Indonesia

 

Hello everyone, this week we are looking at the country of Indonesia which is in Asia. It is a vast and fascinating country with a wealth of unique facts.

The current capital is Jakarta, located on the island of Java. However, the government is in the process of relocating the capital to a new city, Nusantara, on the island of Borneo (East Kalimantan), due to overcrowding and environmental issues in Jakarta.  

It has a population of around 284.7 to 285.7 million people making it the world's fourth most populous country. It has the largest Muslim population in the world, though the country is officially secular and recognizes six major religions.

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state, comprising over 17,000 islands (though the exact number is debated). Due to its numerous islands, it has the second-longest coastline in the world, after Canada.  

It stretches over a distance equivalent to about one-eighth of Earth's circumference and straddles the equator.  

Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia is one of the most volcanic countries in the world, home to 139 volcanoes, with many still active. It also has the world's largest volcanic lake, that being Lake Toba, on Sumatra.

The national motto is "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" (Unity in Diversity), there are more than 300 ethnic groups with over 700 languages and dialects spoken. The official national language is Bahasa Indonesia, which serves as a unifying force across the archipelago.  

The island of Java is the most populous island in the world, home to more than half of Indonesia's total population. It is where the capital is located.   

The flag of Indonesia, known as Sang Saka Merah Putih (The Lofty Red and White), is a simple yet powerful design.

It is a horizontal bicolour of two equal bands, with red on top and white on the bottom. The red symbolises courage (keberanian), and the white symbolises purity (kesucian).

It was officially adopted on August 17, 1945, the day the nation proclaimed its independence.  

However, the red and white colours and the bicolour design have a much longer history, tracing back to the Majapahit Empire in the 13th century. This flag was also used by Indonesian nationalist movements as early as 1928.