Indonesia, Republic of, island republic and largest nation of South East Asia, constituting most of the Malay Archipelago and including all of the former Netherlands Indies. Indonesia comprises more than 13,670 islands straddling the equator, 6,000 of which are inhabited. From the island of Sumatra in the west to that of New Guinea in the east, Indonesia stretches across some 5,150 km (3,200 mi) of ocean, or almost one eighth of the Earth's circumference; Indonesia's north-south spread is about 1,931 km (1,200 mi).
Population
195,280,000
(1995 official estimate)
Population Density
102 people/sq km
(264 people/sq mi)
(1995 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
42% Urban
58% Rural
Largest Cities
Jakarta9,160,500
Surabaya2,701,300
Bandung2,368,200
Medan1,909,700
(1996 estimate)
Ethnic Groups
40% Javanese
15% Sundanese
45% Other
including Madurese,Acehnese,Bataks,Balinese,Dayaks,Ambonese,Timorese,
Languages
Official Language
Bahasa Indonesia
Other Languages
Javanese, Sundanese, and many other local languages
Religions
87% Islam
13% Other
including Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism