Indonesia
Republic of IndonesiaRepublik Indonesia
republicIndependence 17 August 1945 (declared)
Indonesia as the 2009 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 141 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. Indonesia's first free parliamentary election after decades of repressive rule took place in 1999.
Indonesia is now the world's third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for past human rights violations, addressing climate change, and controlling avian influenza.
In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist movement in Papua.
Geography
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
20 fieldsLand useshare of 1,904,569 sq km
Natural resources
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 82.78 cu km/yr (8%/1%/91%)
- per capita:
- 372 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note
- archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited);
- straddles equator;
- strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean
People
23 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2009 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2000 census)
Religions(2000 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.8 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- chikungunya, dengue fever, and malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Languages
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is Javanese)
Government
Republic; President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 560 seats, elected 9 April 2009seats by party
Percent of vote
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
- name:
- Jakarta
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 10 S, 106 49 E
- time difference:
- UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones
Administrative divisions
30 provinces (provinsi-provinsi, singular - provinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Papua Barat, Riau, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*
note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, the 465 regencies and municipalities have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services
Independence
17 August 1945 (declared); 27 December 1949 (by the Netherlands) note: in August 2005, the Netherlands announced it recognized de facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945
Constitution
- August 1945;
- abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959;
- series of amendments concluded in 2002
Legal system
- based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004);
- Vice President BOEDIONO (since 20 October 2009);
- note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20 October 2004)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president
- elections:
- president and vice president are elected for five-year terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry;
- last held on 8 July 2009 (next to be held in July 2014)
- election results:
- Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president; percent of vote - Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO 60.8%, MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri 26.8%, Jusuf KALLA 12.4%
Legislative branch
- People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) is the upper house, consists of members of DPR and DPD, has role in inaugurating and impeaching the president and in amending the constitution, does not formulate national policy;
- House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (550 seats, members elected to serve five-year terms), formulates and passes legislation at the national level;
- House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues affecting regions
- elections:
- last held 9 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - PD 20.9%, GOLKAR 14.5%, PDI-P 14.0%, PKS 7.9%, PAN 6.0%, PPP 5.3%, PKB 4.9%, GERINDRA 4.5%, HANURA 3.8%, others 18.2%;
- seats by party - PD 148, GOLKAR 108, PDI-P 93, PKS 59, PAN 42, PPP 39, PKB 26, GERINDRA 30, HANURA 15
note: 29 other parties received less than 2.5% of the vote so did not obtain any seats; because of election rules, the number of seats won does not always follow the percentage of votes received by parties
Judicial branch
- Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung is the final court of appeal but does not have the power of judicial review (justices are appointed by the president from a list of candidates selected by the legislature);
- in March 2004 the Supreme Court assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights;
- Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi (invested by the president on 16 August 2003) has the power of judicial review, jurisdiction over the results of a general election, and reviews actions to dismiss a president from office;
- Labor Court under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning in January 2006;
- the Anti-Corruption Court has jurisdiction over corruption cases brought by the independent Corruption Eradication Commission;
- in 2006, the Constitutional Court declared the mechanism by which the Anti-Corruption Court was established unconstitutional and gave the parliament until the end of 2009 to pass Anti-Corruption Court legislation
Political parties and leaders
- Democrat Party or PD [Hadi UTOMO];
- Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Aburizal BAKRIE];
- Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [WIRANTO];
- Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri];
- National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR];
- National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR];
- People's Conscience Party or HANURA [SUHARDI];
- Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Tifatul SEMBIRING];
- United Development Party or PPP [Suryadharma ALI]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Indonesian Women's Coalition (Koalisi Perempuan - human rights group);
- Islamic Defenders Front or FPI;
- National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith;
- Oil Palm Watch (environmental)
International organization participation
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat
- chancery:
- 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 775-5200
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 775-5365
- consulate(s) general:
- Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Cameron R. HUME
- embassy:
- Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110
- mailing address:
- Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
- telephone:
- [62] (21) 3435-9000
- FAX:
- [62] (21) 3435-9922
- 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
Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has made significant economic advances under the administration of President YUDHOYONO but faces challenges stemming from the global financial crisis and world economic downturn.
