Geography of Indonesia

Introduction to Geography of Indonesia

Indonesia or Republic of Indonesia, the largest island nation in the world. It lies between the Indian and Pacific oceans off the mainland of Southeast Asia, occupying most of the Malay Archipelago. Indonesia extends some 3,200 miles (5,150 km) along the Equator and consists of nearly 13,700 islands. Celebes, Java, Sumatra, and Timor and portions of Borneo and New Guinea make up most of the country. The area is 735,358 square miles (1,904,569 km2)—roughly one-fifth that of the United States. Malaysia and Papua New Guinea are the only nations that border on Indonesia.

Separating the islands are numerous seas and straits, largest of which are the Banda, Celebes, Flores, Java, and Molucca seas. Some of the straits, especially the Strait of Malacca, are of great strategic importance.

Physical Geography

All the large islands and most of the smaller ones are wholly or partly mountainous. Except on Borneo and New Guinea, the ranges were formed largely by volcanic action, mainly along a line running through Sumatra, Java, and the Lesser Sundas and looping back through the Moluccas and Celebes. The mountains are highest and most continuous along Sumatra's west coast, where they are known as the Barisan Mountains. The nonvolcanic Maoke Mountains of western New Guinea have Indonesia's highest peaks, some rising more than 16,500 feet (5,030 m) above sea level.

Dotting the islands are scores of volcanoes, many of which are active. On Sumatra, Java, and Lombok, volcanic cones rise to more than 12,000 feet (3,660 m). Only slightly lower are those on Celebes, the country's most mountainous island. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are frequent and sometimes severe. Undersea earthquakes often cause highly destructive tsunamis, or seismic sea waves. The explosion of Krakatau in 1833 was one of the most violent volcanic eruptions in recorded history.

Lowland plains and gently sloping cultivable mountainsides flank some of the country's coasts. Eastern Sumatra and southern Borneo have extensive lowlands, but they are often marshy, swampy, and jungle-covered.

Large rivers occur only on Sumatra, Borneo, and New Guinea, where they often run through swamps and jungles. Major rivers include the Musi, Hari, Kampar, and Rokan on Sumatra; the Kapuas, Barito, Mahakam, and Kayan on Borneo; and the Digul and Mamberamo on New Guinea. Toba, in the mountains of northern Sumatra, is the country's largest lake.

Indonesia has a tropical climate with relatively high temperatures prevailing except in the mountains and coastal areas. Temperatures at sea level average about 80° F. (27° C.) annually and vary little from month to month.

November to March is the wet season for most of Indonesia—the time of the north monsoon. The rest of the year, especially June through September, which is the time of the south monsoon, generally brings less rain. Except in the extreme southeastern islands, yearly rainfall is heavy. Some mountain areas are drenched by 150 inches (3,810 mm) or more; lowland areas normally receive 70 to 120 inches (1,780 to 3,050 mm). High humidity makes the weather oppressive much of the time.

Plants and Animals

Tropical rain forests are widespread, especially on Sumatra, Borneo, and New Guinea. They consist of many kinds of trees, dense undergrowths, and thick woody vines called lianas. Forests become less dense, even scrubby, at high elevations and in areas where the dry season is most pronounced. Most of Java, Madura, and Bali were cleared long ago for cultivation. Grasslands occur in some areas. Tropical flowering plants abound throughout the islands.

Animals consist of Asiatic and Australian species. The two groups are roughly separated by an imaginary line, called Wallace's Line, which runs between Borneo and Celebes and between Bali and Lombok. Asiatic species, west of the line, include elephants, rhinoceroses, wild oxen, tigers, and orangutans. Eastern Indonesia has few large animals. Throughout Indonesia there are many monkeys, birds, snakes, amphibians, and insects.

Economy

Until the late 1960's Indonesia had an underdeveloped economy, which was plagued by government mismanagement and political instability. By the early 1990's, largely because of sustained political stability, Indonesia had established a broad-based economy with diverse industries. Most of the development has been on the islands of Java, Bali, and Madura.

Indonesia has abundant natural resources, and their export, especially the export of petroleum and liquefied natural gas, has provided much of the capital for industrial growth.

Indonesia's basic currency unit is the rupiah.

provides a livelihood for about 50 per cent of the workforce. Roughly one-tenth of the land is farmed. Java alone accounts for nearly half of the cultivated acreage. Soils are of poor quality except for those of volcanic origin. Because of the tropical climate, crops can be grown throughout the year.

