What is Indonesia's history? Travel to Indonesia

Useful information for tourists about Indonesia, cities and resorts in the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Indonesia, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Indonesia.

Geography of Indonesia

Republic of Indonesia is a state in South-East Asia, on the islands of the Malay archipelago and the western part of the island. New Guinea(Irian Jaya). Borders with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea. Indonesia consists of 18,108 islands, of which about 1,000 have a permanent population.

More than half of Indonesia's territory is occupied by mountains. The most high point country - Mount Jaya (5029 m) is located on the island of New Guinea. There are about 400 volcanoes in total, of which 80 are active. There are especially many volcanoes on the island of Java, and the highest of active volcanoes, Kerinci (height - 3800 m), located in Sumatra.

About a third of the country's entire territory is covered with tropical rainforests.

State

State structure

Indonesia is a republic. The head of state and government is the president. The legislative body is the parliament (Council of People's Representatives). The highest body of state power is the People's Consultative Congress.

Language

Official language: Indonesian

More than 250 languages ​​and dialects are spoken in the country. Part of the population speaks Chinese, young people speak English.

Religion

Most of the population of Java, Madura and Sumatra are Muslims (87%), Christianity (Protestantism and Catholicism) is widespread - 9%, as well as Hinduism (especially in Bali) and Buddhism.

Currency

International name: IDR

There are banknotes in denominations of 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 and coins: 25 and 50 rupees.

It is recommended to exchange money at banks, where the exchange rate is the most favorable. Keep your receipts when exchanging currency because you may need them when you leave to exchange Indonesian rupiah for another currency. Traveler's checks can be exchanged at banks or exchange offices, and are also accepted in some stores. Main types credit cards Payments are generally accepted in expensive hotels, restaurants and shops.

History of Indonesia

In ancient times, this island region became one of the centers of formation of the modern type of man, although in later times it was constantly subject to racial mixing with the Australo-Negroid tribes and the Mongoloid race of Indochina.

In the 2nd–5th centuries AD, the formation of the first states was actively underway on the islands. In the 7th century, Indonesia was already a serious intermediary in the international trade of the Far Eastern regions with the Indo-Arab world. The influx of capital and, moreover, an advantageous strategic location contributed to the creation of the powerful Sumatran Empire of Srivijaya, which achieved glory in the 8th century. Its main political opponent was the Javanese state of Mataram, which soon ceded all priority positions to Srivijaya. In the 9th century, this kingdom also began to decline. Leadership passed to another Javanese principality - Kediri, which also collapsed, but already in the 13th century. In its place, another Javanese power arose - Majapahit, which was the largest medieval pan-Indonesian state, which became the conductor of Islam on the islands from the 14th century. But the new religion failed to strengthen the political unity of the country, and in the 14th century it disintegrated.

In the 17th century, the Portuguese and Dutch colonized the Indonesian islands, resulting in the gradual enslavement of previously free lands. By the beginning of the 20th century, the entire territory of modern Indonesia had become an almost continuous zone of Dutch colonies.

The desire to liberate their homeland led to the creation in 1927 of the National Party led by Sukarno, which was renamed Partindo in 1931 and gained the greatest popularity among the people. The Second, which began in 1939 World War complicated the situation of patriotic forces. In 1942, Indonesia was captured by Japan, after the latter's defeat in 1945 - by British and then Dutch troops who sought to keep the islands under colonial rule. The successful revolutionary liberation struggle of the Indonesians forced the UN Round Table in 1949 to announce the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia. But it took her many more years to fight with the Netherlands for the return of all territories and for the establishment of the principle of a “fair state” in society.

In ancient times, this island region became one of the centers of formation of the modern type of man, although in later times it was constantly subject to racial mixing with the Australo-Negroid tribes and the Mongoloid race of Indochina....

Popular attractions

Tourism in Indonesia

Where to stay

Over 100,000 tourists visit Indonesia every year. They are attracted here by both the magnificent nature, mild climate, and quite affordable prices for accommodation. Hotels in Indonesia are fully consistent with European quality. The gradation of hotel categories also corresponds to the generally accepted ones and ranges from one to five stars.

Almost all the world's famous hotel chains are represented in this country. You can stay comfortably in one of the InterContinental hotels, Holiday Inn and others. Such hotels are usually located along the coast Indian Ocean and own vast territories. In addition, swimming pools, playgrounds, golf courses, tennis courts and much more are available to residents of the hotel. It is worth considering that many hotels practice charging tourists a deposit, which is returned at the time of eviction - this is a kind of guarantor for possible damage to the hotel property.

For those who prefer privacy, there is the opportunity to rent a villa located in a picturesque corner on one of the islands. This can be either a luxurious villa or quite affordable and comfortable housing.

In Indonesia you can find a budget option recreation. Just keep in mind that such hotels are usually located near noisy streets. Guesthouses, losmen and penginapan (cheap hotels) are more suitable for those who are not afraid of spartan conditions. Please note that a traditional Indonesian bathroom (mandi) is a room with a cement floor and a hole in it to drain dirty water. Ablution is performed using a plastic ladle and a bucket of water yourself. Traditional European bathrooms and toilets can be found in all hotels on the island of Bali.

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Popular hotels

Excursions and attractions in Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest in the world Island state washed by the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. This beautiful exotic country will give its guests a lot of impressions and unforgettable moments. Holidays in Indonesia mean magnificent beaches and stunning natural landscapes, unique flora and animal world, an abundance of historical and cultural attractions and, of course, colorful Indonesian cuisine.

The capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, is located on the coast of the island of Java and is an important economic and cultural center of the country. A huge modern metropolis with its rich history and many interesting places will not make even the most demanding tourists bored. It is best to start a tour of Jakarta from the historical center of the city, namely from Taman Fatahillah Square and the famous Si Yago cannon (symbol of fertility) located here. The building of the old town hall today houses Historical Museum Jakarta. Also on the square you will see the Wayanga Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts. Among the most popular attractions of the capital, it is worth highlighting the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta Cathedral, Istiklal Mosque, Gereja Zion Church, National Museum, National Gallery of Art, Maritime Museum, National Monument and Wisma 46 skyscraper. Other interesting places are Mini Indonesia Park, Rangunan Zoo, Sea World Aquarium and Dream Park in Anchola.

The world famous temple complexes of Borobudur and Prambanan are located on the island of Java. The temples of Suravan, Sambisari, Gebang are also very popular. Also worth visiting are the Sultan's Palace, Taman Sari Water Castle, Agung Demak Mosque, Ujung Kulon National Park, Kebun Raya Botanical Garden, Dago Falls and much more.

Among the most popular tourist destinations, the Indonesian island of Bali occupies a special place. This is the “pearl” of Indonesia and one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Stunning beaches, picturesque nature, mountain lakes and healing springs, comfortable hotels and interesting attractions attract a huge number of vacationers here. It is worth visiting the Mother Temple, Tanah Lot Temple, Luhur Uluwatu Temple, Ulun Danou Temple, Pura Jagatnakhta Temple, Cultural Center Taman Budaya, Bali Museum in Denpasar, Le Mayer Museum in Sanur and Ubud Palace. No less interesting will be the Bird Park, Bali Zoo, Elephant Caves, Garuda Wisnu Kensana Park, Waterbourne Water Park and Monkey Forest Park.

The island of Sumatra is famous for its stunning natural beauty. Among the many picturesque lakes, the most famous is Lake Toba. The reservoir is located in the caldera of an ancient volcano, the explosion of which, according to scientists, 73 thousand years ago led to a long ice age. The length of the lake is 100 km. The most popular attractions of Sumatra include the Maimun and Pagaruyung Palaces, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medan, the Baiturrahman Raya Mosque, National parks Gunung-Luser and Kerinci Seblat.

Indonesia. Sights of Indonesia: list, description

The Republic of Indonesia is a state in Southeast Asia, on the islands of the Malay Archipelago and the western part of the island. New Guinea (Irian Jaya). Borders with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea. Indonesia consists of 18,108 islands, of which about 1,000 have a permanent population.

More than half of Indonesia's territory is occupied by mountains. The highest point in the country, Mount Jaya (5029 m), is located on the island of New Guinea. There are about 400 volcanoes in total, of which 80 are active. There are especially many volcanoes on the island of Java, and the highest active volcano, Kerinci (height - 3800 m), is located in Sumatra.

Indonesian territory: 1904.5 thousand, km2 (with East Timor)

Population of Indonesia: 193.75 million people

Capital: Jakarta (more than 10 million inhabitants).

Other major city: Surabaya (more than 2 million inhabitants).

Highest point: Puncak Jaya (5030 m).

Official language: Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia).

Mr. religions: Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism.

Currency unit: Indonesian rupiah.

State structure of Indonesia: parliamentary republic.

Head of State of Indonesia: president, elected for a term of 5 years.

Legislature: People's Consultative Congress (elects a president every 5 years);

Administrative division– 25 provinces, capital and “special region” – Yogyakarta (27 in total).

Export: oil and petroleum products, agricultural products, industrial goods.

Import: industrial products, consumer goods.

Trading partners: Japan, USA, Singapore, Netherlands.

GNP per capita:$980 USA.

Indonesian National Day: August 17 Independence Day (1945).

Borders: in the north with Malaysia (on Kalimantan Island), in the east with Papua New Guinea(New Guinea Island), in the north it is washed by the waters of the Sulawesi Sea and the Pacific Ocean, in the south by the Arafura Sea, in the west of the Indian Ocean.

Short story

The formation of state entities on the territory of Indonesia took place already in the 1st–3rd centuries AD. e., however, the existence of the first states whose names are known to science for certain - Kutai in eastern Kalimantan and Taruma in western Java - dates back only to the 4th century. The first state whose territory extended to several islands was Srivijaya, founded in southern Sumatra at the end of the 7th century: existing until the end of the 14th century, it controlled the entire territory of Sumatra, most of Java and the Malacca Peninsula during the periods of its maximum power. These and other states that existed on the territory of Indonesia in the 4th – 13th centuries experienced a strong cultural influence from India; the dominant religion in most of them was Hinduism. At the same time, Buddhism also received significant development: it, in particular, was the state religion of the East Javanese principality of Mataram.

The largest, most powerful and socio-economically developed state of the pre-colonial period was the Majapahit Empire, founded in 1293 in the eastern part of the island of Java. By the end of the 14th century, Majapahit's territory or vassal possessions included most of what is now Indonesia. In the 13th century, the active spread of Islam began, penetrating mainly from the Malay Peninsula and from east coast India. By the end of the 16th century, Islam had become the dominant religion in most of Indonesia, although in many regions there remained pockets of Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as traditional local beliefs, the bearers of which, as a rule, coexisted quite without conflict with Muslims.

In the 19th - first half of the 20th century. The territory of Indonesia was a Dutch colony, which was called the Netherlands (or Dutch) East Indies. On August 17, 1945, the forces of the national liberation movement of Indonesia declared the independence of their country. The official transfer of sovereignty over most of the Netherlands East Indies occurred on December 27, 1949. The territory of the province of Irian Jaya on the island. New Guinea (which the Dutch called Dutch New Guinea, and the Indonesians called West Irian) was under Dutch control until 1962. In 1963, after a short stay under UN trusteeship, this territory came under the control of the Indonesian authorities, and in 1969 it was included by law in composition of Indonesia. In 1975, Indonesia sent troops to East Timor (a former colony of Portugal in the northeastern part of Timor Island), and in 1976 declared it its province.

Indonesia is a member of the UN and all specialized agencies of this organization, OPEC.

Geography

Indonesia is located between Southeast Asia and Australia and borders the Indian and Pacific oceans. Extreme points Indonesia has the following coordinates: 6o08′ N, 11o15′ S, 94o45′ and 141o05′ E. The “linear” dimensions of Indonesia are 5120 km. from east to west and 1760 km. from North to South. The land area occupied by Indonesia is 1,919,317 square meters. km., Indonesia's maritime space is 7.9 million square meters. km, or 81% of the total area of ​​the country (in official papers of the Indonesian government). The name "Indonesia" comes from the Greek words "Indos" meaning "Indian" and "nesos" meaning "islands". The group of islands that makes up Indonesia is the largest in the world, with approximately 17,500 islands (other sources say 13,667 islands).

Terrain of Indonesia

The country's territory is predominantly mountainous. The highest peak in Indonesia, Puncak Jaya, 5039 m, is located on the island of New Guinea (Irian Jaya) in the Sudirman Mountains. Other mountain peaks ranging from 4,700 to 5,000 m in height are found in the Jayawijaya mountain range.

The highest islands besides New Guinea: Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi and Seram.

The most high peaks Indonesia (besides Puncak Jaya):

• Leuser and Kerinci (Sumatra island)
• Gede, Tangkubanperau, Chiremai, Kawi, Kelud, Semeru, Raung (Java Island)
• Lampobatang and Rantekombala (Sulawesi Island)
• Batur and Agung (Bali island)
• Rinjani (Lombok Island)
• Tambora (Sumbawa Island).

