Indonesia
Abigail S, 1st
Introduction
Indonesia
Culture- Religion and Cuisine
Indonesian cuisine is one of the most vibrant and colorful cuisines in the world, full of intense flavor. It is diverse in part because of the many islands making up the archipelago, there is more than 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia. Throughout its history, Indonesia has been involved in trade due to its location and natural resources. Additionally, Indonesia’s indigenous techniques and ingredients were influenced by India, the Middle East, China, and finally Europe.
Culture- Festivals
- Waisak Day - this is a Buddhist festival held in May that celebrates Buddha's birth, death and gaining of wisdom.
- Galungan - this is an important festival on Bali.
- Nyepi - this day is the Balinese New Year.
Festivals give people the opportunity to come together and celebrate something that they have in common. Festivals can be local, regional, national or even international. Indonesia celebrates a variety of festivals. Local festivals are usually celebrated within a small community, like a village, when something important happens. Often these festivals have particular ceremonies related to them.
Culture- Music and Art
Geography
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It consists of five major islands and about 30 smaller groups. The total number of islands is 17,508. The archipelago is between two oceans, the Pacific and the Indian ocean, and bridges two continents, Asia and Australia. This position has always influenced the cultural, social, political and economic life of the country. The land is generally covered by thick tropical rain forests, where good soils are continuously replenished by volcanic eruptions.
History
- World War 1 breaks out. 1914
- East Indonesia trade cut off with Europe. 1917
- Mt Kelud in East Java erupts with a killing about 5,000 people. 1919, May
- Japanese surrender to Allied Powers. 1945, August
- "Proclamation of Indonesian Independence" signed by Vice President. 1945, August
- Indonesia becomes 60th member of the UN. 1950, September
- Indonesia withdraws from membership of the UN. 1965, January
- Indonesia rejoins the UN. 1966, September
- Civil war breaks out in the former Portuguese colony of East Timor. 1975, April
- Earthquake kills thousands of people in the Yogyakarta region in central Java. 2006, May
Government
Indonesia is a republic based on the 1945 constitution (see above). Indonesia is comprised of three branches like the United States. Their president serves for five years, and is the center of political power. The president and the vice president were elected by popular vote for the first time on September 20, 2004. The voting age in Indonesia is 17 but anyone who has an ID card can vote.
The Judiciary of Indonesia comprises the Supreme Court of Indonesia and the Constitutional Court of Indonesia together with public courts, religious courts, administrative courts and military courts. The Supreme Court is Indonesia's highest court. The Constitutional Court rules over disputes concerning the Constitution of Indonesia as well as matters involving elections and political parties.
In Indonesia, all citizens must undertake nine years of compulsory education which consists of six years at elementary level and three in secondary level. The higher education institution is categorized into two types: public and private. Both are supervised by the Ministry of National Education. There are four types of higher education institution: universities, institutes, academies, and polytechnics.
Students Learning
Modern School
Traditional Hut, Students May go to These
Economy
Indonesia has a market-based economy in which the government plays a significant role. There are 158 state-owned enterprises and the government administers prices on several basic goods, including fuel, rice, and electricity. Indonesia has the largest economy in Southeast Asia and is one of the emerging market economies of the world. Their currency is the Rupiah.
Indonesia mainly buys and sells goods from/to United States, China, Japan, Singapore and, South Korea. In terms of electricity Indonesia has expressed interest recently in possible use of nuclear plants. They also use hydroelectricity because of their abundance of water. Indonesia also has many mines. They are mining for oil and natural gas. The financial capital for Indonesia is Jakarta.
Their main exports are:
oil, gas, cement, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles and, rubber.
Their main imports are:
machinery, equipment, chemicals and, fuel.