Republic of Indonesia

Is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising 17,508 islands, it is the world's largest archipelagic state. With an estimated population of around 237 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority nation, however no reference is made to Islam in the Indonesian constitution. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president.

The nation's capital city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the seventh century, when the Srivijaya Kingdom traded with China and India. Local rulers gradually adopted Indian cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE, and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Muslim traders brought Islam, and European powers fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia's history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratization process, and periods of rapid economic change.

Provinces of Indonesia and Administrative divisions of Indonesia

Administratively, Indonesia consists of 33 provinces, five of which have special status. Each province has its own political legislature and governor. The provinces are subdivided into regencies (kabupaten) and cities (kota), which are further subdivided into subdistricts (kecamatan), and again into village groupings (either desa or kelurahan). Following the implementation of regional autonomy measures in 2001, the regencies and cities have become the key administrative units, responsible for providing most government services. The village administration level is the most influential on a citizen's daily life, and handles matters of a village or neighborhood through an elected lurah or kepala desa (village chief).

The provinces of Aceh, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Papua, and West Papua have greater legislative privileges and a higher degree of autonomy from the central government than the other provinces. The Acehnese government, for example, has the right to create an independent legal system; in 2003, it instituted a form of Sharia (Islamic law). Yogyakarta was granted the status of Special Region in recognition of its pivotal role in supporting Indonesian Republicans during the Indonesian Revolution. Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya, was granted special autonomy status in 2001. Jakarta is the country's special capital region.

Indonesian provinces and their capitals


Sumatra

* Aceh (Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam) - Banda Aceh
* North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) - Medan
* West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat) - Padang
* Riau - Pekanbaru
* Riau Islands (Kepulauan Riau) - Tanjung Pinang
* Jambi - Jambi (city)
* South Sumatra (Sumatera Selatan) - Palembang
* Bangka-Belitung (Kepulauan Bangka-Belitung) - Pangkal Pinang
* Bengkulu - Bengkulu (city)
* Lampung - Bandar Lampung

Java

* Jakarta - Jakarta
* Banten - Serang
* West Java (Jawa Barat) - Bandung
* Central Java (Jawa Tengah) - Semarang
* Yogyakarta Special Region - Yogyakarta (city)
* East Java (Jawa Timur) - Surabaya

Lesser Sunda Islands

* Bali - Denpasar
* West Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Barat) - Mataram
* East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur) - Kupang



Kalimantan

* West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat) - Pontianak
* Central Kalimantan (Kalimantan Tengah) - Palangkaraya
* South Kalimantan (Kalimantan Selatan) - Banjarmasin
* East Kalimantan (Kalimantan Timur) - Samarinda

Sulawesi

* North Sulawesi (Sulawesi Utara) - Manado
* Gorontalo - Gorontalo (city)
* Central Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tengah) - Palu
* West Sulawesi (Sulawesi Barat) - Mamuju
* South Sulawesi (Sulawesi Selatan) - Makassar
* South East Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tenggara) - Kendari

Maluku Islands

* Maluku - Ambon
* North Maluku (Maluku Utara) - Ternate

West Papua

* West Papua (Papua Barat) - Manokwari
* Papua - Jayapura


Culture of Indonesia


Indonesia has around 300 ethnic groups, each with cultural differences developed over centuries, and influenced by Indian, Arabic, Chinese, Malay, and European sources. Traditional Javanese and Balinese dances, for example, contain aspects of Hindu culture and mythology, as do wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performances. Textiles such as batik, ikat and songket are created across Indonesia in styles that vary by region. The most dominant influences on Indonesian architecture have traditionally been Indian; however, Chinese, Arab, and European architectural influences have been significant.

The most popular sports in Indonesia are badminton and football. Liga Indonesia is the country's premier football club league. Traditional sports include sepak takraw, and bull racing in Madura. In areas with a history of tribal warfare, mock fighting contests are held, such as, caci in Flores, and pasola in Sumba. Pencak Silat is an Indonesian martial art. Sports in Indonesia are generally male-orientated and spectator sports are often associated with illegal gambling.

A selection of Indonesian food, including Soto Ayam (chicken soup), sate kerang (shellfish kebabs), telor pindang (preserved eggs), perkedel (fritter), and es teh manis (sweet iced tea)

Indonesian cuisine varies by region and is based on Chinese, European, Middle Eastern, and Indian precedents. Rice is the main staple food and is served with side dishes of meat and vegetables. Spices (notably chili), coconut milk, fish and chicken are fundamental ingredients. Indonesian traditional music includes gamelan and keroncong. Dangdut is a popular contemporary genre of pop music that draws influence from Arabic, Indian, and Malay folk music. The Indonesian film industry's popularity peaked in the 1980s and dominated cinemas in Indonesia, although it declined significantly in the early 1990s. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of Indonesian films released each year has steadily increased.