INDONESIA

The Republic of Indonesia is a cluster of islands located in Southeast Asia. As a country of more than 17,500 islands covering 741,096 square miles, it has had some difficulty maintaining political unity. There have been forces fighting for independence in some areas of this widespread country, most notably in the regions of Irian Jaya and East Timor, Indonesia's newest region. Another problem for the unity of Indonesia is its history as a colony of the Netherlands, a history that has left its diverse territories few shared political traditions. In the years following Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands in 1949, communism and regional separatism were seen by many Indonesian authorities as a national threat.

Indonesia, which had an estimated population of 231 million people in 2001, is the most populous country in Southeast Asia. Its name reflects two of its most important historical and geographical characteristics. "Indo-" refers to India and "-nesia" is from the Greek word for islands.

Spanning both sides of the equator, the islands of this country cover one-eighth of the earth's girth. The Malay Peninsula, containing Malaysia and the southern tip of Thailand, lies just north of the easternmost island. Geographers divide the islands into those of the Indian Ocean and those of the Pacific. The major Indian Ocean islands are Sumatra, Java, Bali, and the Lesser Sunda Islands. The major Pacific Ocean islands include Borneo, Celebes, and the Moluccas.

The official language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia, a form of Malay. However, 668 other languages are spoken in the various islands. The Javanese, who constitute 45 percent of the nation's population, make up the nation's largest ethnic group and tend to dominate the political life of the country. Other major ethnic groups are the Sudanese (14 percent), the Madurese (7.5 percent), and the coastal Malays (7.5 percent). Although ethnically diverse, 87 percent of Indonesians adhere to a variety of Muslim sects. Another 3 percent of the population are Christian, 2 percent Hindu, and 1 percent Buddhist.

Ethnic differences provide a source of continuing internal conflict in Indonesia. Although only about 2 percent of Indonesia's population is Chinese, it has been estimated that as much as 75 percent of the country's wealth is controlled by people of Chinese ancestry. Many other Indonesians resent Chinese business activity and blame economic problems on the Chinese. There are also religious tensions between the nation's majority Muslim population and adherents of other religions, particularly Christians. In strongly Muslim areas, such as the northern region of Aceh, Muslim religious feelings have combined with regional loyalties to intensify separatist pressures.