Volcanoes and eruptions in Indonesia

Tectonically, Indonesia is a very unstable territory. However, volcanic eruptions bring their own benefits - volcanic ash makes the soil fertile. There are about 400 volcanoes in Indonesia, of which 100 are active. Between 1972 and 1991 29 volcanic eruptions were recorded, mainly in Java. The most powerful volcanic eruptions in Indonesia over the past 200 years are as follows. Volcano Tambora on the northern coast of Sumbawa erupted in 1815, killing 92,000 people and changing the climate in many places. Globe(there was a year without summer). In 1883, the famous eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in the Sunda Strait occurred, killing 36,000 residents of West Java. The sound from the eruption was said to be heard over a vast area - as far as Turkey and Japan (hard to believe). Krakatoa erupted again two more times - in the late 1970s.

Climate

The climate in Indonesia is equatorial (the equator crosses the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and the Maluku Islands) and subtropical monsoon. But these climatic characteristics are moderated by the influence of the sea. The dry season is never dry in the full sense of the word. The exception is the territories adjacent to Australia. The rainy season is less regular and monotonous than in India. When the east monsoon blows (April - October), the dry season begins, which is most loved by tourists. The western monsoon (November–March) brings rain.

But everything is relative: Indonesia has almost as many climate types as there are islands. On the same island, there may be a rainy season on one slope, and a dry season on another at the same time. The situation may change if the wind changes direction. The ideal time to visit Indonesia is our northern summer, but, for example, the Molluk Islands have the worst weather (storms and storms) at this time of year. In addition, the amount of precipitation depends on forests. The larger the forest area, as in Sumatra and Borneo, the more often it rains. 4 m of precipitation per year is the record for Pontianak and Padang.

Population

97% of Indonesians are made up of more than 150 related peoples who speak more than 1000 different languages ​​and dialects (Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, Batak, Malay, Balinese, etc.). Many tribes still do not know agriculture and live mainly by hunting (for example, the Papuans of New Guinea). There are also Chinese, Arabs, and people from South Asia. Indonesia is the world's largest Islamic state. The majority of believers are Muslims, ch. arr. Sunni (87.2%), there are Christians (9.6%), Hindus (mainly on the island of Bali), Buddhists, Confucians; Traditional local beliefs have been preserved. 2/3 of the population lives on the islands of Java and Madura. In some areas of the island of Java, the rural population density reaches 2,500 people per 1 sq. km (the highest value in the world for rural areas). 78% of the population lives in rural areas.

Economy of the country Indonesia is an industrial-agrarian country with the largest plantation economy in Asia and a developed mining industry. Gross national product per capita fell in 1995 from $980 to $580.

The fall of the rupee in late 1997 and early 1998 resulted in a 13.7% decline in Gross Product. Indonesia has rich deposits of various minerals: high-quality oil, tin, bauxite, nickel, manganese, lead, copper, zinc, chromium. Tin deposits are found on the islands of Banka, Belitung, Sinkep and the southwestern regions of Kalimantan. Nickel deposits have been found on the island of Sulawesi, Halmahera, the Maluku Islands and Irian Jaya.

Manganese deposits are located in central regions Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Timor. Copper ore has been explored in the Jayawijzya Mountains (Irian Jaya Province).

The islands of Riau, Banka, Sinkei and Kalimantan have bauxite deposits, and coal mining is carried out in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Deposits of gold, iron, silver, and sulfates have been explored. Large oil fields provide a stable supply of raw materials to the national energy system.

The main branch of the national economy, light industry, relies on imported raw materials. Yarn factories are owned by foreign companies or the state, while companies selling finished fabrics are concentrated in Bandung and are privately owned.

Batik production is an Indonesian version of printed textiles and is carried out in the central regions of Java. Although most batik is produced at home, there are many industrial textile production enterprises.

Traditional crafts are also preserved in the country: the production of batik (both industrial and handicraft), embossed silverware, ceramic dishes, artistic bone carving, weaving mats, hats and much more). Foreign tourism is of great importance

Culture

Modern Indonesian culture is the result of the interaction of traditions of different peoples who live in this country. In addition, a noticeable influence

Indonesian culture was influenced by Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists.

In everyday life, Indonesians are guided by the principles of mutual assistance (“gotong royong”) and exchange of opinions (“musyawarah”), which helps to reach agreement (“mufakat”).

Indonesian art is under very strong religious influence. The traditions of the famous dance dramas of Java and Bali go back to Hindu mythology (influences of the Hindu epics “Ramayana” and “Mahabharata” can be seen in them).

In Indonesia, we recommend that tourists definitely see local festivals, which are held everywhere and almost every month. The largest of them are the Galungan festival in Bali, performances of the Ramayana ballet in Java, the Festival of Silence in Bali, the Vesak Buddhist festival in Borobudur, and the Easter parade on the island of Larantuka.

Holidays, events, festivals in Indonesia

With a huge diversity of ethnic groups and a mixture of religions, Indonesia naturally has a huge number of cultural events taking place throughout the year. Many local holidays have no less flavor than large state events, so even in the absence of any official festivals you can always get acquainted with many interesting folk traditions.

The main holidays of the island of Bali are: Galungan Festival(the date is not constant, takes place within 10 days), the spring holiday in the temple of Pura Besakih, Nyepi, or the Festival of Silence - is accompanied by many independent ceremonies: the cleansing of the temple deities Melasti, the expulsion of evil spirits Pengrupuk, Ngembak Nyepi (Forgiveness Sunday), etc. Also of interest are the ceremonial festival of Pura Meru, the famous Full Moon Festival at the Chakranegara temple (June), the Perang Ketupat rain festival (October-December), the Pujavali celebration and many others. And at the same time, one of the most important holidays is Hari Nyepi, Balinese New Year(the date of the event is determined according to the Saka calendar, usually March) – it goes very quietly. On this day, from 6.00 to 6.00 the next day, it is not customary to leave the house or make any noise at all - almost all establishments are closed, the streets are empty and almost all life comes to a standstill - local residents celebrate this holiday with fasting and meditation.

independence Day(August 17) is celebrated with great pomp in every city and village, especially colorfully in Jakarta, accompanied by numerous carnivals and cultural events. The Jakarta Fair is held in June and lasts approximately three weeks. Also worth a visit are the colorful and vibrant events - the Jalan Jaksa Street Fair (August) and the International Cultural Performance (May). Mbale hosts theatrical performances in February and March that harken back to the era of internecine warfare.

In Java, performances of traditional "Ramayana ballet", usually held in the open theater of the Prambanan temple complex twice a month from May to September. The famous bull races are held on the island of Madura (August-September), ending with a colorful final race in

Pamekasane(September). The four-day Vesak Buddhist festival in Borobudur is definitely worth a visit, which celebrates the enlightenment of Buddha.

Indonesian cuisine

Taking into account the ethnocultural diversity of the country, its national cuisine is actually a combination of cuisines from different regions, which have their own significant characteristics. At the same time, some dishes, originally specific to a certain area, have gained nationwide popularity. The culinary traditions of the peoples of Indonesia were formed under the active influence of the corresponding traditions of neighboring Asian peoples: the most noticeable in this regard is the influence of Chinese cuisine

The main carbohydrate food product almost everywhere is rice; in a number of regions, corn, cassava, and sweet potato occupy a significant place in the diet. Traditionally, the food of most Indonesians is boiled or fried rice with certain additives - this usually includes chicken, meat, seafood, tempeh, fresh or soaked vegetables, which are either cooked with rice or served as a side dish (in this In this case, the additives are called lauk-pauk. The most common of these dishes is nasi goreng (Indonian nasi goreng, literally “fried rice”) - a kind of pilaf filled with almost any product. The most important ceremonial dish in many regions is tumpeng - a pyramid formed from rice, surrounded by various side dishes.

In Java and some other regions, soups have become widespread, usually made from chicken and offal. Krupuk - chips made from starch, cereal, shrimp, fish or other flour - is produced and consumed everywhere. Enough large quantities Various vegetables are consumed, taking into account regional agricultural specifics. In Java, gado-gado is a very popular dish - a mixture of various vegetables covered in peanut sauce. Tropical fruits are a common delicacy.

Spices and herbs are widely used in food - primarily various types of peppers - as well as soy and peanut sauces. Both tea, which is drunk both hot and cold, and coffee are very popular. Alcohol is not widespread, primarily taking into account that the majority of Indonesians belong to the Muslim faith. However, in a number of regions traditional local alcoholic drinks are produced, among which tuaka is especially popular.

Sights of Indonesia

1. Jakarta city

The largest city in Indonesia, the capital. Located on the island of Java. Modern, densely populated, with high-rise buildings. Jakarta has the largest skyscraper in all of Indonesia. The city has about 20 major attractions: museums, a zoo, a planetarium. Here you can find many hotels of different levels of comfort.

2. Ubud city

A city with traditional Indonesian architecture, located in the very center of Bali. It is considered cultural capital. There are many different objects of interest to tourists concentrated in and around it. It is famous, among other things, for its wide range of spa services.

3. Java Island

Island of jungle and volcanoes. The most populous island in the world. It has a rich history, traditions, and many monuments. On it stands the main cultural attraction of Indonesia - the Borobudur Temple.

4. Bali Island

Tropical island with beautiful scenery and excellent service. There are hotels in Bali to suit every budget. Offers exceptional beach holiday and opportunities for activities aquatic species sports. The traditional culture and crafts of the island are actively developing and provide tourists with the opportunity to get acquainted with all their diversity.

5. Monkey Forest in Ubud

The main attraction of the city. A reserve in the jungle where monkeys (about 600 individuals) live and move freely. The park has a temple, sculptures and paths. Tourists get the opportunity to be one on one with nature and its nimble inhabitants.

6. Rice terraces in Bali (Jati Luwi)

In the very center of the island there are rice fields where the popular cereal is grown traditional way, the old fashioned way. Here you can see the fields themselves, Mount Batukaru and the temple of the same name. An opportunity to experience traditional Indonesian landscapes and Argo culture.

7. Borobudur

Monumental Buddhist temple complex on the island of Java. An object world heritage, protected by UNESCO. The oldest monument, which had lain under the ashes for many hundreds of years. Opened by restorers at the end of the 19th century. Place of mass pilgrimage. It has the greatest artistic value.

8. Prambanan

Complex of temples on the island of Java. Built in the 10th century, restored in the 19th. World Heritage Monument. The restored buildings are grandiose in height and stone carving decoration, visible from afar. Decorated in the traditional style of Buddhist and Hindu temples.

9. Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah)

The Great Cave in Bali, one of the most famous tourist sites on the island. Contains many grottoes (about 15). The walls are decorated with carvings depicting elephants and mythical creatures. It was probably previously of a religious nature and was a place of pilgrimage.

10. Bat Cave (Goa Lawah)

The cave is located in one of the six main temples of Bali - Goa Lawah. It is home to a whole community of bats, which every day, at sunset, all fly out of the cave together. The excursion should be planned for this time.

11. Komodo National Park

A group of islands united in natural Park. The main attraction is the mysterious monitor lizards walking there. Huge lizards,

Komodo dragons have been saved from extinction and are being protected. During the excursion you can observe them and other representatives of the local fauna.

12. Ujung-Pendant

Java Island National Park. It preserves the nature of the island in its original form and allows tourists to admire rare Indonesian landscapes untouched by man. The park is home to rare and endangered animals.

13. Bali-Barat

National park in Bali. The inhabitants of land and coastal waters are protected and represent a wide variety of species. Almost the entire park area is closed to tourists. When visiting open area You can go scuba diving and see the rare marine life of the region.

14. Temple Pura Tanah Lot

A Hindu temple located very close to the shore of the island of Bali. Traditional architecture building built on small island and is considered cultural symbol Indonesia. Steps leading to the temple are carved into the rock. At low tide, the island is connected to the mainland by a narrow sandbar. Tourists are not allowed into the temple, only believers.

15. Pura Besakih Temple

The main religious building of the island of Bali. Located in the mountains, at the highest point of the island. The surrounding nature and buildings form a unique composition that tourists can only admire from the outside. The complex architectural composition consists of 22 temples, richly decorated with traditional style stone carvings.

16. Luhur Uluwatu Temple

One of the six most important and famous temples in Bali. Is in unique place– beautiful and hard to reach. Located at the very top of the cliff architectural ensemble. You can reach it on foot in an hour. Monkeys frolic in front of the temple. The walls and road offer views of the Indian Ocean.

17. Bogor Botanical Garden

Botanical Garden in Bogor, Java. Considered to be the largest and oldest botanical garden in the world. Founded at the beginning of the 19th century. The garden collection represents the entire diversity of tropical plants from different places on Earth. A special decoration of the garden are ponds with lotuses and a greenhouse with orchids.

18. Mount Gunung Bintan

Landmark of Bintan Island. The mountain is covered with jungle, rivers run through it and waterfalls flow. Tourists climb to the very top, to the observation deck. Along the way, you can explore the local tropical flora and fauna and swim in the waterfall baths.

19. Taman Burung Bird and Reptile Park

A natural park combined with a “new type” zoo - the inhabitants are in free open enclosures. Exotic birds roam freely throughout the park and give visitors the opportunity to observe them in an environment that is as close to natural as possible. The landscape structure of the park is rich and varied. Birds and tourists walk among the gardens, flowers and waterfalls.

20. Water Palace Tirtaganga

Architectural and park ensemble in the style of Bali. The palace was built in the mid-50s of the 20th century and is a relatively young attraction of the island. Palace buildings and many reservoirs were built on the site of the “holy river”. Both locals and tourists willingly spend time in the organized baths. Carp live in numerous ponds and lotuses bloom. The entire area is richly decorated with sculpture.

