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| Indonesia is a nation of 17,508 islands in the South East Asia, and the world's largest archipelagic state. With a population of over 200 million, it is the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority nation. With a democratically elected parliament and president, Indonesia is considered the world's third largest democracy (after India and the United States). Its capital is Jakarta, and the country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. The Indonesian archipelago, home of the Spice Islands, has been an important trade destination since at least the time of the Srivijaya Kingdom with whom seventh century Chinese sailors traded. Indonesia's history has been influenced by numerous foreign powers that were drawn to the archipelago by its wealth of natural resources; these have included Indians, under whose influence Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished beginning in the early centuries CE, Muslim traders who spread Islam from the thirteenth century, and Europeans who fought for monopolization of the spice trade during the Age of Exploration. A Dutch colonial presence existed in Indonesia for over three centuries; however, Indonesian independence was declared in 1945 and which received official international recognition four years later. Indonesia's post-independence history has been turbulent, with political instability including separatism and corruption, periods of rapid economic growth and decline, natural disaster, and a democratization process since 1998. Indonesia is almost unimaginably vast. There are 18,110 islands and 108,000 kilometres of beaches in Indonesia. The distance between Aceh and Papua is more than 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles), comparable to the distance between New York and San Fransisco. There are more than 400 volcanoes, though only 130 of those are considered active volcanoes. Papua is the second largest island in the world. |
| related news: |
| Indonesian police on alert for oil price protests - Radio Australia Sat, 10 May 2008 03:25:50 GMT Move to ban 'deviant' sect puts Indonesian tolerance in question - AFP Sun, 11 May 2008 19:16:18 GMT China dominant in first-day Thomas and Uber Cup match - Xinhua Sun, 11 May 2008 11:23:10 GMT Microsoft talks up using printers to make drugs - Daily Times Sun, 11 May 2008 21:54:37 GMT Indonesia downed Thailand 3-2 in Thomas Cup elimination round - Antara Sun, 11 May 2008 16:45:25 GMT Check Google News for further articles |
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