Subsistence farming is the leading kind of agriculture. It centers on the heavily populated islands of Java, Madura, and Bali. The land, often terraced far up the mountainsides, is intensively worked. Rice is the main food crop and the staple in the diet. Corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and soybeans are also major crops.

Plantation, or estate, agriculture, although still important, has declined since Indonesia became independent. Chief plantation crops include rubber, sugarcane, oil-palm kernels, coffee, tea, tobacco, coconuts, and spices. Indonesia has long been a leading world producer of many of these crops, especially rubber and coffee. Most of the plantations are on Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Java.

In little-developed areas, Indonesians engage in shifting agriculture: a patch of land is cleared, planted, and left unattended until harvest time. Crops are always poor. After a few years, the soil is exhausted and the farmer moves to a new plot. Chickens, cattle, pigs, and goats are the most numerous farm animals.

accounts for the largest share of Indonesia's gross domestic product and ranks second, behind mineral fuels, in export earnings. A variety of goods are produced, including such consumer goods as cigarettes, clothing, appliances, and processed foods; and such industrial products as refined petroleum, petrochemicals, steel, and fertilizers. Shipbuilding, automobile assembly, and the manufacture of aerospace products and wood products are also important. Most manufacturing plants are on Java.

Indonesia is one of the world's leading producers of petroleum and leads the world in the production of liquefied natural gas. Natural gas fields are found mainly on Sumatra and Kalimantan. Offshore fields are being developed. The country's largest oil fields are on Sumatra. Indonesia is also a major producer of tin. Other minerals produced in significant quantities include coal and ores of aluminum, copper, and nickel.

Indonesia has one of Asia's largest reserves of tropical hardwoods, and lumbering is important. Deforestation occurred at a rapid rate until the mid-1980's, when government restrictions and the planting of new forests slowed this rate. Much of the annual cut is processed into pulp and plywood.

The fishing sector is relatively small but important since fish provide the main source of protein in Indonesia. Modern fishing ships engaged in large-scale commercial fishing exist, but most of the catch is produced locally for local consumption.

Java has most of the country's railway trackage and many of its roads. The national airline is Garuda Indonesia Airways. There is much interisland shipping, and river transport is important on Sumatra and Kalimantan. Jakarta is the chief ocean port and the main center for air travel.

The People

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation. In 2000 the population of Indonesia was 206,264,595. About 60 per cent lived on Java and Madura. These two islands together are about the size of New York State but have about six times as many people. Indonesia's population density was was about 281 persons per square mile (108 per km2), more than three times that of the United States.

Of the hundreds of ethnic groups in Indonesia, the largest are the Malay peoples, who also inhabit Malaysia, the Philippines, and the Southeast Asian mainland. Malays are made up of several smaller cultural groups. The largest in Indonesia are the Javanese and the Sundanese. The Balinese are a distinct ethnic and religious minority. The immigrant Chinese community is small but economically powerful. In the cities, there are communities of Europeans, Arabs, and Africans.

Bahasa Indonesia (commonly called Indonesian), the official language, is a form of Malayan with words from various Indonesian dialects and from Sanskrit, English, Dutch, and Arabic. English, the second language of the country, is a compulsory subject in secondary schools.

Islam is the religion of 87 per cent of the people. Christians, mainly Protestants, make up the largest minority, about 10 per cent. Buddhism prevails among the Chinese, Hinduism among the Balinese. There are also mystic cults and numerous local sects.

Primary schooling begins at age seven and lasts six years. Secondary schooling also lasts six years. The literacy rate is about 80 per cent. The largest institutions of higher learning are the University of Indonesia at Jakarta, the University of Diponegoro at Semarang, and the University of Gadjah Mada at Yogyakarta.

Indonesian culture reflects the country's religious and ethnic diversity. Music and dance vary from one region to another, with the dances of the old royal courts of Java and the folk dances of Bali being the most popular. The dances represent scenes of love, battle, or adventure; many are based on ancient Hindu myths. Elaborate stone sculptures decorate Indonesia's many ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples. Traditional literature consists largely of local folk tales and Hindu and Islamic stories.

Government

Under the constitution of 1945, Indonesia is a republic. Legislative power is vested in the House of Representatives, which consists of 100 members appointed by the president and 400 popularly elected representatives. Executive power rests with the president, who is assisted by a vice president and an appointed cabinet. The People's Consultative Assembly is made up of all the members of the House plus an equal number of government appointees, who represent the military and various social, civic, and political groups. It meets once every five years to elect the president and vice president and to set general guidelines for national policy.

The Supreme Court is the nation's highest court. The Indonesian legal code combines European law with elements of traditional Chinese and Islamic law.