21. Taman Sari Water Castle

Taman Sari is located on the territory of the Yogyakarta palace complex, not far from the city of the same name. It is a complex of fifty buildings, some of which have been restored. The castle was built by the Sultan for himself and his family. The architects paid special attention to water: the castle had a complex sewage system, fountains, and a bathhouse complex. The monument is protected by UNESCO and has global significance and value.

22. National Monument

The 132-meter tower, installed in Jakarta, is a symbol of Indonesia's independence from the colonial invaders of the past. The tower houses museums and an observation deck, which offers a panoramic view of the capital.

23. Istiqlal Mosque

The largest mosque in Southeast Asia. The name translates as "independence". The mosque was built after the end of Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim.

24. Volcano Bromo

An active volcano on the island of Java. Height is about 2.5 thousand meters. It is accessible to tourists and is very popular among them. The crater of the volcano is constantly smoking, and eruptions occur from time to time.

25. Volcano Merapi

The most active volcano in Indonesia. Major eruptions of this volcano occur regularly, with a period of 7 years. Small ones happen more often, but there is always a little activity. The volcano is a majestic black mountain with smoke coming from the crater - a sight so majestic that it has become one of the favorites among tourists.

26. Krakatoa Volcano

Active volcano in the Sunda Strait. According to one version, it was its eruption that caused the separation of Java and Sumatra. Last eruption practically destroyed the island on which the volcano was located.

27. Lake Tobo (Toba)

A large lake of volcanic origin (formed on the site of an ancient volcano) on the island of Sumatra. The local small Batak people, who have their own unique culture and traditions, live on the lake. Tourists can combine traditional forms of recreation in the lap of nature and learn the features of the unique Batak culture.

28. Lake Bratan

Beautiful Mountain Lake on the island of Bali. Located among mountains and jungle, in a former volcanic crater. On the lake is the Pura Ulun Danu Temple, built in honor of the goddess of the reservoir. The lake and the temple represent a unique natural

architectural ensemble. The place receives significant attention from tourists. On the southern shore of the lake there is a water amusement park.

29. Sipiso Piso Waterfall

A high steep waterfall in the area of ​​Lake Toba. Its source is an underground river that finds its outlet at the top of the cliff. There are three viewing platforms near the waterfall, allowing you to enjoy the general view of the powerful water cascade and be right next to it.

30. Munduk Waterfall

In the north of Bali there is the village of Munduk and next to it the waterfall of the same name. Not the highest (25 meters), but very loud - the noise can be heard from afar. A waterfall is a sheer, dense stream of water falling vertically downwards with great pressure. It is located in a forest and is surrounded on all sides by greenery, the water flows beautifully among the greenery. There is a convenient observation deck.

• Indonesia is the largest Islamic country. Muslims make up about 87% of the population. However, these data are not official.
• Another feature of Indonesia is that the country has a very diverse culture, its inhabitants speak 580 languages ​​and dialects.
• Among the mind-boggling number of islands that make up Indonesia (and there are 17,508 of them!), only about 6,000 are actually inhabited. The largest islands of Indonesia are Java, Sumatra, New Guinea, Sulawesi. and Kalimantan.
• Indonesia is also home to many active volcanoes, and people living here have to be constantly prepared for frequent earthquakes.
• In terms of total land area, Indonesia ranks 16th in the world.
• Of the ten largest islands in the world, three islands belong to Indonesia.
• Thanks to the abundance of green vegetation, Indonesia is home to interesting flora and fauna.
• Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the entire world. In addition, this island ranks 5th among the highest islands on the planet. · Indonesia accounts for the largest share of world nutmeg production.
• Tourism is still the main industry in Indonesia. Indonesia's main attractions include its tropical climate and rich culture.
• It is believed that the highest point in Indonesia is Punkcak Jaya. It is located in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
• Indonesia is home to the Javan rhinoceros, which is found nowhere else in the world.
• Locals call their homeland "Tanah Air Kita", which means "Our Land and Water".
• The island of Bali has long been the most popular destination in Indonesia. The beautiful landscapes of this picturesque corner attract tourists and nature lovers from all continents of the globe. Tourists can expect a lot of interesting things here. The greatest demand is for cultural events and dances, fine leather items, and foot-tapping music. · Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, ranks 11th in terms of size and population density. This city has a large number of tourist attractions that attract visitors from all over the world.

Video

Sources

http://travelife.today/countries/indonesia/ http://travelask.ru/questions/9618-ekonomika-indonezii https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia https://www.votpusk.ru/ country/country.asp?CN=ID http://artex.com.ua/indoneziya/obshchee-opisanie:9-1435-2/

Indonesia is one of the largest countries in the world and the largest among the countries of Southeast Asia, lying on both sides of the equator. In terms of area, it is the fourteenth largest in the world, and in terms of population it is second only to China, India and the United States.

Detailed map Indonesia shows the validity of its name - "Indian Islands". The country's territory consists of more than 17 thousand islands of the Malay Archipelago (formerly called the Indian Archipelago), located between the Indochina Peninsula of Eurasia and Australia. The western part of the island of New Guinea also belongs to Indonesia. It is the world's largest island nation.

Indonesia on the world map: geography, nature and climate

The area of ​​Indonesia is more than 1.9 million km2. The largest islands - Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan (Borneo) - belong to the Greater Sunda Islands. The rest of the islands mainly belong to the Lesser Sunda Islands, except New Guinea. The shores are washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Despite its island position, Indonesia has land borders. As the map of Indonesia in Russian shows, these are borders with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor. There are also maritime borders with countries such as India, Australia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Indonesia's position on the world map is very convenient, since the Malacca and Sunda Straits are the sea routes from the Indian to the Pacific Ocean, connecting Asian countries with China, Japan and the west coast of the United States.

Relief

The islands have a mostly mountainous terrain, an area of ​​modern mountain building. Indonesia's highest point is located in western New Guinea. Mount Puncak Jaya, reaching 4884 m. Only in Kalimantan are there vast flat areas.

The Malay archipelago is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, there are many active volcanoes (Merapi, Tambora, Semeru, etc.), the most famous of them is Krakatoa. Earthquakes often occur, which are dangerous not only in themselves, but also in the tsunami waves they cause (for example, during the Sumatran earthquake of 2004, when up to 170 thousand people died in Indonesia itself).

Hydrography

The rivers are numerous and deep. The largest of them are Kaluas, Mahakam, Barito (Kalimantan Island). There are many rapids and waterfalls on the rivers. Largest lake- Toba (Sumatra Island), this is the largest volcanic lake in the world.

Flora and fauna

60% of Indonesia is covered by equatorial forests with very rich flora and fauna. In terms of species diversity of flora and fauna, the country is second only to Brazil. Unfortunately, active deforestation poses a danger to wildlife. Rare species such as the orangutan, Sumatran tiger, and Javan rhinoceros are endangered.

Climate

The climate is equatorial and subequatorial. In most of the territory, dry and wet seasons are clearly distinguished. There is a lot of precipitation, from 1800-3200 mm on the plains and up to 6100 mm in the mountains. Average temperatures throughout the year fluctuate around 26°, seasonal variations do not exceed 3°. In mountainous areas with altitudes higher than 1.5 km, frosts occur.

Map of Indonesia with cities. Administrative division of the country

The map of Indonesia with cities in Russian is shown Administrative division— the country is divided into 32 provinces and 2 special districts (Jakarta Metropolitan Region and Yogyakarta Special District). Of the provinces, a special status has been assigned to Papua, West Papua and Aceh, whose authorities are vested with additional powers in some areas of life (cultural, social, etc.).

• Capital of Indonesia - Jakarta city(about 10 million inhabitants). It is located in the northeast of the island. Java, at the mouth of the Ciliwung River. It is the country's largest economic center and the official residence of the president. The city has many tourism sites: museums, National Gallery, “Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature” Park, Thousand Islands District, etc.
• Surabaya- the second most populous city (3.5 million people), located in the east of Java, at the confluence of the Brantas River branch into the Madura Strait. Large industrial center, international port. The base of the country's Eastern Fleet and the Naval Academy are located here. The city is famous for its football team and fans.
• Denpasar(0.5 million inhabitants) is a city in the southern part of the island of Bali, the center of the province of the same name. Known for its historical monuments. The largest cultural event, the Bali Arts Festival, takes place here every summer. At other times, the city is a continuous market with low prices. The name “Benpasar” is translated as “near the market”. This city serves as a transit point for tourists arriving in Bali.

The third largest island in the world, divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The equator line runs through the city of Pontianak, dividing the island in half. Guests can take a souvenir photo at the Equator sign. In addition, in Pontianak there is the Abdur Rahman Mosque of the 18th century, Sultan's palace Kadriah, City Museum with collections of ceramics and Chinese porcelain.

In the west of the island live the primitive Dayak tribes, who reject civilization and preserve the way of the Stone Age. Tourists have the opportunity to take part in an excursion to a Dayak settlement, spend the night in a traditional hut and admire the original dances of the aborigines.

A rehabilitation center for orangutans has been created. The island is home to the touching tarsier - the world's smallest monkey with large round eyes.

In the town of Banjarmasin, the floating markets and the Sabilal-Mukhtadin Mosque are worth visiting. Kinabalu National Park is famous for its hot springs, the magnificent Kipungit and Langanan waterfalls, and the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia.

Every guest of the capital of Indonesia strives to visit the Orchid Garden, famous for its collection of exotic flowers, the most beautiful and rare of which is the black orchid. The Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, was built in 1945 to commemorate the country's independence from Holland. During prayer, tourists are strictly prohibited from entering the mosque. The Vihara Dharma Bhakti Buddhist temple, built in the 17th century, is dedicated to the goddess of mercy Guan Yin.

Jakarta's Sea World Aquarium, with a water volume of 500 million liters, introduces visitors to 4,000 species of fish, which can be admired while walking through an 80-meter tunnel. There are 120 volcanoes in Java, 30 of which are active.

All attractions Indonesia

Culture

The culture of a people is history embodied in stone, feelings expressed through music and dance, thoughts and images laid down on canvas and the pages of books.

The culture of Indonesia is colorful and diverse, like birds chirping in the jungle. Its “creators” are Buddhism, Hinduism, Christian trends brought from Europe, Muslim traders and preachers, as well as local beliefs and ideas about beauty.

Traditional architecture is retreating under the onslaught of glass and concrete, but the feast of its forms can still be observed today.

The wooden houses of the Batak and Minang Kabao with their high saddle-shaped roofs, decorated with buffalo horns, are puzzling. Maybe there, among the rafters and columns stretching into the sky, spirits gather?

The temple complexes erected at the dawn of the Middle Ages are amazing. Borobudur and Prambanan in Java, Besaki in Bali, Padang Lewas in Sumatra - it seems that the gods themselves erected these monuments to glorify man, decorated them with carvings and sculptures.

Colonial buildings and entire neighborhoods built by Europeans make you lose yourself in space and time. Dutch forts in Bukitting and Bengkulu, lush Empire-style palaces in Jakarta and Bogor, modern buildings of the Institute of Technology in Bandung and the Stavia School in Jakarta - you are in Europe, but why is it so hot and there are palm trees around?!

The strict domes of mosques and the spiers of minarets pacify and subjugate. All of them, from the oldest wooden one in De-mak to gigantic size Istiqlal Mosque in the center of Jakarta, make a diverse audience bow their heads in respect, because 94% local residents- Muslims. Bow your head before the majestic walls of “Raya Baturrahman” in the city of Banda Ache, and may Allah forgive you your sins.

But what are stone and wood before the inexorability of millennia? Only music is eternal, and the leisurely tune of the traditional gamelan orchestra will outlast the strongest citadels. Its numerous bodangs, baluzhans, rebabs, sleptems and chelempungs put you into a trance just by their names, so what can we say about hearing? Often performances are accompanied by kris and kecak dances, especially popular in Bali, which depict stories from the Indian epic Ramayana and fights between all kinds of evil spirits. By the way, the Ramayana and another epic, the Mahabharata, became the basis of national literature and the famous Wayang kulit shadow theater. The performances of this theater last all night and serve not only as entertainment, but also as a kind of ritual. The puppeteer, called a dalang, skillfully manipulates puppets made from buffalo skin, their shadows cast on a white screen illuminated by a lamp. A good dalang makes you believe that at least several people are participating in the performance. This art is especially developed in Bali and Yogyakarta.

And yet, the most recognizable and sought-after form of national cultural heritage has been and remains painting, including batik, and wood carving. It is not for nothing that in the 50-60s of the last century, higher educational institutions were opened in Jakarta and Yogyakarta, graduating famous abstract and realist artists, and in Ubud (Bali island) there is an entire academy of painting and carving. The results of her creations can be appreciated and purchased in countless art shops in this artist village.

Batik painting as an art form emerged in the second half of the 20th century and reached particular heights in Jogyakarta, where there are galleries and exhibitions dedicated exclusively to it. Growing demand from foreign tourists only spurs the painting and carving industry, although it makes it more standardized and primitive. But even among the countless amounts of outright consumer goods put up for sale, if you wish, you can find real pearls at a completely bargain price - that’s what makes the search process so exciting.

