The Republic of Indonesia (
IPA
:
/ˌɪndoʊˈniːziːə/, /ˌɪndəˈniːziːə/
) (
Indonesian
:
Republik Indonesia
), is a nation in
Southeast Asia
. Comprising
, islands
, it is the world's largest
archipelagic
state. With a population of million people in
, it is the world's fourth
most populous
country and the most populous
Muslim
-majority nation, although officially it is not an
Islamic state
. Indonesia is a
republic
, with an elected parliament and
president
. The nation's capital city is
Jakarta
. The country shares land borders with
Papua New Guinea
,
East Timor
and
Malaysia
. Other neighboring countries include
Singapore
,
the Philippines
,
Australia
, and the Indian territory of the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
.
The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the seventh century, when the
Srivijaya Kingdom
formed trade links with China. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Under Indian influence,
Hindu
and
Buddhist
kingdoms flourished from the early centuries CE. Muslim traders brought
Islam
, and
European
powers fought one another to monopolize trade in the
Spice Islands
of
Maluku
during the
Age of Discovery
. Following three and a half centuries of
Dutch colonialism
, Indonesia secured
its independence
after World War II. Indonesia's history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism,
a democratization process
, and periods of rapid economic change.
Across its many islands, Indonesia consists of distinct ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. The
Javanese
are the largest and most politically dominant ethnic group. As a
unitary state
and a
nation
, Indonesia has developed a shared identity defined by
a national language
,
a majority Muslim population
, and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it. Indonesia's national motto, "
Bhinneka tunggal ika
" ("Unity in Diversity" lit. "many, yet one"), articulates the diversity that shapes the country. However, sectarian tensions and separatism have led to violent confrontations that have undermined political and economic stability. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world's second highest level of
biodiversity
. The country is richly endowed with natural resources, yet poverty is a defining feature of contemporary Indonesia. |