Indonesia

Republic of IndonesiaRepublik Indonesia

republicIndependence 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence

Indonesia as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalJakarta
Position5 00 S, 120 00 E
Area1,919,440 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean
1999

Every edition of Indonesia

Populationas each edition published it
216.11 million July 1999 est. · 190.14m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.46% 1999 est. · 1.61% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 25.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
62.92 years 1999 est. · 60.26 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.57 children per woman 1999 est. · 3.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
57.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 75 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,830 1998 est. · $680 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-13.7% 1998 est. · 6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Indonesia declared its independence in 1945 from the Netherlands, a claim disputed, then recognized by the Dutch in 1949. In 1975 Indonesian troops occupied Portuguese East Timor. Current issues include implementing IMF-mandated reforms (particularly restructuring and recapitalizing the insolvent banking sector), effecting a transition to a popularly elected government, addressing longstanding grievances over the role of the ethnic Chinese business class and charges of cronyism and corruption, alleged human rights violations by the military, the role of the military and religion in politics, and growing pressures for some form of independence or autonomy by Aceh, Irian Jaya, and East Timor.

Geography

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean | and the Pacific Ocean

18 fields
Area
1,919,440sq km
land: 1,826,440 sq kmwater: 93,000 sq kmslightly less than three times the size of Texas
Coastline
54,716km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselinesexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
5,030m
Puncak Jayalowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
2,602km
border countries: Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km

Location

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates

5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

Climate

  • tropical;
  • hot, humid;
  • more moderate in highlands

Terrain

mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Natural resources

petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use

arable land:
10%
permanent crops:
7%
permanent pastures:
7%
forests and woodland:
62%
other:
14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land

45,970 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes

Environment--current issues

  • deforestation;
  • water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage;
  • air pollution in urban areas;
  • smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment--international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography--note

  • archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited);
  • straddles Equator;
  • strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People

15 fields
Population
216,108,345
(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 1.46% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth
22.78Death
8.14Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)62.92
60.67 · 65.29
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)83.8%
89.6% · 78%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Javanese 45%Sundanese 14%Madurese 7.5%coastal Malays 7.5%other 26%

Religions(1998)

Muslim 88%Protestant 5%Roman Catholic 3%Hindu 2%Buddhist 1%other 1% (1998)

Age structure

0-14 years:
30% (male 33,367,287; female 32,411,786)
15-64 years:
65% (male 70,541,893; female 70,866,972)
65 years and over:
5% (male 3,936,415; female 4,983,992) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.79 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

57.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.57 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Indonesian(s)
adjective:
Indonesian

Languages

Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Government

Republic; President Bacharuddin J. HABIBIE (since 21 May 1998); President Bacharuddin J. HABIBIE (since 21 May 1998)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

74.5%
-Golkar 74.5%PPP 22.43%PDI 3.07%last held 29 May 1997 (next to be held 7 June 1999)

Legislature, 425 seats, elected 29 May 1997seats by party

-Golkar 325PPP 89PDI 11

Percent of vote

-Golkar 74.5%PPP 22.43%PDI 3.07%

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form:
Indonesia
local long form:
Republik Indonesia
local short form:
Indonesia
former:
Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Capital

Jakarta

Administrative divisions

  • 24 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular--propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular--daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota);
  • Aceh*, Bali, Bengkulu, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Lampung, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Timor Timur, Yogyakarta*

Independence

17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution

August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch

note: on 21 May 1998--less than three months after being selected for a seventh five-year term--President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO resigned from office;

immediately following his resignation he announced that Vice President HABIBIE would assume the presidency for the remainder of the term which expires in 2003; on 28 May 1998, HABIBIE and legislative leaders announced an agreement to select a new president in 1999

chief of state:
President Bacharuddin J. HABIBIE (since 21 May 1998); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Bacharuddin J. HABIBIE (since 21 May 1998); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Cabinet
election:
  • president and vice president selected by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly for five-year terms;
  • selection last held 10 March 1998 (next to be held by 10 November 1999)
election results:
  • Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO selected president by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly;
  • Bacharuddin J. HABIBIE selected vice president by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly;
  • note--Vice President HABIBIE assumed the presidency after SOEHARTO's resignation

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 425 elected by popular vote, 75 are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 29 May 1997 (next to be held 7 June 1999)
election results:
percent of vote by party--Golkar 74.5%, PPP 22.43%, PDI 3.07%; seats by party--Golkar 325, PPP 89, PDI 11

note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) includes the DPR plus 200 indirectly selected members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and to approve the broad outlines of national policy

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung), the judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

Golkar (de facto ruling political Indonesia Democracy Party or PDI (federation of former Nationalist chairman]

International organization participation

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador DORODJATUN Kuntoro-Jakti
chancery:
2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador J. Stapleton ROY
embassy:
Medan Merdeka Selatan 5, Jakarta
mailing address:
Unit 8129, Box 1, APO AP 96520
consulate(s) general:
Surabaya