Speaking about local culture and customs, it is impossible not to mention kris daggers, which occupy a special place in the life of every man in Java and Bali. Their history goes back 2 thousand years. The dagger protects its owner and his family from evil spirits and has magical powers.

The process of making real kris takes from several years to an entire human life. There were craftsmen who made just one dagger, and its cost exceeded all reasonable limits. The blade was forged from meteorite iron in several layers and could hit the enemy even at a distance. Of course, the vast majority of kris are devoid of such strength and are made of ordinary steel, but they enjoy no less love and respect from their owners. At the entrance to the house there is always a shelf with a scabbard, where a wavy blade with a carved handle performs its honorable service.

Calendars

Indonesia uses calendars of various systems and eras. The most widely used is the modern solar Gregorian calendar.

Along with it, the lunar hijri is used, the month in which is the period between two new moons. There are twelve months in the Muslim calendar, as in the European one. Their names are the same as in the ancient solar-lunar Arabic calendar. Length of months: Muharram - 29 days, Safar - 30 days, Rabi Awwal - 29 days, Rabi Sani - 29 days, Jumada Awwal - 29 days, Jumada Sani - 30 days, Rajab - 29 days, Sha'ban - 30 days, Ramadan - 30 days, Shawwal - 30 days, Dhul-Qaada - 29 days, Dhul-Hijjah - 30 days. 12 months form a lunar year (354 days). Every third year is a leap year (355 days). 33 Hijri years are approximately equal to 32 solar years. To convert Hijri dates to European solar calendar there are special tables.

Among the Javanese, the lunisolar Javanese calendar, created on the basis of the lunisolar calendar of Ancient India of the Shaka era (chronology from 78 AD) in correlation with the Hijra, retains its significance, especially in ritual practice. This calendar was introduced by Sultan Agung in 1633. The beginning of the year coincides with the beginning of the Hijri year. The months were named as follows: suro/sura, sapar, mulud, bakdomulud, jumadil aval, jumadil akhir, rejeb, ruwah, pasa, sawal, hapit, rayagung, and the days of the week were minggu (Sunday), senin (Monday), selasa (Tuesday). ), rebo (Wednesday), kemis (Thursday), jamuah (Friday), setu (Saturday). The usual names of the days of the week are combined with the “bazaar” ones: klivon, legi, paing, pon, vage. These combinations (neptu) are of great importance, since they determine favorable or unfavorable days. For example, the following are considered bad for travel: Sunday-Paing, Saturday-Mon, Friday-Wage, Tuesday-Klivon, Monday-Lehi, Thursday-Wage. Eight years form the Windu calendar cycle.

In addition to astronomical ones, there are priestly calendars based on observations of cycles natural phenomena. These include, for example, the Javanese Wuku calendar. The year consists of 30 seven-day weeks, or 210 days. The years are combined into cycles of 7, 8, 12 and 32 years. The years of the 12-year cycle are named after animals borrowed from the Hindu calendar, and the years of the 7-year cycle are named after the day on which the year begins. The priests count the days that alternate in parallel weeks of different numbers of days.

The Balinese also have a similar calendar called pawukon. With its help, the dates of temple holidays, other celebrations, various works, as well as days favorable or unfavorable for any undertakings are determined. The year consists of 30 weeks (wuku) of 7 days each. There are 6 special seven-day cycles (ingkel) in a year, repeating every 54 days. Along with a seven-day week, calculations use weeks consisting of a different number of days (from one to ten). Dates are flexible and are set depending on the intersection of these weeks. A day is considered favorable when, for example, the day of “Kliwon” from a five-day week coincides with the day of “Kajeng” from a week of a three-day cycle. But the most successful day is the one that is at the intersection of favorable days of three different weeks. Mastering the calendar with its favorable and unfavorable intersections requires special knowledge, which, as a rule, only priests possess.

Official holidays

Only three official holidays have a fixed date in Indonesia:

• New Year (January 1),
• Independence Day (August 17),
• Christmas (December 25).

The rest of the holidays in Indonesia are religious, and their dates are determined according to the lunar calendar: Muslim - according to the Hijri, and Hindu-Buddhist - according to the Shaka calendar. These include:

• The night of the miraculous ascension of the Prophet Muhammad to Allah, Mikraj (27 Rajab);
• Nyepi is one of the main holidays in Balinese Hinduism (agama tirtha). Celebrated on the island of Bali annually in March for two days and falls on the New Year according to the Shaka calendar;
• Death of the Prophet Isa - Good Friday (March-April);
• Idul Fitri, or Lebaran - the holiday of breaking the fast after the end of fasting (Turkic - Eid al-Adha) (1 Shawwal);
• Vesak is the Thrice Holy Day, the celebration of the anniversary of the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. Falls on the full moon on the 6th lunar month(May). Celebrated by followers of Buddhism by making a pilgrimage to the Borobudur Temple;
• Ascension of Isa (April - May);
• Idul Adha - the holiday of sacrifice (Turkic - Kurban Bayram) in memory of the sacrifice of Ibrahim (10 Dhul-Hijjah);
• Muslim New Year (1 Muharram), coinciding with the Javanese New Year (1 Suro);
• Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad - Mawlid an-Nabi (12 Rabi Avwal).

Muslim fasting (puasa) occurs during the month of Ramadan. During this month, during the daytime, before dark, eating and smoking, as well as gambling, all kinds of entertainment and intimate relationships between spouses are not allowed. The fast of Ramadan was established as a reminder that it was in this month that Muhammad was first overshadowed by Divine Revelation. He heard sayings, the meaning of which was the greatness of Allah.

In addition, national holidays (working days) are widely celebrated:

• Day of Kartini - enlightener, National Hero of Indonesia (April 21),
• Pancasila Protection Day (October 1st)
• Armed Forces Day (October 5),
• Youth Pledge Day (October 28),
• Heroes Day (November 10), etc.

Among the traditional holidays:

• Diwali (Deepavali) is the festival of lights. One of the most important holidays of the Indian community. Represents the triumph of good and light over evil, darkness and ignorance.
• Galungan is one of the main holidays in Balinese Hinduism. Celebrated on the island of Bali annually - every 210 days, lasts ten days. Represents the victory of virtue "dharma" over evil "adharma", glorification of the main deity Sanghyang Vidi Vasa. The last day of the holiday is called kuningan - from kuning - yellow, because... The main treat on this day is yellow saffron rice.
• Chinese New Year (Tahun Baru Imlek) is a holiday of the Chinese community (January - February).
• Mantran is a ceremony to welcome the New Year according to the Javanese calendar on the eve of the first day of the month of Suro in Yogyakarta.
• Sadrapan is a traditional festival of Javanese fishermen. Held at the end of the year and aims to “appease” the guardian of the seas, Baurexo. A buffalo's head is offered as a sacrifice to the sea monster.
• Saparan is a traditional ceremony in Java in the Yogyakarta area, designed to ward off troubles and misfortunes from people. Dolls made of rice and stuffed with coconut molasses (“blood”), depicting a married couple (bekakak), are sacrificed.

Kitchen

National cuisine combines the diversity of regional traditions of Indonesia's many peoples. Local cooking has a specific taste that is unfamiliar to Europeans. Local aromatic spices make the dishes unusual: tamarind, pepper (black, red, white and green), nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, garlic.

Rice occupies a place of honor in the Indonesian diet; there are many options for preparing it - the grain is boiled, fried, mixed with vegetables, seafood, eggs, and meat.

It should be noted that pork is not eaten in Indonesia, since the vast majority of the population professes Islam.

Equally important on the Indonesian menu is fish, which is served salted, smoked, fried, boiled and dried.

A common ingredient in island cuisine is milk and coconut pulp.

An indispensable accompaniment to every meal are sauces: sweet and sour, nut, soy, which add piquancy and uniqueness to the dishes.

Equally popular in the country are legumes, sago and sweet potatoes. Main dishes are complemented with bamboo shoots, hearts of palm, pickled mango and breadfruit.

Island cuisine offers delicacies such as shark fin soup, baked frog legs, fried swallow's nests, cuttlefish with vegetables.

Local fruits, which in Indonesia play the role of dessert, will help extinguish the fire in your mouth from hot seasonings and sauces. In addition to exotic fruits, Indonesians prepare baked goods based on rice flour with a variety of fillings for sweets.

Traditionally, food is placed on a banana leaf and eaten only with the right hand. Before and after meals, it is mandatory to wash your hands with lemon water. Tourists are served cutlery, except for a knife, which is considered a sign of aggression by local residents.

Popular drinks include freshly squeezed fruit juices, tea, rice wines, and arak palm vodka. Local beer has good taste.

The famous Kopi Luwak coffee is the most expensive in the world. It is produced in a very extravagant way - by extracting digested coffee beans from the excrement of palm marten.

Tourism

The development of tourism in Indonesia is characterized by high rates. The number of local residents traveling around the country reaches 160 million people a year. Particular attention is paid to guests from abroad as an important source of replenishment of foreign exchange reserves. Thus, in 2012, 7.2 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia. The material and technical base for receiving and serving travelers is being strengthened, the hotel and restaurant industry is being improved, historical and cultural monuments are being restored, and the network is expanding national parks and nature reserves, resort areas.

Information support includes the publication of guidebooks, maps, brochures in foreign languages, the opening of travel agencies abroad, participation in international and regional conferences and meetings on tourism issues. Seven tourism development centers have been opened abroad (Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, London, Taipei).

Measures are being taken to liberalize visa and customs regimes (in 1993, citizens of 45 countries received the right to visa-free entry for up to two months if they have at least one thousand dollars), new ones are being developed excursion routes. Along with recreational tourism, scientific, business, environmental, and health tourism are developing: on the island of Bali there is the only thalassotherapy center in Southeast Asia (healing using sea water, plankton and algae).

Targeted campaigns to attract travelers under the slogan “Visit Indonesia!” are becoming regular. (the first campaign was in 1991, the last one in 2011). Great hopes for further development The government associates tourism with the implementation of a plan adopted under the auspices of the UN to create a unified transport system, uniting all the countries of South and Southeast Asia. In accordance with it, the construction of the trans-Sumatran highway has been completed, and roads are being modernized in Java and other islands. Indonesia is an active member of the World Tourism Organization.

Indonesia is named the best surfing destination in the World's Best 100 Waves survey conducted by Australian magazine Tracks. In the list of one hundred surfing beaches, Desert Point on the island is in first place. Lombok. Next come: Grajangan in Java (third place); Padang-Padang in Bali (10th place); Hollow Trees (12), Macaronis (15), Nias (31) in Sumatra; Lakey Peak (33) in Sumbawa; One Palm Point (34) in Java; Periscopes (44) in Sumbawa; Asu (45), Bawa (59) in Sumatra; Canggu (68), Kuta Beach (93) in Bali; Lances Left (100) in Sumatra.

Several Indonesian hotels (including the Four Seasons Resort Bali and Amandari on Bali) are on the list of 100 best hotels world, and Bali itself is like tourist destination ranks second in the world ranking (after Sydney) and first in Asia.

Currency

National currency in Indonesia is the Indonesian rupiah. There are 100 sen in 1 rupee, but there are no sen in circulation due to high inflation. Banknotes are issued in denominations of 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000 rupees, and coins in denominations of 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000 rupees. Foreign currency can be easily exchanged at any bank or exchange office. Torn bills are accepted at a slightly reduced rate at an exchange office in the very center of Jakarta on the street. Durian (Jl. Durian). Rate as of November 2014:

1 Russian ruble equals 300 rupees.
1 US dollar is equal to 12,290 rupees.

Avoid street money changers, suspicious and unauthorized exchange offices (there are cases that “leftist” exchangers themselves write under the sign that they are authorized). They may slip you counterfeit money or “show a trick” as a result of which you will not receive a significant part of the money (from 10% to 50%), be careful!

Shopping

Indonesia is different high quality goods - both souvenirs and clothing. Products are most valued self made: jewelry, leather, wicker and textile products; crafts made of wood, stone and silver; homespun carpets; painted porcelain; batik. Guests of the country are happy to buy local honey, Javanese jasmine tea and coffee.

The best fashion stores are located in Jakarta's large shopping malls - Taman Anggrek Mall and Plaza Indonesia, where products from popular world brands are presented. But you won’t be able to save money in such stores, and budget shopping awaits tourists in traditional markets. Bargaining is appropriate here and allows you to reduce the initial price by 2 or even 3 times.

Shops are open daily from 09.00 to 18.00, in tourist places- until 21.00. In some Muslim areas, shops are closed on Fridays.

Accommodation

Indonesia has an excellent selection of modern hotels of any category that meet international standards and are distinguished high level service. The hotels are neat and clean, and guests are provided with free bottled drinking water.

It is recommended to book hotel rooms in advance during the dry season, after the holy month of Ramadan, during the New Year and Christmas holidays, as well as at the end of March, when the New Year is celebrated for the third time in Indonesia (the first is in October, the second is in December along with everything peace).

Hotels of almost all international hotel chains - Ramada, Holiday Inn, InterContinental - are available to vacationers. Accommodation options - bungalows, standard rooms, luxury villas. Hotels offer guests golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools, and spa centers. Many Indonesian hotels charge tourists a deposit that is returned upon check-out - a guarantor in case of compensation for possible damage. Prices for a room in a 3* hotel start from $50, in a “four” hotel accommodation will cost $100-120 for two, in a five-star hotel rooms cost from $200.

