The name Indonesia was derived from "indos nesos", meaning islands near India, The country is in fact the largest archipelago in the world with a thousand islands, 17,508 to be precise, spread in an area between the Asian continent and Australia, and between the Pacific and the Indian oceans. The islands are inhabited by many tribes with diverse culture and languages, although there is a national language spoken throughout the country, namely Bahasa Indonesia. It is thus appropriate, that the country's motto is Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, which means: Unity in Diversity. Our state philosophy is Pancasila, or the Five Principles. This year is the country's fiftieth anniversary of independence.

Indonesia Government:

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form: Indonesia
local long form: Republik Indonesia
local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Government type: Republic

Capital: Jakarta

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya Barat, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta* note: With the implementation of decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts or regencies became the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services

Independence: 17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949 (Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Facts

Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E
Population: 234,693,997 (July 2007, estimate)
GNI per capita: US $1,140 (World Bank, 2005)
International dialling code: +62  
Area: total: 1,919,440 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km
Area - comparative: Slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,830 km border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km Coastline: 54,716 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands Terrain: Mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m
Natural resources: Petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
Land use: arable land: 11.32% permanent crops: 7.23% other: 81.45% (2001)
Irrigated land: 48,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires
Environment - current issues: Deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation (not ratified)
Geography - Note: Archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Courtesy of Yahoo World Factbook