51 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2008 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has made significant economic advances under the administration of President YUDHOYONO but faces challenges stemming from the global financial crisis and world economic downturn. Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio in recent years has declined steadily because of increasingly robust GDP growth and sound fiscal stewardship.
The government has introduced significant reforms in the financial sector, including in the areas of tax and customs, the use of Treasury bills, and capital market supervision. Indonesia's investment law, passed in March 2007, seeks to address some of the concerns of foreign and domestic investors.
Indonesia still struggles with poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and unequal resource distribution among regions. The non-bank financial sector, including pension funds and insurance, remains weak. Despite efforts to broaden and deepen capital markets, they remain underdeveloped.
Economic difficulties in early 2008 centered on high global food and oil prices and their impact on Indonesia's poor and on the budget. The onset of the global financial crisis dampened inflationary pressures, but increased risk aversion for emerging market assets resulted in large losses in the stock market, significant depreciation of the rupiah, and a difficult environment for bond issuance.
As global demand has slowed and prices for Indonesia's commodity exports have fallen, Indonesia faces the prospect of growth significantly below the 6-plus percent recorded in 2007 and 2008.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
39.4 (2005) · 37 (2001) country comparison to the world: 66
Central bank discount rate
10.83% (31 December 2008) · 8% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 52
Commercial bank prime lending rate
13.6% (31 December 2008) · 7.21% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 119
Stock of money
$41.71 billion (31 December 2008) · $47.78 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 24
Stock of quasi money
$131.5 billion (31 December 2008) · $127 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 18
Stock of domestic credit
$166.2 billion (31 December 2008) · $170.2 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 31
Agriculture - products
rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs
Industries
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism
Natural gas - proved reserves
3.001 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Current account balance
$604 million (2008 est.) · $10.49 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$51.64 billion (31 December 2008 est.) · $56.92 billion (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Debt - external
$155.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) · $141.2 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 32
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$67.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) · $58.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$6.656 billion (31 December 2008 est.) · $9.225 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Exchange rates
Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar - 9,698.9 (2008), 9,143 (2007), 9,159.3 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005), 8,938.9 (2004)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- domestic service fair, international service good
- domestic:
- interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
- domestic satellite communications system;
- coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas;
- mobile cellular subscribership growing rapidly
- international:
- country code - 62;
- landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks that provide links throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Television broadcast stations
54 local TV stations (11 national TV networks; each with its group of local transmitters) (2006)
Transportation
11 fieldsMerchant marine, 971 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Pipelines
- condensate 735 km;
- condensate/gas 73 km;
- gas 5,797 km;
- oil 5,721 km;
- oil/gas/water 12 km;
- refined products 1,370 km;
- water 44 km (2008)
Railways
- total:
- 8,529 km
country comparison to the world: 25
- narrow gauge:
- 8,529 km 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways
- total:
- 391,009 km
country comparison to the world: 17
- paved:
- 216,714 km
- unpaved:
- 174,295 km (2005)
Ports and terminals
Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Kotabaru, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok
Transportation - note
- the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
- numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
- hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia;
- crews have been murdered or cast adrift
Military
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL); includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Kommando Pertahanan Udara Nasional (Kohanudnas)) (2009)
Military service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service;
- 2-year conscript service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers);
- Indonesian citizens only (2008)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 63,800,825
- females age 16-49:
- 61,729,717 (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - international
- Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of establishing stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of its neighbors;
- Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on maritime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with Australian claims in the south;
- many refugees from Timor-Leste who left in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation;
- a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain;
- ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left the sovereignty of Unarang rock and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea in dispute;
- the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands;
- Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island;
- Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea;
- piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait;
- maritime delimitation talks continue with Palau;
- Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef;
- Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (government offensives against rebels in Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi Provinces, and Maluku) (2007)
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer of methamphetamine and ecstasy
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Indonesia.” The World Factbook 2009. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/indonesia/2009.