Picture Page on Indonesia

Outline

  1. Indonesia
  2. Economy of Indonesia
  3. People Of Indonesia
  4. Indonesia's Islands
  5. References

    6. Indonesia

    Map of Indonesia


    Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country. It is located southeast of Asia and northwest of Australia and in the region of the equator. More than half of Indonesia's people live on the island of Java. There are about one hundred different ethnic groups in Indonesia but most of them practice Islam and are of mixed Malay origin. Only about 13,700 of Indonesia's islands are inhabited.

    Historic Site of Indonesia


    One of the largest and most sacred temple is this Hindu temple, Pura Besakih, on the island of Bali. It lies 1000 meters up the side of Genung Agung. Pura Besakih is a collection of twenty-three seperate temples together as one. The origin of this temple is still unknown today but is believed to be dated back to prehistoric times. The temple was built as an artifact to show the Indian culture and beliefs. The people living in these temples were seen as some sort of King-God to the people they ruled over. The temples are usually large to show the power of the King-God.

    Economy of Indonesia

    Agriculture


    Agriculture, in 1999, accounted for nineteen percent of Indonesia's GDP (Mirpuri,39). Seventeen percent of Indonesia's land is used for plantations or for cultivation of field crops. More than half of the Indonesia people hold jobs that deals with agriculture. Rice is the staple food for Indonesia. It was once a large importer of rice but when Government provided better systems of farming rice, the rice production grew. Most of the rice is grown on the island of Java. Here is a picture of people from Bali attending to their rice crop and preparing it for the season.

    Mining


    Mining is an important industry because of the presence of valuable minerals. Mining supplies at least ten percent of Indonesia's GDP (Mirpuri,37). Some Indonesians are involved in small-scaled mining such as diamond mining, like in the picture. They will wash the gravel they find in nearby pits. Examine the soil with large containers or bowl-like items to locate the raw diamonds or gemstones.

    Transportation


    Transportation was very poor until the mid 1960's. Now there are many forms of transportation in Indonesia. Some consist of shipping items through the many waterways, air services for quicker ways of shipping, railways for inside the country, and vehicles for much of the larger cities. In the picture there are a few types of vehicles driven. Many of the Indonesians do not own cars but carpool. In the larger cities there are inexpensive minibuses to improve mobility. There are also government-owned bus companies and privately owned taxis to help get them from one place to another.

    People of Indonesia

    Clothing


    In the cities of Indonesia, many of the people have adopted the western or modern style of clothing. But in the smaller areas, they have their own style. The women will usually wear, like in the picture, will dress in the traditional Sarongs, wrap-around skirt or dress, and Kebaya, a fitted blouse. The men will usually wear a Batik shirt and a Sarong skirt with a Songkok, which is a black muslim cap. All of the fabric used for their clothing is woven from cotton that they grow on the island.

    Shelter

    Here is a picture of a traditional home or shelter in Indonesia. It is built from the finest wood and stones for the gatehering places out front. They are usually tall and long and there are many of them to fit many people inside. Outside is were they meet together for meals, celebrations, etc. In the larger cities, homes are usually like those of modern times but in apartment forms so more can be grouped together.

    Dance


    Indonesia is the home of many traditional dance styles. These dance traditions have attracted worldwide attention as well. They have evolved over a period of two hundred years. In the picture is a young girl dancing the ancient tradition Balinese form known as Dance-Drama. It descended from the Indian Hindu epic. This epic is usually told in song and dance. Two or three young girls would perform it using specific hand and arm movements. These movements are the most distinctive characteristics of the Balinese form. This dance dates back to the 18th century and draws from older traditions. The main purpose of these dances are to promote tourism and to foster identity.

    Indonesia's Islands

    Java Island


    Java is the southern part of Indonesia. Java is composed of mostly Malayan people. The Sudenese, Javanese, and Madurese are the ones that make up the majority of the population. But the overwhelming majority of the population are Muslim. It is transversed from east to west by a volcanic mountain chain, like the volcano in the picture. This volcano, although very deadly, has deposited rich soils on the lowlands which gives the land a lush variety of vegetation.

    Sumatra Island


    Sumatra is in the most western part of the Sunda Islands in the Indian Ocean. Earthquakes and destructive storms are very common in these parts. The soil is extremely fertile and the island is densely populated with the forest as seen in the picture. Islam is the prevailing religion and most of the population belongs to the Malayan group. Some other groups exist on this island. They are large groups of Indians, Chinese, and Arabs as well as some Europeans. The equator passes right through the middle of the island. This picture shows how populated the island is with trees and mountains.

    Borneo-Kalimantan Island


    Borneo is in the southeastern part of Indonesia. It is very mountainous and sparsely populated. Vegetation is very luxuriant and highly diversified. Borneo has a tropical climate with no dry season. It is the third largest island in the world. Three different population groups exsist, the Dayaks, Muslim Malays, and the Chinese. In this picture there are longhouses. Because the rivers of Borneo are often the only form of transportation on this island that so many people who live along the river live in these. More people can live amoung the river this way and send there goods back and forth.

    New Guinea-Irian Java Island


    New Guinea is the second largest island in the world. It is divided between two countries. Indonesia has the western half and Papua New Guinea, an independent state, has the majority or eastern part of the island. New Guinea lies just south of the equator, making conditions hot and humid. There are seven hundred different languages and dialects on the island. There are some mountainous areas, which have slowed the development of this part. In the picture is the town of Jayapura, which is located in the northern coast. You can see that the area has people spread out all over the place.

    References


    Mirpuri,Gouri,Indonesia,Kim Hup Lee Printing,Singapore,1990.

    Submitted by Kristen Lange. September 24, 2001.