masses. |
| Electricity: Generally
220 volts AC, 50Hz, but 110 volts AC, 50Hz, in some rural areas. |
| PASSPORTS: Passport
valid for at least six months from date of entry required by all. VISAS:
Required by all except the following for tourist visits only of
up to 60 days (non extendable): nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Brunei,
Chile, Egypt, Hungary, Iceland, Korea (Rep), Kuwait, Liechtenstein,
Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, New Zealand,
Norway, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand,
Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Yugoslavia (Serbia and
Montenegro); nationals of Taiwan with passports endorsed with code MFA/M.
If passport is endorsed with code OM or X, a visa is required and
entry and exit is only permitted via Denpasar Bali (Ngurah Rai),
Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta) or Medan (Polonia) airports; transit
passengers continuing their journey within a maximum of eight hours,
provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving
the airport. |
| Capital : Jakarta
(pop 9.3 million) |
| System : Presidential Republic
- The 1000-member People’s Consultative
Assembly is the country’s highest political institution. It agrees
the broad outlines of state policy and selects the President and
Vice-President. Its membership comprises all the members of the
National Assembly (see below), representatives of the armed forces,
the country’s main political organisations, and delegates from the
regions. The President, who serves a five-year term, holds executive
power. The Parliament, the Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (People’s
Representative Assembly), has 500 members. Of these, 462 are directly
elected by proportional representation, while the other 38 are
appointed as representatives of the army and security forces. Members
of the Assembly serve a five-year term. |
| Languages : Bahasa Indonesia (plus
583 dialects), English |
| Religions : 87% Muslim, 9% Christian,
2% Hindu |
| Money : Rupiah
(Rp) = 100 sen. Notes are in denominations of Rp100,000, 50,000,
20,000, 10,000, 5000, 1000, 500 and 100. |
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Indonesia spans three time
zones: Bangka, Billiton, Java, West and Central Kalimantan, Madura
and Sumatra: GMT + 7 (West), GMT + 8 (Central), GMT + 9 (East). -
Bali, Flores, South and East Kalimantan, Lombok, Sulawesi, Sumba,
Sumbawa and Timor: GMT + 8. - Aru, Irian Jaya, Kai, Moluccas and
Tanimbar: GMT + 9. |
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