10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Indonesia

Indonesia is an exceptionally interesting country, due to its size, ethnic diversity and rich history.
Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Indonesia along with some ideas of what to see.

Geography
1. Indonesia is huge
Indonesia is a massive country. Flying from one end to the other, from North Sumatra to West Papua, takes over twelve hours of flying time. Indonesia is an archipelago of around 17,508 islands with a land area of 1,919,440 square kilometers. To put this into perspective, theUK has a land area of 244,820 square kilometers, while theUS covers 9,629,091 square kilometers.

2. The equator divides it
The equator cuts straight across the middle of Indonesia, crossing Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesiand various smaller islands. If you’re in the area, consider visiting the equator line for some cheesy, but irresistible photos.

3. 150 volcanoes
Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesiais home to numerous volcanoes, an estimated 150 volcanoes throughout the entire country. In general they are not a threat, and many volcanic areas make great tourist attractions likeMountBromo, East Java, or Tangkuban Perahu,West Java. There can, however, be eruptions and visitors should check whether it is safe before setting off to a volcanic area.

4. Vast tropical rainforests
Head away from the densely populated islands of Java and Bali to find vast areas of tropical rainforest, which support the world’s second highest level of biodiversity (afterBrazil). Natural resources are abundant inIndonesia but the sustainable use of these is often blighted by problems with corruption and poverty. Guided treks are available in the jungles of Kalimantan andSumatra, among other islands.

5. People (5. 238 million people)
Indonesiais the forth most populous country in the world with over 238 million people and the world’s largest Muslim population, though some areas have Hindu or Christian majorities. Java is the world’s most populous island.

6. Religion matters
Religion is important in Indonesia, where every citizen must officially subscribe to one of six recognized religions, regardless of their actual religious practices. Two individuals of different religions may not marry, unless they convert so that they share a religion.

7. Extremely culturally diverse
There are over 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia, each with their own customs and traditions. This makes Indonesia extremely culturally diverse. Why not watch some performing arts or buy some locally produced handicrafts while you’re there?

8. Bi- and multi-lingual
Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is the national language of Indonesia, used in schools and other state-run enterprises, as well as in the media. However, Indonesiah as over 700 indigenous languages, meaning that many Indonesians are bilingual, speaking their indigenous language at home and Indonesian at work or school.

History and politics
9. Oldest remains
Fossilised remains of “Java man” or Homo erectus, have been found at sites across Java, suggesting that the area was inhabited two million to 500,000 years ago. You can see the fossils at Sangiran, near Surakarta in Central Java.

10. Independence Day
Indonesia, a republic with a president, has been independent since 1945. Independence Day is celebrated on 17th August every year, with flag-raising ceremonies, neighborhoods competitions and games for children. If you’re in Indonesia in August, find out what will be happening where you are staying.

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