Introduction
Background
The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century. Independence came in 1949. Indonesia is now the world's third most populous democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.
Geography
Area
total: 1,904,569 sq km
land: 1,811,569 sq km
water: 93,000 sq km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Natural resources
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
People and Society
Population
279,476,346 (2023 est.)
Ethnic groups
Javanese 40.1%, Sundanese 15.5%, Malay 3.7%, Batak 3.6%, Madurese 3%, Betawi 2.9%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Buginese 2.7%, Bantenese 2%, Banjarese 1.7%, Balinese 1.7%, Acehnese 1.4%, Dayak 1.4%, Sasak 1.3%, Chinese 1.2%, other 15% (2010 est.)
Languages
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (of which the most widely spoken is Javanese); note - more than 700 languages are used in Indonesia
Religions
Muslim 87.2%, Protestant 7%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Hindu 1.7%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist and Confucian), unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
Population growth rate
0.76% (2023 est.)
Government
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Jakarta; note - Indonesian lawmakers on 18 January 2022 approved the relocation of the country’s capital from Jakarta to a site on the island of Borneo between Samarinda City and the port city of Balikpapan; Nusantara ("archipelago"), the name of the new capital, is expected to be established in August 2024
Executive branch
chief of state: President Joko "Jokowi" WIDODO (since 20 October 2014); Vice President Ma'ruf AMIN (since 20 October 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joko "Jokowi" WIDODO (since 20 October 2014); Vice President Ma'ruf AMIN (since 20 October 2019)
Legislative branch
description: bicameral People's Consultative Assembly or Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat consists of:
Regional Representative Council or Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (136 seats; non-partisan members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 4 each from the country's 34 electoral districts - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the Regional Representative Council has no legislative authority
House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (575 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms)
Economy
Economic overview
one of the fastest growing economies and largest in Southeast Asia; upper middle-income country; human capital and competitiveness phase of its 20-year development plan; COVID-19 reversed poverty reduction trajectory; strengthening financial resilience
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.246 trillion (2021 est.)
$3.131 trillion (2020 est.)
$3.197 trillion (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$11,900 (2021 est.)
$11,500 (2020 est.)
$11,900 (2019 est.)
Agricultural products
oil palm fruit, rice, maize, sugar cane, coconuts, cassava, bananas, eggs, poultry, rubber
Industries
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, automotive, electrical appliances, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, medical instruments and appliances, handicrafts, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, processed food, jewelry, and tourism
Remittances
0.79% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.91% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.04% of GDP (2019 est.)
Exports
$246.87 billion (2021 est.)
$178.418 billion (2020 est.)
$200.097 billion (2019 est.)
Exports - partners
China 22%, United States 11%, Japan 8%, India 6%, Singapore 5% (2021)
Exports - commodities
coal, palm oil, natural gas, iron alloys, stainless steel (2021)
Imports
$217.715 billion (2021 est.)
$159.872 billion (2020 est.)
$204.23 billion (2019 est.)
Imports - partners
China 27%, Singapore 12%, Japan 8%, Thailand 5%, United States 5%, South Korea 5%, Malaysia 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, vehicle parts, telephones, natural gas (2019)
Exchange rates
Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
14,308.144 (2021 est.)
14,582.203 (2020 est.)
14,147.671 (2019 est.)
14,236.939 (2018 est.)
13,380.834 (2017 est.)
Page last updated: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
