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New Guinea

Kalimantan

Sumatra

Sulawesi

Java

Timor

Halmahera

Seram

The Indonesian island

Geography of Indonesia

Indonesia is located between Southeast Asia and Australia and is washed by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The name "Indonesia" is derived from the Greek word "Indos", meaning "Indian" and "nesos" - "the island". The group of islands that makes up Indonesia, is the largest in the world and employs approximately 17,500 islands.

Islands of Indonesia

The five largest islands of Indonesia:

- New Guinea (Irian Jaya area - the Indonesian part of the island - is 421,981 square kilometers)

- Kalimantan (Borneo) (539,000 square kilometers - the Indonesian part of the island)

- Sumatra (435,000 square kilometers)

- Sulawesi (170,000 square kilometers)

- Java (126 000 square kilometers)

Three of the island Indonesia shares with other states (Borneo with Malaysia and Brunei, New Guinea - from Papua New Guinea, Timor East Timor).

The larger islands of Indonesia: Timor, Halmahera, Seram, Sumbawa, Flores, Yos Sudarso, Bangka, Sumba, Buru, Bali.

Full country name: Republic of Indonesia

Capital: Jakarta (10.8 million people). Population: approximately 238 million (fourth place in the world). Most Indonesians live in the five largest islands (Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Borneo, New Guinea) and thirty smaller islands. 70% of the population lives on Java, Indonesia. Administrative division: 27 provinces. Flag: two equal horizontal stripes - red over white. National holiday: 17 August. Education: compulsory until the age of 12 (not always respected). Religion: Muslim - 87%, Christians - 9% (6% of Catholics, mostly in East Timor, 3% Protestant), Hindu - 2% (mainly in Bali), Buddhists - less than 1% (mostly Chinese). Language: In Indonesia, there are over 300 languages. Official language - Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), is very similar to Malay.
	Jakarta

	Coat of arms of Indonesia

Arts. Plays an important role in the Malay-Indonesian culture, its forms are based on folklore and religion. Indonesians are very talented express themselves in embroidery, wood products, metal, clay and stone. In Indonesia, you can see the amazing national dances, theater performances and live music. Making batik (dyeing fabric by applying wax followed by knitting knots) is practiced throughout Indonesia. Another form of Indonesian with a cloth - Ikat - spinning yarns, dyed "nodular manner." Songket - silver and gold embroidery on silk. Kris - All types of arts and crafts with jewellery. Wayang puppet theater and gamelan (musicians play the drums, gongs and xylophones) - are also very popular in Indonesia.

Art of Indonesia