Indonesia is the largest archipelago and the fifth most populous country in the world, consisting of 5 main islands and 30 smaller archipelagoes, it has a total of 17.508 islands of which about 6.000 are inhabited. It stretches 5.150km between the Australian and Asian continental mainlands and divides the Pacific and Indian oceans at the equator. The name of Indonesia is composed of two Greek words : "Indos" which means Indian and "Nesos" meaning islands. The main islands are Sumatra (473.606 sq.km), Kalimantan (539.460 sq.km), Sulawesi (189.216 sq.km), Irian Jaya (421.981 sq.km), and the smallest but most populated is Java (132.187 sq.km). Indonesia shares the islands of Kalimantan (two thirds) with Malaysia and Brunai Darrusalam and Irian Jaya with Papua New Guinea. Indonesia special territories and classified geographically into 4 groups. First is the greater Sundas comprising the largest islands of Sumatra, Java, kalimantan and Sulawesi.Second is the Lesser Sundas consisting of smaller islands from Bali eastward to Timor. Third is Maluku which includes all islands between Irian Jaya and Sulawesi. The fourth group is Irian Jaya in the extreme eastern part of the country. The strategic position of the archipelago, the history of Indonesia, both political and economic has been conditioned by geography. Migration movements to Indonesia have been traced back to 3.000-500 B.C of Mongoloid stock from China and Tonkin introducing New Stone, Bronze and Iron. Age cultures and the Austronesian language. Indonesia came under the influence of the Indian civilization through the gradual influx of Indian traders in the first century A-D. When great empires began to emerge bound to Hinduism and Buddhism. By the seven century, the powerful Buddhist Kingdom of Sriwijaya expanded and it was probably during this period that the spectacular Borobudur Buddhist Sanctuary was built in central Java. The 13th century saw the rise of the fabolous Hindu empire of Majapahit in east Java which united the whole of Indonesia and parts of the Malay peninsula and ruled for two centuries. Remnants of this glorious period in Indonesia's history are the many monuments spread throughout Java. |
