The Nation Capital
The nation's capital,
Jakarta has a fascinating and significant history. It started as a small
harbour town called Sunda Kelapa, but its founding dates back to the year
157 when it was named Jakarta by Fatahillah of the neighbouring Sultanate
of Banten. The name Jayakarta, means City of great victory but this was
later changed to Batavia under the Dutch. Now as Jakarta, the centre of
Government, Business and Industry, it spreads over an area of more than
650 sq. Km (410 sq. miles) and has a population of over eight million people.
It is also designated as a special territory, (Daerah Khusus Ibukota DKI
Jakarta), which means that is administered by a governor and enjoys the
same status of a province.
Jakarta is the
main gateway to Indonesia, it is contrast of modern western architecture
and traditional Indonesian culture. Its rapid growth into a metropolitan
city reflects the economic, political, social and industrial development
of the nation. In recent years, Jakarta has expanded its facilities for
visitor with multistar luxury hotels, fine restaurants, exciting nightlife
and modern shopping centre as well as tourist attraction such as Taman
Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park), restored
colonial period buildings, marine resorts in the bay of Jakarta, and an
extensive beach recreation complex.
The Beautiful Bali
Bali with many names given by its worlwide visitors such as: "Island of Thousands Temples", Morning of the world and so on, covers an extent of 5.632,86 square kilometres with about 70% of the whole is agricultural ground while the rest consists of forest and only about 8% left uncultivate. With such a mild and agreeable climate the whole year round, the average temperature of the day in coastal areas varies from about 28 degrees Celcius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) during May-July about 30 degrees Celcius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) during March-October, while the most pleasant weather is between May to September.
The island has long been renowned as leading tourist destination in Indonesia or South Pacific for its exotic and colorful art and culture, natural beauty and the hospitality of the people.
English is widely undersood, particulary in major tourist resorts where it is almost the second commercial language while other foreign language like: French, Japanese, Italian, etc are also spoken in certain circles. Spoken and written Bahasa Indonesia is largely in comprehensible to casual visitors but it can easily be learnt just within couples of month.
Hinduism, specifically blend with Buddhism and the anchestor worship is adhered by almost 95% of its 3,2 millions population to make it inseparable from everyday life and not a single day missed to worship in an unending series of ceremonies either to God and Deities, to human-beings in blessing ceremonies from birth up to after death or even to food plants and domestic animals.
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by The Indonesian Lover January 27, 1998
You are visitor number:
Welcome to the Indonesian Information Center. This information is intended to give you a feel for what The Indonesian does and provide you with a few pointers about the tourists resources in Indonesia. We suggest you to read this introduction.
Introduction
Indonesia the largest archipelago in the world consists of five main island, Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya and about 30 small archipelagoes, a total of 17,508 islands. Stretching 3,200 miles (5.120 km) from east to west or equal to that from San Fransisco to New York. it straddles the equator between the australian and asia continents like "emeralds scattereed across sapphire blue seas." (to quote an early explorer).
With the four largest population in the world, Indonesian number 210 million and basically to Malay and Polynesian stock comprising of 300 ethnic groups and sub groups having their own traditions. Early immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, China, the Arab peninsula and Persia have left their mark on culture and religion followed by influences of Portuguese, Spanish, English and Dutch traders and invaders. The Indonesian constitution allows freedom of religion is a predominantly Moslem country and the state's "Unity in Diversity" motto is a symbol of coexistence of the many cultures unified in one nation.
These diverse cultures have given Indonesia a rich, heritage of traditions and art resulting is festivities through out the year in different parts of the country which are also closely related to religion, particullary in the island of Bali. A destination of diverse interests, scenic beauty, a wide variety of wildlife, nature and highly sophisticated music and dances and folk arts, Indonesia has something for everyone.
Stretched along the equator between Australia and the Asian mainland is the republic of Indonesian, the 17,000 islands that make up this archipelago extend between the longitudes 95 x West and 141 x East and between the latitudes 6 x North and 11 x South. From Sumatra to Irian Jaya, this chain of island.
United as one country, links the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean encompassing and incredible variety of people. Cultures, landscapes and geographical features.
Volcanic activity is responsible for the formation of most Indonesian Islands. And the zone is still highly active, this is due to it being located on the fault between the circum Pacific plate and Tethyan plate. Active mountain building is still taking place and the 400 volcanoes in Indonesian many we still active.
Among the highest are Kerinci (3,800 m) on the island of Sumatra, Semeru (3,667 m) on Java, and Sangir Island's 3000 meter tall volcano. The highest summit in Indonesia is the (non - volcanic) 5,000 meter tall Jayawijaya Peak in the Province of Irian Jaya, formerly West New Guinea, Notorious because of its cataclysmic eruption on 1883 is the island volcano Krakatau, in the Sunda, Strait which separates Java from Sumatra.
According to the current official count, the Indonesia archipelago includes not less than 17,508 islands with a total land surface of 5,143,166 km. It is the largest archipelago in the would to farm a single state and is the third largest country in Asia in terms of are and population after China and India respectively. Indonesia shares Irian Jaya with Papua New Guinea and one third of the island of Kalimantan with Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia's national territory consists for 84 percent sea and only for 16 percent of land.
Five 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 Java (132,187 sq km)
Volcanic activity is responsible for the formation of most Indonesian Islands. And the zone is still highly active, this is due to it being located on the fault between the circum Pacific plate and Tethyan plate. Active mountain building is still taking place and the 400 volcanoes in Indonesian many are still active.
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Indonesia likes "Emeralds scattereed across sapphire blue seas." Visit Indonesia and find the truth about the rumor.
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Among the highest are Kerinci (3,800 m) on the island of Sumatra, Semeru (3,667 m) on Java, and Sangir Island's 3000 meter tall volcano. The highest summit in Indonesia is the (non - volcanic) 5,000 meter tall Jayawijaya Peak in the Province of Irian Jaya, formerly West New Guinea. Notorious because of its cataclysmic eruption on 1883 is the volcano island of Krakatau, in the Sunda Strait which separates Java from Sumatra.
According to the current official count, the Indonesia archipelago includes not less than 17,508 islands with a total land surface of 5,143,166 km. It is the largest archipelago in the world to farm a single state and is the third largest country in Asia in terms of are and population after China and India respectively. Indonesia shares Irian Jaya with Papua New Guinea and one third of the island of Kalimantan with Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia's national territory consists for 84 percent sea and only for 16 percent of land.
Five 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 Java (132,187 sq km)
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