10 Things You didn't Know About Indonesia

10 Things You didn't Know About Indonesia, Indonesia is an exceptionally interesting country, due to its size, ethnic diversity and rich history. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Indonesia along with some ideas of what to see. Indonesia is a vast, sprawling country. 

Indonesia, officially known as Republic of Indonesia is a country located in the Southeast Asia comprising of 17,508 islands. It is the 4th most populous country in the world, it is surrounded by Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Let us know some interesting facts about Indonesia It’s hard to even think of it as a single country – it’s more like a gargantuan tree with branches that extend out into various parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

1. Indonesia is huge: Indonesia is a massive country. Flying from one end to the other, from North Sumatra to West Papua, takes over twelve hours of flying time. And there are a lot of branches to the Indonesian tree. What we know of as Indonesia is comprised of a total of 17,508 islands extending 5,150 kilometers (3,200 miles) east to west in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The sum of these islands cover approximately 1,919,440 square kilometers, making Indonesia the world’s 16th largest country in terms of land area. Of these 17,508 islands, only 6,000 are currently inhabited.
2. The equator divides it: The equator passes through Sumatra, making it a very popular tourist destination. The climate is hence equatorial with temperatures ranging 20-34 degree Celsius. The line cuts across islands Sumatra, Sulwesiand and Kalimantan along with a few other small Islands in the middle of the country.
3. 150 volcanoes: Indonesia is one of the most geographically and geologically interesting countries in the world. The islands of Indonesia are stretched out between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plate, making Indonesia one of the most changing geological areas in the world. Every day, the country experiences three vibrations and at least one earthquake. Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesiais home to numerous volcanoes, an estimated 150 volcanoes throughout the entire country. In general they are not a threat, and many volcanic areas make great tourist attractions likeMountBromo, East Java, or Tangkuban Perahu,West Java. There can, however, be eruptions and visitors should check whether it is safe before setting off to a volcanic area.
4. Vast tropical rainforests: Head away from the densely populated islands of Java and Bali to find vast areas of tropical rainforest, which support the world’s second highest level of biodiversity (afterBrazil). Natural resources are abundant inIndonesia but the sustainable use of these is often blighted by problems with corruption and poverty. Guided treks are available in the jungles of Kalimantan andSumatra, among other islands.
5. 238 million people: Indonesiais the forth most populous country in the world with over 238 million people and the world’s largest Muslim population, though some areas have Hindu or Christian majorities. Java is the world’s most populous island. The island of Java, with over 140 million people, is the most populous island in the world.
6. Extremely culturally diverse: There are over 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia, each with their own customs and traditions. This makes Indonesia extremely culturally diverse. Why not watch some performing arts or buy some locally produced handicrafts while you’re there? Indonesia is a country rich with myriad cultural influences from outsiders. This is apparent in the language, which has absorbed many loanwords from Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and various other Austronesian languages.. Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is the national language of Indonesia, used in schools and other state-run enterprises, as well as in the media. However, Indonesiah as over 700 indigenous languages, meaning that many Indonesians are bilingual, speaking their indigenous language at home and Indonesian at work or school.
7. Religion matters:  Religion is important in Indonesia, where every citizen must officially subscribe to one of six recognized religions, regardless of their actual religious practices. Two individuals of different religions may not marry, unless they convert so that they share a religion.
8. Time Zones: The country is so expansive in its area covered that it has three time zones. It is one of the countries that have not been fully explored or mapped.
9. Oldest remains: Fossilised remains of “Java man” or Homo erectus, have been found at sites across Java, suggesting that the area was inhabited two million to 500,000 years ago. You can see the fossils at Sangiran, near Surakarta in Central Java. Speaking of colonialism, Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, was known as Batavia during the Dutch colonial period. Jakarta is now known as a major global city, but it still has no high-speed railway system. Its population of over 10 million people rely on private cars and busways to traffic around the city – resulting in some of the worst traffic jams known to man.
10. Independence Day: Indonesia, a republic with a president, has been independent since 1945. Independence Day is celebrated on 17th August every year, with flag-raising ceremonies, neighborhoods competitions and games for children. If you’re in Indonesia in August, find out what will be happening where you are staying.

Was there anything we missed? What else do you know and love about Indonesia? Let us know in the comments below!

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