Indonesian Profile

STATE BASIC

Pancasila is the philosophical basis of Indonesia who came from two Sanskrit words, "panca" meaning five, and "sila" meaning base. Pancasila consists of five related basic and inseparable, are:


1. Belief in one God
2. Humanity is just and civilized
3. Persatuan Indonesia
4. Democracy guided by the wisdom of deliberation / representation
5. Social justice for all Indonesian people

Indonesia is a democratic state in a presidential system of government, and the Five Principles is the soul of democracy. Democracy is based on the Five Principles is called Democracy Pancasila. The basis of this country, announced by President Soekarno (Indonesia's first president) in the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Indonesia on August 17, 1945.

GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world which has 17,508 islands. Indonesia lies between 6 degrees north latitude and 11 degrees south latitude, and from 97 degrees to 141 degrees east longitude and located between two continents, Asia and Australia / Oceania. This strategic position has a significant influence on the cultural, social, political, and economic.

Indonesian territory extends along 3.977 mile between the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. When the waters between the islands combined, the area of Indonesia menjadi1.9 million square miles,

Five major islands in Indonesia are: Sumatra, with an area of 473,606 square km, Java with an area of 132,107 square km, Borneo (the third largest island in the world) with an area of 539.460 square km, Sulawesi, with an area of 189,216 square km, and Papua with an area of 421.981 square km.

GEOLOGICAL HISTORY

Indonesian islands formed in the Miocene Era (12 million years BC); Palaecene Era (70 million years BC); Eocene (30 million years BC); Oligacene (25 million years BC). With the arrival of people from mainland Asia, Indonesia was believed to have existed in the Pleistocene (4 million years BC). The islands are formed along the line between the powerful Australian tectonic plate changes and the Pacific. Australian plate changing slowly up the lane into the Pacific, which moved to the south, and between these lines stretched Indonesian islands.

This makes Indonesia as one of the most changed areas of the world's geology. The mountains in the Indonesian islands number more than 400 volcanoes, of which 100 are still active. Indonesia has three times the vibration in the day, an earthquake at least once a day and at least one volcano erupting per year.

DEMOGRAPHY

Indonesian population can be divided roughly into two groups. Indonesia in the western part of the population are ethnic Malays mostly in the east while the tribe of Papua, which has its roots in the islands of Melanesia. Many people who claim to Indonesia as part of a group of more specific interest, which is divided by language and region of origin, such as Javanese, Sundanese, or Batak.

There was also a number of new settlers are ethnic minority Indonesians, Indians, and Arabs. They have long come to the archipelago with trade routes since the 8th century BC and settled into a part of the archipelago. In Indonesia there are about 3% of the population of ethnic Tionghoa. These numbers differ because only in the 1930s was the last time the government did with the census to classify people in Indonesia to the tribe and their descendants.

Islam is a religion embraced by the majority of which approximately 85.2% of the population of Indonesia, making Indonesia the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. The remaining Protestant (8.9%); Catholic (3%); Hindu (1.8%); Buddhist (0.8%); and others (0.3%).

Most people in Indonesia speak the local language as mother tongue, but the official language of Indonesia, the Indonesian language, is taught in all schools in this country and controlled by almost the entire population of Indonesia.

POLITICS

As well as in countries other democracies, the political system in Indonesia is based on the Trias Politica is the legislative, executive and judiciary. Legislative power is held by an institution called the People's Permusyawatan Assembly (MPR) which consists of two bodies of the Parliament, whose members consist of representatives of political parties and the DPD, whose members represent the provinces in Indonesia. Each region is represented by 4 people directly elected by the people in their respective regions.

People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is the highest state institution. Membership Assembly Amandeman changed after the 1945 Constitution in the period 1999-2004. All the members of the Assembly are members of the House plus the DPD (DPD). Previously, members of the Assembly are all members of the House plus the messenger class. Members of the Assembly is now composed of 550 members of Parliament and 128 members of the DPD. DPR and DPD members elected by popular vote and was sworn in five-year term. Since 2004, the Assembly is a bicameral parliament, after the creation of the DPD as a second bedroom.

