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| INDONESIA : Country Profile |
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The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. |
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Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty, preventing terrorism, continuing the transition to popularly-elected governments after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing reforms of the banking sector, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and resolving armed separatist movements in Aceh and Papua. |
| Vital Statistics |
| Full Country Name |
Republic of Indonesia |
| Capital |
Jakarta |
| National Day |
Independence Day, 17 August |
| Area |
1,919,440 sq km |
| Population |
241,973,879 (July 2005 est.) |
| Language |
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of
Malay),
English, Dutch
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| Religion |
Muslim, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Hindu,
Buddhist |
| Currency |
Indonesian rupiah (IDR) |
| GDP with Growth Rate |
4.9% (2004 est.) |
| GDP per capita |
$3,500 (2004 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) |
6.1% (2004 est.) |
| Major Industries |
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel,
footwear, mining,
cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism |
| Major Trading partners |
Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia,
US, Australia,
Germany, South Korea, US |
| Trade Information |
a) Major Export Products
oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber
b) Major Import Products
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs |
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