It is easy to find more budget hotels in the country, usually located along noisy streets and providing a minimum set of amenities. A room in a boarding house, losmen or penginapan (inexpensive hotels) can be rented for $10-20 per day.

Transport

Tourists usually travel as part of excursion groups, by taxi, or use the services of local guides with a car.

Public transport in Indonesia is poorly developed, but major cities have buses, bemos, auto rickshaws, motor rickshaws, pedicabs and horse-drawn carriages. When paying for travel, be careful - tourists may be asked to pay much more money than local residents.

Rail transport is available only in Java and Sumatra.

Driving a rented car is not the best way to get around the country. Driving in Indonesia is on the left, country roads are narrow and not of very high quality. Many roads are one way different time day, but you will not find any warning signs about when passage is allowed. There are few road signs, and they often contain conflicting information.

To travel long distances, it is wiser to use an airplane.

Helpful information

Safety

Indonesia is a Muslim country, so it is necessary to follow some rules of behavior: women should not sunbathe topless, do not wear short shorts or skirts, and cover their shoulders and knees in mosques and institutions. Before visiting temples, it is recommended to wear a sarong (a piece of fabric covering the legs), which can be rented in a shop next to the sanctuary. During religious rituals, you should not talk loudly or clap your hands. You should not touch the heads of local residents or point your finger at them. It is considered offensive to point your lower limb in someone's direction when sitting in a cross-legged position. Also avoid high-pitched conversations and displays of affection in public.

The left hand is considered “unclean” by local peoples, so when communicating with the natives, try not to take or give anything with it, and under no circumstances touch your interlocutor.

During the rainy season you should avoid visiting mountainous areas countries, since at this time of year there are frequent landslides, huge masses of which suddenly fall on settlements and destroy them.

In Indonesia, you must always wear a hat, sunglasses and use sunscreen, as the level of natural radiation here is significantly higher. Before swimming, wear rubber slippers to avoid getting hurt on the coral or stepping on poisonous underwater creatures.

Do not touch local animals under any circumstances - wounds from their teeth and claws can become seriously infected.

Swim only in designated areas - there are strong undercurrents and high tidal waves around the islands.

Indonesia is a paradise for insects, many of which carry diseases. Try not to leave sweet stains on your clothes while eating and shower as often as possible so as not to attract insects with the smell of sweat. If you decide to visit the country during the wet season, then it would be a good idea to take a course of anti-malarial drugs, stock up on mosquito nets and repellents.

On Komodo Island, stay away from the famous monitor lizard, its attacks are unpredictable, and the poisonous saliva of the huge reptile will not allow the wound to heal for a long time.

You should only drink bottled water. Make sure that ice is prepared only from boiled water. Be careful when eating food from street stalls. Be sure to rinse the fruits thoroughly with running water and scald with boiling water.

Indonesia has a low crime rate, but thefts are common in tourist areas, so do not show large amounts of cash or valuables to others.

In Jakarta, smoking in public places can result in a 6-month prison sentence or a fine of around $6,000.

Distribution and use of narcotic substances is punishable death penalty, at best - a 20-year prison sentence.

Due to increased activity by Islamic fundamentalists, visiting West Timor and Irian Jaya is not recommended.

INDONESIA
Republic of Indonesia, an island state in Southeast Asia. It ranks fourth in the world in terms of population. Indonesia is spread over thousands of islands, stretching from a point opposite the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula to almost the northernmost point of the coast of Australia. The main ones are Kalimantan, formerly. Borneo (with the exception of its northern part, where the Sultanate of Brunei is located, as well as the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak), Sumatra, Irian Jaya (western part of the island of New Guinea), Sulawesi (formerly Celebes), Java and Madura, Lesser Sunda ( Nusa Tenggara) and the Moluccas Islands.

Indonesia. The capital is Jakarta. Population - 210 million people (1997). Density - 109 people per 1 sq. km. Urban population - 34%, rural - 66%. Area - 1919.4 thousand square meters. km. The highest point is Mount Jaya (5030 m). The official language is Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). The main religion is Islam. Administrative division - 27 provinces. Currency: Indonesian rupiah = 100 senam. National holiday: August 17 - Independence Day. National Anthem: "Greater Indonesia"

In the 19th - first half of the 20th century. the country was a Dutch colony, which was called the Netherlands (or Dutch) East Indies. On August 17, 1945, the forces of the Indonesian national liberation movement declared the independence of their country, although the official transfer of sovereignty over most of the Netherlands East Indies to them occurred only on December 27, 1949. The territory of Irian Jaya (which the Dutch called Netherlands New Guinea, and the Indonesians called West Irian) , was under the control of the Netherlands until 1962. In 1963, after a short stay under UN tutelage, this territory came under the control of the Indonesian authorities. In 1969 it was legally incorporated into Indonesia and since 1973 it has been called Irian Jaya. In 1975, Indonesia sent troops into East Timor (a former colony of Portugal in the northeastern part of the island of Timor), and in 1976 annexed it, declaring it its province. The UN refused to recognize this action as legal. With an area of ​​1919.4 thousand square meters. km Indonesia has a population (according to 1997 data) of approx. 195 million people (according to 1995 data). Approximately 58% of Indonesians are concentrated on the islands of Java and Madura, where its density in 1995 reached 868 people per 1 sq. km. Both islands have fertile lands, which, however, are not enough for everyone who wants to engage in agriculture. As a result, there is a constant mass migration of rural residents to cities, where there is also a shortage of jobs.
NATURE
Within the borders of Indonesia is the bulk of the islands of Southeast Asia, which stretch along the equatorial belt from Sumatra in the west to Irian Jaya in the east. The extreme western and eastern points of the country are separated by approximately 5,150 km, and the extreme northern and southern point- 1800 km. total area Indonesia's sushi area is 1919.4 thousand square meters. km.
Relief. The islands of Indonesia vary significantly in size. Sumatra (with several nearby small islands) has an area of ​​473,606 sq. km. Indonesia owns 3/4 (539,460 sq. km) of the island of Kalimantan, which occupies a central position in the Malay archipelago. The area of ​​Irian Jaya (the Indonesian half of the island of New Guinea) is 421,981 square meters. km. Next in size are the island of Sulawesi, located between Kalimantan and Irian Jaya (189,216 sq. km) and located south of Kalimantan, Java with neighboring Madura (132,187 sq. km). The remaining islands of Indonesia are significantly smaller in size than the previous five. Most of them belong to the Lesser Sunda (Nusa Tenggara) and Moluccas islands, located between Java, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya. Other, smallest areas of land range in area from a maximum of approximately 5200 square meters. km to tiny coral atolls and isolated deserted rocks. The islands differ in their geological structure. Thus, differences are obvious between the western group of islands (Sumatra, Java and Kalimantan) on the outer edge of the Sunda mainland, Irian Jaya on the outer edge of the mainland and central Sulawesi, which is surrounded by deep sea. These two shelf zones, which were dry land during the last Ice Age (Quaternary), are covered by shallow seas (with depths typically less than 200 m) and form the outer structural boundaries of the continental masses of Southeast Asia and Australia. Currently, ridges with numerous later volcanic cones appear to be the most characteristic element of the Indonesian landscape. These include the powerful Barisan mountain range, stretching almost along the entire southwestern coast of Sumatra; the slopes of this ridge rise steeply almost from the very shore and end with several peaks at elevations of 2400-3800 m. Even more impressive are the snow-covered ridges that stretch from north to south across the territory of Irian Jaya; it is here that the highest mountain in Indonesia, Jaya (formerly called Carstens), is located, reaching 5030 m above sea level. Mountain systems Smaller islands are naturally not so extensive. As evidenced by the placement of individual volcanic cones and groups of volcanoes (many of them over 3000 m high) in the interior of the island of Java, mountain formation occurred in the meridional direction: the continuation of some local mountain ranges is clearly visible to the east, on the Lesser Sunda and Moluccas Islands. From large islands In Indonesia, Sulawesi has the most unusual shape, which resembles half an octopus. Its four “tentacles” of weakly dissected steep ridges approaching the coastline are connected into one complex orographic knot in the center of the island. As a result, Sulawesi has only very small coastal plains, which sharply distinguishes it from Sumatra, Kalimantan and New Guinea (Irian Jaya), with their extensive lowlands adjacent to long stretches of coastline. However, a significant part of the territory of these lowlands, which were formed in post-glacial periods through the rapid accumulation of river sediments, is subject to waterlogging and even flooding, and significant areas are covered with a thick layer of peat, which reduces their value for agriculture. In addition, the unhealthy climate of the coastal swamps and the extremely winding channels of the large rivers flowing through them contribute to the isolation of the drier interior areas of all these islands from the outside world, making it difficult for them to economic development. One of the most notable physiographic features of Indonesia is the inter-island seas. In addition to the Malacca, Sunda and Makassar straits, this category of water areas includes the Flores, Banda, Java and Arafura seas, which together form a single branched system of waterways that connect the Indian and Pacific oceans with each other. With the peninsulas of Malacca, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya to the north, and Sumatra, Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands and Australia to the south, Indonesia's inland seas are generally rarely subject to storms. Almost all the major rivers of Indonesia flow into these seas: Asahan, Siak, Musi and the great Batanghari River in Sumatra; Kapuas, Barito, Kahayan and Mahakam in Kalimantan (all of these rivers are accessible by steamboats, sometimes for hundreds of kilometers); Solo and Brantas in Java and finally most of the rivers of Irian Jaya. Almost all the main ports of the country grew up on the shores of the inland seas or on the rivers flowing into them.
Climate. Stretching along the equator and surrounded on all sides by seas, Indonesia is characterized by very slight regional differences in climate. More than 7/8 of its territory, including Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, the main part of Irian Jaya and the Moluccas Islands, lie within 7° north and south of the equator. The average monthly air temperature at sea level rarely diverges from the average annual temperature of +26-27 ° C. On the Lesser Sunda Islands, Java and Bali, which are relatively distant from the equator, the balancing climatic influence of the ocean is quite strongly felt. Thus, in the coastal city of Kupang in Timor, where the country’s southernmost meteorological station operates, the average annual air temperature is +26° C, and the corresponding monthly averages fluctuate between +24-27° C. Although in elevated areas not so high and more differentiated air temperature indicators, its monthly values ​​remain very stable. More significant are the fluctuations in the amount of precipitation by season and in the territorial aspect. Because Indonesia has an equatorial, predominantly maritime climate, heavy rainfall is common. The particular complexity of the precipitation regime is due to the fact that the country is located on the path of monsoon flows moving between Southeast Asia and Australia. In most parts of Indonesia, precipitation occurs primarily from December to March, when the western monsoon blows. The only exception is eastern Sumatra, partially covered by the territory of the Malacca Peninsula. From the source of origin, the western monsoon rushes over the vast South China Sea towards northeastern Sumatra, northern Kalimantan and Sulawesi. Then the air flow, changing course, crosses the equator and invades the southern regions of Indonesia from the northwest and west-northwest. The east monsoon, which blows from June or July to the end of September, originates in the dry interior regions of Australia. Retaining the heat accumulated there, but dehydrated, the air mass moves over the Lesser Sunda Islands and the eastern half of Java. Having captured southern part Indian Ocean, the monsoon begins to turn southwest and is abundantly saturated with moisture along the way, in order to simultaneously bring down heavy rains on the mountainous southwest coast Sumatra. Almost the entire territory of Indonesia within 5° on both sides of the equator receives from 1800 to 3500 mm of precipitation annually. Although the respective monthly averages vary considerably between regions, none of them experience a full dry period. Still, in areas southeast of central Java and up to the island of Timor, annual precipitation is less than 1800 mm, although, as a rule, it does not fall below 1300 mm. In such areas there is a dry season, consisting of approximately 2 months of almost complete absence of rain and another 2-3 months, each of which accounts for no more than 50 mm of precipitation. It should be noted that this season is extremely important for rice growth in Indonesia. In a country so exposed to monsoons, with complex terrain and a unique configuration of islands, local weather anomalies inevitably arise. For example, the city of Palu, deep in a long and narrow bay in western Sulawesi, located just 1° south of the equator, is so well sheltered from rain-bearing winds that it receives only 530 mm of moisture per year. At the same time, the annual precipitation rate in the city of Padang, which lies on the same geographical latitude, but at the foot of the windward slope with respect to the southwest monsoon mountain range Barisan is 4500 mm.
Soils. With the exception of the arid southeast of the country, soils are generally subject to varying degrees of laterization, characteristic of areas of very humid tropical climates. Such lateritic soils are quite suitable for the growth of dense natural forests, as well as for rubber or oil palms. The most fertile soils in Indonesia are of volcanic origin. Thus, on predominant acidic igneous rocks, soils of moderate quality are formed. Volcanic ones are much preferable in this regard. rocks of medium composition, especially those found in the east and central part of Java, Bali, as well as on the Batak plateau with Lake Toba located in its center in Sumatra. As a result, the best soil types for agriculture were formed precisely on the basis of this original volcanic material, which at one time was picked up by a flow of water and then deposited in valleys in the middle or lower reaches of rivers confined to eastern and middle parts of Java, southern Bali and northern -east of Sumatra. Other, smaller areas of fertile soil, scattered throughout many areas of the country, appeared as a result of the direct eruption of lava of intermediate composition.
Natural vegetation. Due to the hot and humid climate, the variety of terrain, as well as geographical location Indonesia has an unusually rich and diverse flora, including about 35 thousand species. With the exception of Java and Bali, approximately 90% of the country is covered by forests. This is largely secondary forest (belukar), which is quite common in those parts of the Outer Islands where slash-and-burn farming is practiced. In drier areas with less dense woody vegetation, when using a similar management system, it was often completely replaced by the tough local lalang grass. Evergreen wet a tropical forest, predominantly distributed in Indonesia, consists of three separate tiers. The uppermost of them is formed by more or less separately standing trees, reaching a height of about 50 m. The middle tier, made up of a continuous layer of lush crowns of trees half the height, rises noticeably above the lower one, which is a dense interweaving of undergrowth, shrubs and various small plants. Many of the tree species in these vast forests are of undeniable commercial value. Several local varieties of palm trees provide important products for villagers such as sago, coconuts, sugar, palm sap, roofing materials, etc. In less dense monsoon forests, confined to those areas where less than 1900 mm of precipitation falls annually, teak is of particular importance, as well as numerous types of bamboo, providing the population with cheap material for construction work and various handicrafts. Eucalyptus and other Australian species of flora are also common in southeastern Indonesia. In all parts of the country, the vegetation of the coastal strip differs from the inland vegetation. The accumulation of silt deposits on the coast creates conditions for the formation of mangrove swamps. A sandy seashore free of such sediments looks completely different, with a beach fringed by various salt-tolerant species of flora, including graceful casuarinas and coconut trees. It also has its own special character in highland areas, where at a level from 460 to 900 m plants of the temperate climate zone gradually begin to predominate, and from 1500 to 1850 m they are replaced by mountain hylea, or moss tropical forest.
Fauna. The amazing diversity of Indonesia's fauna is based on the same factors that make it unique. flora of this country. An imaginary line drawn by an English naturalist of the 19th century. A.R. Wallace along the outer edge of the Sunda continental shelf, east of Kalimantan and Java, outlines the approximate boundary that separates the Asian fauna (in the west) and the Australian fauna (in the east). Accordingly, such large animals as the elephant, rhinoceros, tiger and orangutan live to the west of the designated border, and smaller monkeys are also found to the east - on the islands of Sulawesi and Timor. Many Asian species of birds, reptiles and insects (including butterflies) extend even further east. As one moves east of this line, the number of Australian animal species invariably increases, which is especially noticeable in Irian Jaya, where marsupials are characteristic. The onset of civilization led to a significant reduction in the populations of large mammals. For example, wild elephants are found today only in Sumatra, which, by the way, has more such animal species (elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, tapirs, orangutans) than on any other island in Indonesia. The next place after Sumatra is Kalimantan, where rhinoceroses, tapirs, leopards and orangutans live. In Java, besides the extremely rare tiger, the most famous local large mammal is the wild ox, or banteng. Snakes and crocodiles are common in most parts of Indonesia, and the humble island of Komodo, lying between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores, is a constant tourist attraction for its giant reptile known as the Komodo dragon. The country's avifauna is unusually rich, represented especially widely on the islands of the southeast by such extremely exotic and variegated birds as the bird of paradise, peacock, hornbill, and cassowary. Added to this is a truly endless number of varieties of parrots of all sizes.
POPULATION
Demographic characteristics. In 1995, Indonesia's population was estimated at 194.8 million, placing it fourth in the world after China, India and the United States. From the beginning of the 19th century. Indonesia's population increased rapidly. In the 1960s and 1970s, its growth rate was approximately 2% per year, and in 1990-1995 it decreased to 1.7%.
Location and population density. The population is unevenly distributed across the country's more than 13 thousand islands. For example, Java, occupying only approx. 7% of Indonesia's area, is home to almost 3/5 of all its inhabitants. In 1995, Java and the nearby island of Madura had extremely high population densities: approx. 870 people per 1 sq. km. The opposite picture is observed in Irian Jaya: only 1% of its inhabitants are concentrated on 22% of the country’s territory, which gives an indicator of approximately 4.6 people per 1 sq. km. Kalimantan, covered with tropical rain forests, also belongs to the sparsely populated areas of Indonesia; by 1995, its population density averaged 19 people per square meter. km. In Java, agriculture is reduced mainly to work in constantly irrigated rice fields (sawah). In Kalimantan, they mainly use the slash-and-burn farming system (ladang), in which semi-nomadic tribes cut down and burn young forests. You can harvest a crop from a rain-fed plot created in this way, and then you need to move to a new place and repeat this entire cycle. Irrigated arable land does not have similar restrictions on the duration of continuous use. It is no coincidence that throughout Indonesia, irrigated agriculture is accompanied by a high degree of habitability of the territory, while sparsely populated areas are characterized by reliance on cuttings.