Executive institutions centered on the president, vice presidents, and cabinet. Cabinet in Indonesia is so Presidenstil Cabinet ministers responsible to the president and do not represent political parties in parliament.

Judiciary institutions since the reform and the 1945 amendment executed by the Supreme Court, including administration by the judge.

PROVINCE

Indonesia currently has 33 provinces (including Special Region 2 (DI) and a Special Capital Region (DKI). The DI is Aceh and Yogyakarta Special Region and the capital is Jakarta Special Capital Region. Prior to 1999, East Timor is one of the provinces in Indonesia, which later broke away through a referendum to the State of Timor Leste.

List of Provinces in Indonesia
Sumatra
Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam | North Sumatra | West Sumatra | Bengkulu | Riau | Riau Islands | Jambi | South Sumatra | Lampung | Bangka Belitung Islands
Java
Jakarta | West Java | Jakarta | Central Java | Yogyakarta | East Java
Kalimantan
West Kalimantan | Central Kalimantan | South Kalimantan | East Kalimantan
Nusa Tenggara
Bali | Nusa Tenggara Barat | Nusa Tenggara Timur
Sulawesi
West Sulawesi | North Sulawesi | Central Sulawesi | South Sulawesi | South East Sulawesi | Gorontalo
Maluku Islands
Maluku | North Maluku | West Papua | Papua

ECONOMY

Indonesia's economic decline in the late 1990s due to the economic crisis that hit most of Asia at that time. The economy has now pretty stable right now.

Indonesia has natural resources outside of Java, including crude oil, natural gas, tin, copper and gold. Indonesia is the largest natural gas exporter and second in the world, although lately he has become a net importer of crude oil. The main crops include rice, tea, coffee, spices and rubber.

Indonesia's largest trading colleagues are Japan, the United States and neighboring countries namely Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

Although rich in natural resources and people, Indonesia is still facing major problems in the field of poverty that is largely due to rampant corruption in government.
Indonesia's central bank is the Bank Indonesia.

CULTURAL ARTS

Type of art in Indonesia has been influenced by several cultures. Javanese and Balinese dances are famous, for example, contain aspects of Hindu culture and mythology.

Many dances also containing Islamic values. Some of them can be found in areas such as Sumatra and Meusukat Saman Dance Dance Seudati of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

Also quite famous in the world is a shadow puppet show stories about mythological events. Art rhymes, gurindam, etc., from various regions like rhyme Malays, and other rhymes rhymes-often used in certain events of the event, performing arts, and others.

In the field of fashion famous cultural heritage around the world is batik. Some areas are famous for batik industry include Yogyakarta, Solo, and also Pekalongan.

Pencak silat is a martial art unique from Indonesian territory. The martial arts are sometimes displayed on the show events that are usually followed by a traditional Indonesian music of the gamelan and other traditional musical arts in accordance with the homelands.

Art music in Indonesia, both traditional and modern is very much stretched from Sabang to Merauke. Traditional music as well as Java keroncong recognized by almost all the Indonesian people, but more powerful in Indonesia looks at the song art of modern song and Dangdut. Dangdut is one of Indonesia's music that was populist in the archipelago, which combined the musical elements of Malays, Indians, and also the traditional Indonesian music. Dangdut called because the music be heard was the 'dang' and 'corner' and Dangdut music is more dominated by the sound of drums and flutes. Dangdut songs are sing by rocking the pedangdut with graceful seronok and adjusted to the tempo of the song. There are various shades of Dangdut music, among other Malays Dangdut, Dangdut Modern (Dangdut present instrument has been coupled with modern instrument); and Coastal dangdut (traditional dangdut song Javanese, Sundanese, etc.). In the 70s, better known as dangdut music school orchestra Malays, who later in the early 80s he was better known as dangdut.

Indonesia consists of various tribes, religions and different beliefs. There Batak, Karo, Minangkabau, Malays in Sumatra and so on. There are many recognized religions in Indonesia is Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism Confucian belief even now well recognized. But most people prefer Indonesia Islam as his religion.

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