Language

Indonesian

Land, climates, ethnicities, religions, etc.

Indonesia is a nation of islands. It contains some 17,508 islands, although only about 6,000 are inhabited.
The country stretches around the equator for 5,150km (3,200 miles) - roughly the distance between Los Angeles and New York. It is the largest archipelago in the world. Its monsoon-type climate changes approximately every six months, although, in recent years, global warming has somewhat disrupted weather patterns. The dry season for the west part of Indonesia is from May to October and the wet season is from November to April. The dry and wet seasons in eastern Indonesia are the opposite.
Some 300 ethnic groups call Indonesia home, but most (45 %) of Indonesians are Javanese. In addition, 14 % are Sundanese, 7.5 % Madurese, 7.5 % coastal Malays, and 26 % are of other ethnic groups. According to recent counts, approximately 85 % of the population is Muslim, 11 % is Christian (Protestants and Catholics), and 4 % is Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, or traditional.

National symbols/anthem

National flower: (1) Melati (Jasmine), (2) Moon Orchid, (3) Rafflesia
National anthem: “Indonesia Raya (Great Indonesia)”