With the goal of achieving a more even distribution of the population across the country, the Indonesian government embarked on a controversial program that involved relocating some of Java's residents to underdeveloped areas such as Irian Jaya and Kalimantan. However, the positive effect from the implementation of this program was minimal.
Urbanization. In Indonesia, as in most developing countries, there is a tendency towards an accelerated outflow of population from villages. Since 1940 the total population largest cities country increased 10 times. This process is especially pronounced in Java. According to estimates in the mid-1990s, Jakarta has a population of approx. 10 million people, in Surabaya 3.5 million, Bandung over 3 million, in Semarang 2.1 million people. The leading centers of urbanization in Sumatra include Medan (which dominates its north), Palembang (the largest city on the island) and Padang (the main port on the west coast of Sumatra). In Sulawesi, the most significant is Ujungpandang (formerly Makassar), and in Kalimantan - Banjarmasin.
Ethnic composition of the population and languages. In Indonesia, approx. 300 ethnic and tribal groups, each with its own language, customs and social organization. The most numerous of them are Javanese; their share in the country's population is 40-45%. Other major ethnicities include the Sundanese from western Java, the Minangkabau from western Sumatra, the Balinese from Bali, the Toba Batak from northeast Sumatra, and the Acehn from the north of the same island. In addition, many small nations with local habitats are represented. The languages ​​of the country's indigenous ethnic groups differ significantly from each other, although they all belong to the Malayo-Polynesian language family. The only exceptions are the Papuan languages, which are spoken in Irian Jaya and other areas of eastern Indonesia. In 1945, a single national language was adopted - Bahasa Indonesia. It is based on Malay, which at one time acted as the main language of trade and communication between the inhabitants of the archipelago. Bahasa Indonesia is taught in all schools and is the language spoken by educated and urban Indonesians. In rural areas, in casual settings at home or in conversation with friends, regional languages ​​such as Javanese, Sundanese and Madurese are often used.
Religious composition of the population. Four major religions coexist in Indonesia - Islam, Buddhism, Animism and Christianity - covering different linguistic and social groups. The vast majority of Indonesians (almost 90%) are Muslim. Although in some parts of Indonesia (Sumatra, west Java and south-east Kalimantan) Muslims strictly observe Islam, in other places the religion is generally heavily influenced by Buddhism and animist beliefs. Almost without exception, the inhabitants of Bali practice Hinduism, influenced by Buddhism, while the majority of the Chinese remain adherents of Buddhism and Confucianism. In inland areas Animism is widespread on the islands - the belief that the world is filled with all kinds of spirits hiding in volcanoes, wind, rivers, trees, rocks, graves, daggers, gongs, drums, etc.

In the 1990s, Christians - Catholics and representatives of Protestant churches - made up almost 10% of the population. Christians are represented in all parts of the country, but are concentrated mainly in the provinces of North Sumatra, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, Central Java, Irian Jaya as well as in the metropolitan area.
STATE STRUCTURE
Indonesia is a unitary state with a presidential form of government. The Constitution declared the creation of the People's Consultative Congress (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat) as the highest legislative body, and entrusted current legislation to the Council of People's Representatives: (Dewan Pewakillan Rakyat), which performs the functions of the US House of Representatives rather than the English House of Commons. The Constitution also provides for the functioning on an equal basis with the President of the Supreme Advisory Council, the State Audit Office and Supreme Court. However, the constitution does not define ways to control the actions of the executive branch in order to ensure a balance of political forces at the national level. For more than 30 years, President Suharto ruled under the regime of his proclaimed New Order (1966-1998), giving himself the final say in governing the country. After Suharto's resignation in May 1998, Indonesia entered a period of radical changes. The New Order regime declared its legitimacy by declaring in the preamble of the program document its loyalty to the revolutionary Constitution of 1945 and the national ideology of Pancha Sila. In 1966, the army removed President Sukarno from his duties, entrusting them to Major General Suharto. Suharto officially assumed the presidency in 1968 and remained there until 1998, when popular demonstrations and weakening support from the military and bureaucracy forced him to resign. Suharto's replacement, Vice President Baharudin Yusuf Habibie, faced widespread demands for political change.
Political organizations. Suharto's long tenure at the highest government position gave him the opportunity to implement long-term political measures. The most important of them was securing the right of the military to take direct part in governing the country and in political actions. Under Suharto, the official doctrine of dwi fungsi (“dual function”) made the military responsible not only for the security of the country, but also for socio-political activity. Officers, predominantly from army units, took up positions at all levels and in all areas of the government apparatus. Suharto appointed military ministers, Supreme Court judges, provincial governors, district chiefs, and even village chiefs. About 20% of parliamentary seats in parliament, provincial and district legislatures were allocated to the military, and in those geographical areas of the country where the pro-government Golkar Party was unable to win a majority, the presence of deputies from the officer corps invariably strengthened its position. Suharto sought to give his regime a democratic face. For this purpose, the political party Golkar (from “golongan karya” - functional groups) was founded, which united civil servants, officers and, to a lesser extent, various members of the so-called functional groups themselves (students, peasants, women, etc.). Suharto allowed political organizations that did not enjoy the support of the authorities to function, but after the 1971 elections he forced the 9 existing parties to merge into two parties. Small nationalist and Christian parties created the Indonesian Democratic Party, and in place of the four Muslim parties a new Unity and Development Party emerged. Under Suharto, elections to the national, provincial and district legislatures were held in 1971, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992 and 1997. In each case, the election campaign lasted a few weeks. Moreover, the authorities decided which candidates were worthy of nomination and determined the very nature of the campaign. Golkar consistently won landslide victories, collecting between 62 and 74% of the vote. The Unity and Development Party, relying on Muslims and constituting the main opposition force, once received a quarter of the votes, and the Indonesian Democratic Party had its best figure of 15% (1992). 400 deputies were elected to the Council of People's Representatives from party lists (425 in 1997), and another 100 (75 in 1997) were delegated by military circles. These 500 people, together with another 500 allocated by the President, constituted the People's Consultative Congress. The Constitution, while providing for the creation of both bodies, did not detail the mechanism of their formation and did not contain indications of their quantitative composition. Under Suharto, the Council met regularly throughout the year to discuss laws proposed by the executive branch. Congress held its session once every 5 years to elect a president (each time it was Suharto) and a vice president and approve the “Main Directions of State Policy.” Voters took part in the elections of each of the two levels of local councils. These bodies were even weaker than the legislative branch as a whole. Although Suharto allowed the Soviets to nominate and select provincial governors and district chiefs, he reserved the right of direct appointment to these posts, ignoring the decisions of said Councils. The Ministry of Internal Affairs controlled from the capital the activities of the executive and legislative bodies in the provinces, dictated their line of conduct and even prescribed what laws and orders they should adopt. Immediately after Suharto's resignation, all the foundations of the political system he created were criticized. Reformers are demanding the removal of the military from legislative bodies and the expansion of the Council of People's Representatives through the People's Consultative Congress in order to make indirect presidential elections more democratic. High-ranking local officials, including even those appointed by Suharto personally, speak out in favor of increasing their independence in resolving political and economic issues. Foreign policy Suharto was pragmatic, but in recent years he has been looking, as the Indonesians say, for ways to pursue a “more active and independent course.” In the early 1990s, Indonesia played a key role in ending the Cambodian civil war. In 1991, Jakarta took over the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, and since the early 1990s it has become the site of informal meetings of representatives of countries involved in a conflict with China over the delimitation of territorial waters in the South China Sea. In 1994, Indonesia hosted the annual forum of heads of state of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Organization, at which Suharto convinced his colleagues of the need to draw up a timeline for transforming the region into a free trade zone. In the early 1960s, Indonesia was in tense relations with its neighbors, especially Singapore and Malaysia. Suharto's efforts were concentrated on the creation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the creation of which was initiated by Indonesia in 1967. This organization has few specific goals, but is valued for the opportunity for contacts between the leaders of the countries of the region. However, Indonesian-Malaysian relations have been complicated by territorial disputes, illegal labor migration from Indonesia to Malaysia, and the flight of rebels from the Sumatran province of Aceh to Malaysia in the early 1990s. Under Suharto's rule, Indonesia maintained close political ties with the United States, Japan and most Western European countries. This position was not unexpected, given the fact that Suharto came to power as a result of the defeat of the Indonesian Communist Party, at that time the third largest among the communist parties in the world. Relations with the PRC, which helped the Indonesian communists, were officially frozen until 1990.
ECONOMY
The Indonesian economy suffered a 15% contraction in 1998. The 1997 crisis hit Indonesia particularly hard and undermined President Suharto, creating the country's worst political situation since the mid-1960s. A number of internal factors made economic situation Indonesia is more difficult than other Asian countries. Members of the Suharto family and his friends had various privileges, including receiving low-interest loans from state banks and monopoly rights to exploit natural resources. In addition, almost all foreigners who wanted to invest heavily in the Indonesian economy were convinced of the need to attract one of Suharto's children or old friends as business partners. Although the crisis has exposed many shadows, most economists and businessmen believe that in the long term, Indonesia will have a favorable economic future based on the rich natural resources. The share of agricultural production in gross domestic product (GDP) gradually declined from about 1/3 in the early 1970s to 22% in the mid-1980s and to 16% in 1997. In contrast, the share of industry increased from ca. 7% in 1970 to 16% in 1985 and to 25% in 1997. The role of the oil and gas industry, which in the 1970s created an average of 30% of GDP and only 14% in 1990 and 6% in 1997, has especially decreased.
Economic history. After 30 years of sustained economic growth When Indonesia won independence in 1949, its economy consisted of two sectors. One of them included plantations, mines, oil fields, oil refineries and other large industrial plants. At all these facilities, the production process was mechanized, technologically developed and provided with skillful management. The other sector consisted of peasant farms and small-scale industry, often in the form of cottage industries. If we abstract from several large sugar plantations, then until 1830 the main suppliers of agricultural products on the islands of the archipelago remained the farms of peasants and small tenants. At one time, the Dutch traded with villagers mainly through Chinese intermediaries. However, after the Napoleonic wars, the authorities introduced the so-called "system of forced crops", which boiled down to the compulsory supply of export agricultural products by local farmers. Later, the main emphasis was placed on the development of the plantation sector. Until the end of the 19th century. economic activity The Dutch war unfolded mainly in the hinterlands of Javanese seaports. Steam engines appeared on the archipelago back in 1825 and were first used on civilian and military sea ​​vessels. By the early 1880s, the process of mechanization of the powerful sugar industry, linked to transport and other types of production infrastructure in Java, was almost completed. According to some experts in the economic history of Southeast Asia, in 1900 on a par with such leading industrial centers Asia, like Calcutta, Mumyai (formerly Bombay) and Osaka, stood Surabaya on the northeast coast of Java. The most active mining and oil industries, as well as the enterprises processing their products, began to develop in the Outer Islands of Indonesia, especially in Sumatra. This not only increased employment and wealth for local residents, but also contributed to rapid population growth. Residents of these territories were forced to return to the village, where they looked for work in traditional peasant farms, as well as in cottage industries. Traces of the dualistic system still persist in the post-colonial Indonesian economy. Rapid change was achieved thanks to decisive government action, first taken in the 1970s agriculture, and in the 1980s in modern industries. The importance of oil for the Indonesian economy. In the 1970s and early 1980s, oil production was the most important industry in Indonesia, the only Asian member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Indonesia's economic policy has changed several times depending on how things are going with oil production and sales. Thus, from the mid-1960s until the beginning of the oil boom in the 1970s, the investment climate in the country was very sensitive to the demands and needs of private capital, especially when it came to mobile Chinese investors and multinational companies. During the oil boom, which lasted from 1974 to 1982, the market-friendly policies of the Indonesian government were replaced by a regime of tighter government control of the economy. With the end of the surge in world oil prices in the early and mid-1980s, a phase of rollback from state regulation of the economy began, many of the policies of previous years were canceled and gave way to previous policies. The sharp fall in foreign exchange earnings, which accompanied the fall in global liquid fuel prices, forced Indonesia to expand exports of other products. In 1997, more than $11 billion worth of oil and gas was supplied to the world market, which was equal to 22% of the value of all exports.
Economic planning. After 1969, the Indonesian government began planned economic development based on a 25-year program that included five five-year plans (repelitas). The political and economic crisis of 1997-1998 led to the failure of the Seventh Five-Year Plan.
The economic growth. Before the rise in world oil prices (1967-1973), Indonesia's average annual GDP growth was determined by impressive figure 7.9%, with financial structures and construction developing most rapidly. From 1973 to 1981, GDP growth slowed to 7.5% per year, led by the same financial sector and manufacturing industries. The decline to 4.3% between 1981 and 1988 was a consequence of declining revenues from oil and gas exports. From 1989 to 1996, the efforts of the central authorities aimed at developing export industries led to an increase in GDP of more than 7% per year. But the most impressive thing was the increase in the cost of services and the number of employees in the tertiary sector. Average annual per capita income reached $1,000 in 1997, but the recession, widespread unemployment and a sharp decline in the Indonesian rupiah caused the figure to drop to $400 in 1998.
Public education and labor resources. Large government investments in primary school development in the 1970s led to a rise in literacy rates from 47% in 1961 to 89% in 1997. The industrialization process of the 1980s and 1990s created a shortage of skilled labor in Indonesia. The workforce should annually be replenished by approximately 2.5 million young men and women, of whom only a portion are employed in big cities at enterprises and construction sites. Most Indonesians who fail to find a place in the formal sector usually seek employment in the informal structures found in urban centers. In the mid-1990s, unemployment was particularly pronounced among those with a college degree.
Agriculture. A little less than 1/4 of the total area is suitable for cultivation in the country. The islands of Java, Madura and Bali, which together occupy only 7% of Indonesia's territory, account for approx. 40% of cultivated land. Primarily rice, cassava and corn are grown for domestic consumption, while palm oil, rubber, coffee, cocoa and tea are primarily grown for export. In addition, sugar, spices and timber are also supplied on a large scale to foreign markets. During the period of the first three five-year plans, the government spent considerable resources on stimulating the country's agricultural production, paying particular attention to the development of irrigation, the creation of infrastructure, and the dissemination of new varieties of cultivated plants among peasants. As a result, Indonesia was able to move to self-sufficiency in rice in 1984. The drought and economic crisis that broke out in 1997 necessitated the resumption of rice imports. Already in the late 1960s, Indonesia had become one of the world's leading exporters of wood. However, the forestry industry has a bad reputation due to poor management and corruption. Concessions were awarded to power-friendly businessmen and covered millions of hectares in Sumatra, Kalimantan, the Maluku Islands and Irian Jaya. In 1979, the government banned the sale of unprocessed round timber abroad, and therefore a line was approved for the construction of enterprises for the production of forest products. In the 1990s, there were over 200 plywood enterprises in the country. Their capacity has exceeded the annual growth of timber resources, and in the absence of effective government oversight, private companies have destroyed millions of hectares of forests, especially in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya, without spending almost any effort on reforestation.
Service sector. Over the past 30 years, wholesale and retail trade enterprises, hotels, restaurants, transport, communications, financial services, various professional services, etc. provided 35-40% of GDP; in the mid-1990s, this figure reached 41%. In the 1970s, the authorities made large investments in roads and communications. Rail and sea transport continued to develop slowly, but in automobile and air traffic there has been significant progress. For example, the bus fleet grew by 2,600% from the late 1960s to the early 1990s, and air cargo transportation showed almost equally high dynamics. In the late 1980s, the weakening of government control over banking caused its expansion and vigorous transformation. The network of banks expanded dramatically from a few dozen in 1987 to 250 in the mid-1990s. Since the late 1980s, the government has taken steps to encourage international tourism. In the 1970s and 1980s, the flow of tourists to Indonesia from abroad increased slowly and in 1987 did not exceed 1 million people per year. In 1992, this figure was 3 million people and, apparently, would have reached 5 million people in 1997, if there had not been massive forest fires and then an economic crisis.
International trade. For more than 100 years, a focus on export industries has been the cornerstone of Indonesia's economic policy. Dutch at the end of the 19th century. stimulated those industries that provided the European manufacturing industry with raw materials, primarily tin, tobacco, sugar, rubber and oil. President Suharto, who led the country from the second half of the 1960s, focused on oil supplies abroad. The maximum supply occurred in 1981 ($22 billion). During 1980-1986, world prices fell from 40 to 10 dollars per barrel. As a result, export earnings from oil sales fell to less than $8 billion in the late 1980s, after which relative stabilization began. A slight rise in oil prices in 1990-1997 increased its average annual exports to $10.7 billion. The state’s desire to expand production and sales abroad of other goods, in addition to oil and natural gas, brought an undoubted positive result. In the 10 years preceding the crisis, exports expanded from $11.5 billion in 1988 to $41.8 billion in 1997. The country became one of the world's largest suppliers of plywood, ranking in the late 1980s. prominently as an exporter of fabrics and garments, footwear, furniture, cement, ferrous metals and glassware. Among the countries to which exports are made: Japan (23.4%), USA (13.4), Singapore (10.2), countries of the European Union (15.1) (data for 1997). Once a major importer of mineral fertilizers, rice, sugar, and some pharmaceuticals, Indonesia in the 1980s imported iron ore, automation equipment, plastics, and chemical products in increasing quantities. In 1985, 1986 and 1987 the government announced significant relaxation of import controls. Among the countries that supplied goods to Indonesia in 1997: Japan (19.8%), USA (13.1), Singapore (8.2), Australia (6.8), South Korea (5,6).
Manufacturing industry. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the production of consumer goods actively increased. The influx of petrodollars between 1974 and 1981 allowed the government to focus on stimulating a number of heavy industries, such as automobiles, iron and steel, and cement. Private sector gives preference to investment in labor-intensive industries: textiles, clothing, footwear, as well as in enterprises that rely on a strong raw material base within the country - furniture, pulp and paper, etc. In the heavy industry sectors associated with the use of non-metallic minerals and chemical raw materials, the most characteristic in the 1990s were three areas of economic activity: oil refining, production of mineral fertilizers and cement. In ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, the leading position was occupied by two large complex- a steel smelting plant in Chilegon and an aluminum smelter in Asahan. In the mid-1990s, the country's first petrochemical complex, located near Chilegon, was put into operation, and construction of a second one began in Tuban. In the 1990s, cement production increased rapidly, driven by the growing needs of the construction industry. Despite cross-industry shifts, almost 1/2 of the value of Indonesia's manufacturing output in the 1990s was in the food and beverage sector (food, beverages, tobacco).
Foreign investment. A serious attempt to reduce government intervention in the investment sphere was made after the fall in world oil prices in the early 1980s. The plump and puzzling code with a detailed listing of areas of the economy open to foreign investment was replaced in 1989 by a small “prohibitive” list, which indicated areas of activity closed to foreign investors. At the end of 1998, the government revised this list towards its reduction. In a number of economic sectors, since 1994, the practice permitted since the late 1960s has been further expanded, allowing the creation of firms with 100% foreign capital participation, especially provided that the bulk of the products produced are exported. From 1967 to mid-1998, the Indonesian government approved a total of approximately 6,200 non-oil investment proposals from abroad, valued at $217 billion. Approximately 35-40% of these agreements were implemented. In 1995, the readiness for non-oil capital investments on the part of foreign entrepreneurs was expressed in a record figure of $39.9 billion. As the main external source investment was led by Japan, followed by South Korea, Hong Kong (Hong Kong) and the USA; foreign companies invested primarily in the oil and gas sector.
Government revenues and expenses. Since 1969, the authorities have focused on the adoption of balanced budgets. This practice continued until 1998/1999 financial year, but the balance of the state budget was maintained only thanks to pre-accounted foreign aid and loans on the external and domestic capital markets.
External debt. Since the mid-1960s, foreign loans have played an important role in the Indonesian economy. At the end of the same decade, members of an ad hoc consortium known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Indonesia (IGI) began meeting annually. They were chaired by the Commissioner from the Netherlands with the participation of representatives from 13 countries, as well as from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank. At these meetings, responsibilities for providing loans to Indonesia on preferential terms were distributed. In 1992, due to disagreements between Indonesia and the Netherlands, the consortium was renamed the Indonesia Consultative Group, headed by a French representative. On average, Indonesia was provided with an amount of about $5 billion per year, and in 1998 it increased to $7.9 billion. At the time when Indonesia was struck by the economic crisis in mid-1997, its public debt amounted to a total of 70-75 billion .dollars
SOCIETY
Social structure. Indonesia is a country with an extremely complex social structure, further complicated by the presence of more than 300 ethnic groups. For example, in Java, a typical family consists of a married couple and children, is independent in everyday life and does not maintain close ties with other relatives. Meanwhile, complex families are common in Bali, where several brothers with wives and children live with their parents.
Rural society. Although the urban population continues to grow, Indonesia remains predominantly a country of villages. Much of the population of Java and Bali is included in rice-growing communities. Once upon a time, during the period of the Indo-Javanese principalities of the 8th-13th centuries, these territories were under the strong influence of Hinduism. Many Javanese are considered Muslims, however, even today in the coastal regions of Java, from where in the 15th and 16th centuries. Islam began to spread, and some Hindu and Buddhist traditions are still present. Borrowed ideas about castes and the special hierarchical system emerging on their basis, which took root primarily in Java during the period of Dutch rule, did not disappear either. At the very top of this social pyramid are the descendants of the former royal family, the next layer is formed by civil servants - priyais, who occupy administrative positions in the villages. However, the majority of the population of Java and Bali are peasants who earn their livelihood by working in the flooded fields. Another social group in Indonesia is formed by Muslim maritime communities, whose culture dates back to the 14th century, when, through the Malay-speaking inhabitants of southern Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, Islam began to spread to northern Sumatra, west and east Java, Madura, Lombok, Sumbawa and others. Lesser Sunda Islands, covering southern Sulawesi and some of the Maluku Islands. The Islamized population prefers Malay, Arabic and other varieties of Muslim literature and music; the denomination tries to regularly send pilgrims to Mecca and fulfill all other requirements of Islam. More inclined to trade than Hindu citizens, local Muslims are also involved in fishing, growing cash crops such as rubber, and, as in the past, in home-based crafts. In addition, they easily move along trade routes connecting the country’s port cities. Ethnic groups that fully meet this characteristic include the Bugis and Makassars of southern Sulawesi, the Javanese of the northern and eastern coasts of Java, the Malays of the coastal regions of Sumatra and Kalimantan, and the Minangkabau, Acehnese and Bima who partly live in Sumatra. A huge number of small tribal groups - many of them maintaining animistic beliefs - can be found in the interior of Kalimantan and Sulawesi, in several areas of the Lesser Sunda and Moluccas Islands. Some of these tribes, until very recently, were isolated from the outside world, while others, in contact with the inhabitants of the coast through an extensive system of trade relations, managed to experience all the pros and cons of Dutch rule in their time. Some tribes lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle: after clearing and cultivating the plots, they grow corn, rice, and various root crops, and then leave them for several years. Other sources of food include hunting, fishing, and the cultivation of coconut and sago palms. Communities are usually built on the basis of kinship, and in them, to varying degrees, preference is given to egalitarian or hierarchical principles. After the defeat of the Communists in 1965, many tribal groups began to convert to Christianity, while a significant number of converts continued to profess animism.
Urban society. Unlike the village population, the urban community in any part of Indonesia has more or less similar social structure. Therefore, all the differences between the country’s major cities are explained rather by historical circumstances, such as the distinct influence of the Dutch colonial period (which is still noticeable in the architecture of Ambon and Manado) or the presence of national minorities there (for example, the largest community of ethnic Chinese in the archipelago is in the city of Medan) . In both large and small cities across the country, the non-Chinese elite consists of government officials, senior army officers and leading politicians. This layer of the elite also includes individual entrepreneurs, doctors, university teachers, and artists, whose professional authority increases their chances of occupying an administrative or political position. The social status of such people is determined not only by their financial independence, but also by a certain degree of cosmopolitanism. Those who belong to the elite usually know one of the European languages ​​(in former times Dutch, now English), are familiar with the problems of Europe and America, and have a university education. Although such qualities significantly separate them from ordinary compatriots, in private life many of those included in the elite adhere to national traditions- for example, they wear a sarong at home, prefer rice to other foods, etc. The urban middle class includes clerical and clerical workers, teachers, mid-level army and police officers, merchants, and some artisans. While inferior to government officials in their social status and level of education, merchants and artisans often surpass them in income. Indonesians belong to the lower classes of urban society. performing low-prestige and low-paid work as factory workers, servants or pedicabs. This layer also includes those who earn meager means in the so-called “informal” sector of the economy - newspaper sellers, street food vendors, unofficial car guards in parking lots, prostitutes, traditional healers, etc. In both cities and towns, the poor live in kampungs, which are village-like clusters of shacks somewhere in the business center or on the outskirts of the city. In the capital, some low-income residents spend the night in their pedicabs, under bridges, and sometimes camp on the sidewalks. Indonesian urban society is pluralistic in the sense that each social group lives in a separate area or block. Thus, the elite is concentrated in cities, the lower classes are concentrated in kampungs, and traders and artisans often prefer special commercialized Islamic quarters, the so-called. Kaumans.
Chinese. Although the Chinese have lived on the islands of the archipelago for centuries, the indigenous Indonesians (Pribumi) continue to treat them as a separate group of the population, and the majority of the Chinese themselves also consider themselves in some sense a special part of the population. In Indonesia, it is customary to distinguish the Peranakan Chinese, or Baba, who trace their origins from the marriages of local women and Chinese men who arrived in the country at the end of the 19th century, from the Totok Chinese, who moved to the archipelago in the present century. During the independence period, the Indonesian government sought to prevent immigration from China, and under the New Order, severe restrictions were placed on travel to China, the public use of the Chinese language, and the use of Chinese names. During the colonial period, Chinese settlers were especially important as coolies and laborers of various kinds who were employed as indentured servants in the tin mines and rubber plantations of Sumatra. Even today, the largest Chinese communities can be found in areas and cities associated with colonial trade in the past, such as north coast Java or the city of Medan in northern Sumatra, in the vicinity of which there were plantations. Under the New Order, the Chinese were, as a rule, driven out of active political life and from government and military service. Most of them are involved in commercial activities as shopkeepers, petty traders and moneylenders. Contrary to the indigenous image of the Chinese as successful and wealthy business people, the bulk of the Chinese community lives modestly.
The status of women. The country is characterized by a high social status of women. Social antagonism between the sexes, misogyny and other similar phenomena that have become commonplace in most regions are observed relatively rarely. In certain segments of the population, women enjoy considerable authority due to their key role in bringing families together through marriage, which has traditionally been accompanied by complex wedding ceremonies. With legal equality, women can inherit property, except under Sharia law, which is fully observed only by a devout minority. Indonesian women have achieved considerable success in small business, but rarely occupy high positions in the field of entrepreneurship and government. Even among zealous Muslims, women in Indonesia do not adhere to a reclusive lifestyle, are not limited in movement and do not cover their faces, but only cover their heads with a headscarf. The importance of women in the national culture of Indonesia and most of its regional and ethnic groups is symbolized by the widely celebrated holiday in honor of Princess Kartini. At the beginning of the 20th century. this Javanese princess initiated a movement to change the status of Indonesian women in accordance with the demands of the times. Youth actively participated in guerrilla warfare in the jungle and in various battles, particularly in the defense of Surabaya. It is no coincidence that many main avenues and famous architectural structures in cities bear names such as Ute Street (Youth Street) or Ute Hall (Youth Hall). All major political parties have their own youth organizations. Student support for the army contributed to the suppression of the communist coup in the mid-1960s and facilitated Suharto's rise to power, and they widely opposed Suharto in the 1970s. In the 1980s, attempts were made to dampen student political activism, but it flared up again in the next decade, becoming a major factor in Suharto's resignation.
Trade union movement. In the early 1990s, the only legally recognized trade union body was the government-controlled All Indonesian Workers' Federation (AFWF), formed by retired army officers in 1967 after the collapse of the trade union movement. The newly formed independent trade union Setia Kavan (Solidarity) in 1990 was still recognized by the government three years later. The number of strikes in Indonesia increased markedly starting around 1990, peaking with the Medan (north Sumatra) workers' uprising in 1994. The reasons for the deaths of young women activists in East Java in 1993 are still unclear; Human rights advocates blame the security services for the crime.
CULTURE
Cultural influences. The Malay-Polynesian origin of the country's indigenous population is evidenced by the high social status of women and the symbolic meaning attached to boats. The multi-layered cultural fabric is the result of the collective creative efforts of the various peoples who came to the archipelago. Hinduism and Buddhism, which came to the islands primarily from India and from the 8th century, consistently had their impact on the original cultural basis of Indonesia. successfully established in Java and Bali; Islam, introduced in the 14th century. from the Middle East as merchants and preachers; European traditions that were introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century. and then by the Dutch until the beginning of the 19th century. National local culture, itself to a certain extent the result of all these influences, came to the fore after the declaration of Indonesian independence in 1945. An example of the combination of Hindu influence and local tradition is the famous Javanese shadow theater (wayang kulit), which also exists in Bali. During the performance, the puppeteer (dalang) moves leather puppet figures in front of an oil lamp, casting a shadow on a special white screen. The wayang kulit performance, which lasts all night, is not only a performance, but also a kind of ritual performance. Acting out scenes from the Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata serves to glorify the gods, pacify the spirits and enrich the souls of the audience. It can be assumed that the ancient art of wayang kulit originated in China or in the southern part of India, but most likely it originated in Indonesia.

