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 mainland 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. |
