Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago; it achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty, implementing IMF-mandated reforms of the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing separatist pressures in Aceh and Papua.

petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

arable land: 9.9%
permanent crops: 7.2%
other: 82.9% (1998 est.)

234,893,453 (July 2003 est.)

Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26%

Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)

Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5%
male: 92.9%
female: 84.1% (2003 est.)

Jakarta

republic

17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)

Independence Day, 17 August (1945)