According to some estimates, there are 40 times more puppet troupes per person in Java than in the United States, and, of course, this ratio is no less in Bali. The types of traditional puppet theater in Java include wayang kulit (leather puppets), wayang golek (wooden puppets) and wayang wong, in which live dancers skillfully imitate the clumsy movements of puppets. In addition to its own varieties of puppet theater, Bali has its own special dances, such as kecak (monkey) or kris (dagger), depicting a duel between a witch and a dragon. It should be added that an orchestra of local percussion instruments (gamelan) is also popular on both of these islands, with fast rhythms preferred in Bali, and smooth melodies in Java. Islam had an important, although less noticeable, influence on the culture and art of Indonesia. Suffice it to recall the Arabic gambusan orchestra, the Malay dance penjak silat with elements of judo wrestling, or the recitation of verses from the Koran - a skill that is highly valued and rewarded accordingly in competitions. Finally, thanks to Muslim preachers, many religious books appeared in the country in Malay and Arabic. At the beginning of the 20th century. Modern Indonesian literature, closely connected with the national liberation movement, arose and began to develop. The first of these, the Balay Pustaka (Good Reading Society), which was founded by the colonial government in 1917 and continues to operate more than 80 years later, has gained considerable popularity by publishing works by Indonesian authors. The second organization, the small-circulation magazine Pujanga Baru (New Writer), was created in 1933 by three young writers from Sumatra - Takdir Alishahban, Ain Pane and Amir Hamzah, who declared their desire to express the spiritual world of their country in literary form. The works published by Balay Pustaka and Pujanga Baru often depicted the struggles of young Indonesians whose path to freedom and progress was blocked by the barriers of family tradition and ancestral vestiges. After the fall of the colonial regime, Indonesian literature experienced sharp turn, when memories of the years of Japanese occupation inspired the caustic prose of Idrus, the passionate poetry of Khairil Anwar and the magnificent memoirs of Pramudya Ananta Toor. Among the many talented poets who came to literature in the years after the country gained independence, we can highlight such names as Aip Rosidi, Subagio Sastrovardojo, Willibrodus S. Rendra. Moreover, Rendra distinguished himself not only in poetry, but also in drama, as evidenced by his satirical play Barzanji (celebration of the birth of Muhammad) and the translation into Indonesian of the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. Indonesia has a distinct tradition in contemporary fine art, with the works of its artists combining international and Indonesian themes and techniques. Two fine arts academies - in Bandung and Yogyakarta - were established in Java in the 1950s. The early works of Bandung Academy painters Popo Iskandar, Mokhtar Apin and Srihadi Sudarsono reflected primarily European and American themes, while paintings by Affandi, Hendra and Sujoyono, former Yogyakarta Academy graduates, depicted the country's struggle to free itself from Dutch colonial rule. In the 1960s, two new art academies opened in Indonesia, one in the capital Jakarta and the other in Denpasar, Bali. On this island, in Ubud, there is also a wonderful academy of painting and carving. Indonesian Muslim artists such as A.F. Pirous created many paintings based on texts from the Koran. In the late 1960s, a number of local artists worked to use the traditional batik technique of painting fabric with melted wax before dyeing it to create a new genre, batik painting. Many of Indonesia's minorities produce fine lace fabrics with intricate designs, and wood and bone carvings are also prominent. A significant part of the products is produced taking into account the growing demand for them from foreign tourists and collectors.
Mass media. Government controls over the press, tightened in 1974 following riots in Jakarta, were loosened in the 1980s. In 1994, three reputable periodicals were closed, including the reputable and respectable weekly magazine Tempo. Radio and television were controlled even more strictly. There was only one national broadcasting corporation in the country, Radio Republic Indonesia, managed by the Ministry of Information. In addition to news, it broadcasts wayang kulit performances and various other cultural events, as well as special educational programs. But even keeping the public informed of official news required private local radio stations, which began to emerge as Indonesia's economy boomed and formed a network of alternative sources of information. Until 1989, private television was not allowed in the country and only the state corporation “Television of the Republic of Indonesia” existed. The first private channel, Rajwali Citra Televisi Indonesia, founded by one of President Suharto's sons, began operating in March 1989. Two years later, another private channel, Televisi Pendikan Indonesia, was created by one of Suharto's daughters to show educational programs, and then three more appeared. private television stations.
Public education. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the country successfully invested heavily in primary school. In 1997, up to 95% of children aged 7-12 years old attended school, in the age cohort of 13-15 years this figure drops to 77% and in the cohort of 16-18 years old to 48%. Only 10% of the population over 10 years of age have not completed primary school, which means approx. 10% remain illiterate. 16% received higher education. The Ministry of School Education and Culture, created in 1961, manages subordinate institutions, striving to unify the educational process and making general statewide requirements regarding the curriculum and textbooks, teaching methods, principles of administrative structure and the fundamentals of training teaching staff. Classes in schools are conducted mainly in national language. Candidates for admission to secondary school or universities take exams. Thus, the goal of the school education system in Indonesia is to achieve the integrity of the culture of the state. The Indonesian Institute for Scientific Research (Lembaga ilmu pengatahuan Indonesia), located in Jakarta, serves as the main sponsor of scientific activities, including planning, publications and conferences. In the 1980-1990s, the Agency for Technical Development and Implementation, headed by B.Yu. Habibie (President of Indonesia since 1998), took the leading place in financing technical developments. See below

 

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