Indonesia
Indonesia, the largest archipelago and the fifth most populous nation in the world, has a total of 17,508 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited. The islands extend 3,198 miles (5,150km) and are nestled between two continents, Asia and Australia, and two oceans, the Indian and the Pacific. The main islands are Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Irian Jaya. Stretching like a backbone down the western coast of Sumatra is a line of active and extinct volcanoes. Much of Indonesia is rain forest, woodland and mangrove swamps. Only a fraction of the land is suitable for farming.
Travellers Essentials: Things you need to know
Climate
Situated over the equator, Indonesia tends to have a fairly uniform climate -hot. It is equatorial, but cooler in the highlands. Temperatures generally rangefrom 21 to 33 degrees celsius. Humidity ranges from 60 to 90 percent. Indonesia's "wet season" lasts from October through August and its "dry season" from May through October, with slight variations in its regional sub-climatic zones.
People
Indonesia, with more than 200 million people, has the fourth largest population in the world. More than 60 percent of the population lives on the "inner" islands of Java, Madura, and Bali, which together account for less than one-tenth of Indonesia's land area. Indonesia can be considered a spectrum of all the Asian cultures, races and religions. There are over 300 ethnic groups who speak an estimated 583 different languages and dialects living in this archipelago with a total area of 1,919,413 square kilometers.
History
The first settlers in the
Indonesian Archipelago was believed to be that of the "Java Man", found
in east Java. The "Malays" from southern China and Indochina later began
populating the archipelago around 3000BC. Indonesia is very much influenced
by the cultures it encountered throughout its history. Powerful groups
such as the Buddhist Srivijaya empire and the Hindu Mataram kingdom had
arisen in Java and Sumatra towards the end of the 7th century. The last
great Hindu kingdom was the Majapahit, which was founded in the 13th century.
The subsequent spread of Islam into the archipelago in the 14th century
forced the Majapahit's to retreat to Bali, which is one of the few islands
which remained Hindu and preserved to this day. By the 15th century, a
strong Muslim empire had developed and most people in Indonesia today
practise Islam. The Portuguese came in the 16th century and brought Europeans
into the region in search of spices. However, the Dutch displaced the
Portuguese and dominated the spice trade while taking control of the entire
archipelago by the early 20th century. In 1942 the Dutch were overcome
by invading Japanese during WWII. On 17 August 1945, two days after Japan's
surrender, leaders of the people in the archipelago, Sukarno and Hatta
proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Indonesia and were selected
as its president and vice president. However,in July 1947, the Dutch violated
an earlier agreement with the British to accept the authority of the new
republic and launched attacks against the republic. For four years, Indonesians
fought to regain their land and finally, with help from the United Nations,
the Dutch surrendered the sovereign rights to the new Republic of Indonesia
on 27 December 1949.
Culture
Indonesia is rich in art and
culture, integrated with religion and age-old traditions. Although the
legal system is based on the old Dutch penal code, social and religious
duty has, over time, been refined to form a code of behaviour called "adat"
or traditional law which differs from area to area. Religious influences
on the community are variously evident from island to island. In general,
Indonesian dance is slow, with controlled, reserved motions. The famous
dance dramas of Java and Bali are derived from Hindu mythology and often
feature fragments from the Ramayana and Mahabharata Hindu epics. Their
influence is evident in the use of the legs, neck, head, and hands. Like
most of Indonesia's arts, the elegant, intricate music and dance of the
region is rooted in religion and ritual. Dances and dramas are accompanied
by a full "gamelan" orchestra comprising xylophones, drums, gongs, and
in some cases string instruments and flutes. There are also various forms
of puppet shows. The "wayang kulit" of Java is performed with leather
puppets skilfully wielded by a puppeteer to tell famous tales of Hindu
culture. It is performed against a white screen while a lantern in the
background casts the shadows of the characters on the screen, visible
from the other side where the spectators are seated. There is also the
"Batik", the most famous Indonesian printing method, in which wax is applied
to cloth to form a pattern and the cloth is then dyed.
Language
Bahasa Indonesia is the official
language, which within this group, many regional languages and dialects
are spoken. English is the most widely understood foreign language. Most
of the Indonesians are united by a common national language, Bahasa Indonesia.
Administration
Indonesia is a constitutional republic. The head of state and government is the president, elected by
the People's Consultative Assembly with a five-year term. The legislature
is bicameral and made up of the House of Representatives, with 500 members.
The People's Consultative Assembly has 1,000 members, including the members
of the House of Representatives.
Currency
The Indonesian currency unit
is called the Rupiah. Notes are issued in the values of 100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 500 and 100.
Coins of 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5. When changing
large amounts, banks usually give Rp.10,000 notes, but changing these in
the provinces may prove troublesome. If you are heading for the Outer
Islands, take Rp.1,000 and Rp.5,000 notes instead. Always keep your exchange
receipts so that you can exchange your rupiah for foreign currencies upon
leaving the country. The U.S. dollar is the most readily accepted currency.
Transportation
By air
The only airline operating
jet aircraft on domestic routes is Garuda. It has several flights daily
from Jakarta to such destinations as Bali, Medan, Ujung Pandang, Manado
and Yogyakarta. There are also shuttle flights to Surabaya and Semarang
daily.
Becak
A becak (pronounced baychahk)
is a tricycle pedaled by a man who normally sits behind the passenger.
Becaks seat between one and two people and are found in the cities and
towns in Java. Becaks have been used for over 40 years but are slowly
disappearing as motor transport takes over. Be sure to bargain with the
driver before beginning your journey.
Cars and Motorcycles
There are a number of car
rental agencies in Jakarta. Driving is on the left side of the road. Chauffeur-driven
cars are also available, with different rates for in-town and out-of-town
use. Motorcycles are also available for rent. An ojek is a motorbike hired
with a driver. Ojeks can be hired by the hour or day or for individual
trips.
Buses
There is an extensive bus
network in Java. Buses are very useful where there is no rail service.
The roads are being improved, and more modern buses are being introduced.
Ships
Ships and shipping are very
important in Indonesia since the country is an island nation. Water travel
is the best way to explore the islands of Indonesia. The state-owned PELNI
is the biggest shipline, with services almost everywhere. There are regular
schedules; the main base is at Jakarta.
Trains
Train services are only available
throughout Java and part of Sumatra around Padang, West Sumatra, Medan
in North Sumatra, South Sumatra and Lampung. The most comfortable trains
are the air-conditioned "Bima" (sleeper) and "Mutiara" trains. Both these
trains travel at night.
Customs
Duty-Free Items:
- 1 litre of alcohol and a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use.
- 200 Cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco
- Cameras, video cameras, portable radios, cassette recorders, binoculars and sport equipment.
Visa and Passport
All visitors are required
to have a passport valid for at least six months after arrival. Visas
have been waived for nationals of some Western countries for a stay of
up to two months and for registered delegates attending a conference that
have received official approval. Each visitor is required to pay an airport
tax of Rp.50,000 for international departures and between Rp.11,000 for domestic flights, depending on the airport of departure. Yellow
fever vaccination is required if you arrive within six days of leaving
or passing through an infected area.