Flag description

  • two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white;
  • similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter;
  • also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy

31 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,830
purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)
Real growth rate
-13.7%
(1998 est.)industrial production growth: -13.7% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate
15%
-20% (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1998 est.)

agriculture 18.8%industry 40.3%services 40.9% (1998 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

18%
Japan
20%
15%
EU
14%
US
13%
13%
Singapore
9%
Germany
9%
Australia
6.4%
5%
South Korea
5.4%
4%
Hong Kong
3.9%
China
3.1%
3.4%
Taiwan
3.4%
Exports $49 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)Imports $24 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)(1998 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$35 billion (of which $15 billion is from international financial institutions)Expenditures
$35 billion
expenditures including capital expenditures of $12 billion (FY98/99 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 82.34%hydro 14.97%other 2.69% (1996)nuclear 0%
Electricity production
66.8 billion (1996)Electricity consumption
66.8 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

The collapse of the rupiah in late 1997 and early 1998 caused GDP to contract by an estimated 13.7% in 1998 because of Indonesian firms' reliance on short-term dollar-denominated debt and high levels of nonperforming loans in the banking sector. The Indonesian Government initially wavered on meeting the conditions it agreed to in exchange for a $42 billion IMF assistance package, contributing to further loss in investor confidence and outflows of capital.

Riots that in many cases targeted ethnic Chinese business owners also set back chances that Indonesia would quickly stabilize its financial crisis and contributed to President SOEHARTO's resignation on 21 May 1998. His successor, B.J. HABIBIE, improved cooperation with the IMF. The money supply--which expanded rapidly early in the year to prop up banks hit by deposit runs--was tightened within a few months, and by October, inflation--which reached a 77% annual rate--was significantly dampened.

The government also announced a bank recapitalization program in late 1998, but by early 1999 the plan faced growing challenges over its reliance on public funds. Doubts about whether the program is adequate underlie forecasts of continued--although much less severe--GDP contraction for 1999.

Signs of spreading unrest and sectarian violence and concern that social instability will increase as the 7 June 1999 national election approaches also contribute to pessimism about the economy, particularly because foreign investors remain reluctant to begin to increase capital inflows again.

The next government will face the challenge of establishing a macroeconomic policy framework that addresses longstanding grievances and inequities underlying much of the current unrest without hampering an economic recovery.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$602 billion (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.6%
highest 10%:
28.3% (1995)

Labor force

87 million (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 41%, trade, restaurant, and hotel 19.8%, manufacturing 14%, construction 4.8%, transport and communications 4.75%, other 15.65% (1997)

Industries

  • petroleum and natural gas;
  • textiles, apparel, and footwear;
  • mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood;
  • rubber;
  • food;
  • tourism

Agriculture--products

rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Exports

$49 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities

garments 7.9%, textiles 7.3%, gas 6.4%, electrical appliances 5.9%, pulp and paper 5.3%, oil 4.7%, plywood 4.7%

Imports

$24 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities

manufactures 75.3%, raw materials 9.0%, foodstuffs 7.8%, fuels 7.7%

Debt--external

$136 billion (yearend 1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$43 billion from IMF program and other official external financing (1997-2000)

Currency

Indonesian rupiah (Rp)

Exchange rates

Indonesian rupiahs (Rp) per US$1--8,714.3 (January 1999), 10,013.6 (1998), 2,909.4 (1997), 2,342.3 (1996), 2,248.6 (1995), 2,160.8 (1994)

Fiscal year

1 April--31 March

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
1,276,600
(1993 est.)

Telephone system

domestic service fair, international service good

domestic:
interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system
international:
satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 618, FM 38, shortwave 0

Radios

28.1 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

41 (of which 18 are government-owned and 23 are commercial) (1997)

Televisions

11.5 million (1992 est.)

Transportation

10 fields

Merchant marine, 587 ships by type(1998 est.)

bulk 37cargo 348chemical tanker 8container 20liquefied gas tanker 5livestock carrier 1oil tanker 116passenger 9passenger-cargo 13roll-on/roll-off cargo 11short-sea passenger 7specialized tanker 7vehicle carrier 5

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
30
over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 41 914 to 1,523 m: 39

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
282
total: 318 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 31

Networkskm

Highways
342,700Railways
6,458Waterways
21,579
Highways: paved: 158,670 km · unpaved: 184,030 km (1997 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (1995) · Waterways: ; Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km

Railways

total:
6,458 km
narrow gauge:
5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (1995)

Highways

total:
342,700 km
paved:
158,670 km
unpaved:
184,030 km (1997 est.)

Waterways

21,579 km total; Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km

Pipelines

crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km (1989)

Ports and harbors

Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya, Ujungpandang

Airports

443 (1998 est.)

Heliports

4 (1998 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 61,087,521 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 35,804,125 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure

$959.7 million (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes--international

Indonesian sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province), which is not recognized by the UN, is the subject of discussions between the UN, Indonesia, and Portugal; two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin

Central Intelligence Agency. “Indonesia.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/indonesia/1999.

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