Introduction
Background
The archipelago was once largely under the control of Buddhist and Hindu rulers. By around the 7th century, a Buddhist kingdom arose on Sumatra and expanded into Java and the Malay Peninsula until it was conquered in the late 13th century by the Hindu Majapahit Empire from Java. Majapahit (1290-1527) united most of modern-day Indonesia and Malaysia. Traders introduced Islam in the trade ports around the 11th century, and Indonesians gradually adopted Islam over the next 500 years. The Portuguese conquered parts of Indonesia in the 16th century, but they were ousted by the Dutch (except in East Timor), who began colonizing the islands in the early 17th century. It would be the early 20th century before Dutch colonial rule was established across the entirety of what would become the boundaries of the modern Indonesian state.
Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence shortly before Japan's surrender, but it required four years of sometimes brutal fighting, intermittent negotiations, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. A period of sometimes unruly parliamentary democracy ended in 1957 when President SOEKARNO declared martial law and instituted "Guided Democracy." After an abortive coup in 1965 by alleged communist sympathizers, SOEKARNO was gradually eased from power. From 1967 until 1998, President SUHARTO ruled Indonesia with his "New Order" government. After street protests toppled SUHARTO in 1998, free and fair legislative elections took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's third most populous democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.
Indonesia faces a number of issues, including alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms, stemming corruption, reforming the criminal justice system, addressing climate change, and controlling infectious diseases, particularly those of global and regional importance. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh. Indonesia continues to face low intensity armed resistance in Papua by the separatist Free Papua Movement.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates
5 00 S, 120 00 E
Map references
Southeast Asia
Land boundaries
total: 2,958 km
border countries (3): Malaysia 1,881 km; Papua New Guinea 824 km; Timor-Leste 253 km
Coastline
54,716 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains
Elevation
highest point: Puncak Jaya 4,884 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 367 m
Natural resources
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
note: Indonesia is the World's leading producer of nickel with an output of 1.6 million mt in 2022
Land use
agricultural land: 31.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 13% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 12.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 6.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 51.7% (2018 est.)
other: 17.1% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
67,220 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Danau Toba - 1,150 sq km
note - located in the caldera of a super volcano that erupted more than 70,000 years ago; it is the largest volcanic lake in the World
Major rivers (by length in km)
Sepik (shared with Papua New Guinea [s]) - 1,126 km; Fly (shared with Papua New Guinea [s]) - 1,050 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Population distribution
major concentration on the island of Java, which is considered one of the most densely populated places on earth; of the outer islands (those surrounding Java and Bali), Sumatra contains some of the most significant clusters, particularly in the south near the Selat Sunda, and along the northeastern coast near Medan; the cities of Makasar (Sulawesi), Banjarmasin (Kalimantan) are also heavily populated
Natural hazards
occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires
volcanism: Indonesia contains the most volcanoes of any country in the world - some 76 are historically active; significant volcanic activity occurs on Java, Sumatra, the Sunda Islands, Halmahera Island, Sulawesi Island, Sangihe Island, and in the Banda Sea; Merapi (2,968 m), Indonesia's most active volcano and in eruption since 2010, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; on 22 December 2018, a large explosion and flank collapse destroyed most of the 338 m high island of Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) and generated a deadly tsunami inundating portions of western Java and southern Sumatra leaving more than 400 dead; other notable historically active volcanoes include Agung, Awu, Karangetang, Krakatau (Krakatoa), Makian, Raung, Sinabung, and Tambora; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Geography - note
note 1: according to Indonesia's National Coordinating Agency for Survey and Mapping, the total number of islands in the archipelago is 13,466, of which 922 are permanently inhabited (Indonesia is the world's largest country comprised solely of islands); the country straddles the equator and occupies a strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
note 2: Indonesia is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire; 80% of tsunamis, caused by volcanic or seismic events, occur within the "Pacific Ring of Fire"
note 3: despite having the fourth largest population in the world, Indonesia is the most heavily forested region on earth after the Amazon
note 4: two major food crops apparently developed on the island of New Guinea: bananas and sugarcane
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Indonesian(s)
adjective: Indonesian
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
major-language sample(s):
Fakta Dunia, sumber informasi dasar yang sangat diperlukan. (Indonesian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
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.)
Demographic profile
Indonesia has the world’s fourth-largest population. It is predominantly Muslim and has the largest Muslim population of any country in the world. The population is projected to increase to as much as 320 million by 2045. A government-supported family planning program. The total fertility rate (TFR) – the average number of births per woman – from 5.6 in the mid-1960s to 2.7 in the mid-1990s. The success of the program was also due to the social acceptance of family planning, which received backing from influential Muslim leaders and organizations.
The fertility decline slowed in the late 1990’s when responsibility for family planning programs shifted to the district level, where the programs were not prioritized. Since 2012 the national government revitalized the national family planning program, and Indonesia’s TFR has slowly decreased to 2.3 in 2020. The government may reach its goal of achieving replacement level fertility – 2.1 children per woman – but the large number of women of childbearing age ensures significant population growth for many years.
Indonesia is a source country for labor migrants, a transit country for asylum seekers, and a destination mainly for highly skilled migrant workers. International labor migration, both legal and illegal, from Indonesia to other parts of Asia (most commonly Malaysia) and the Middle East has taken place for decades because of high unemployment and underemployment, poverty, and low wages domestically. Increasing numbers of migrant workers are drawn to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US. The majority of Indonesian labor migration is temporary and consists predominantly of low-skilled workers, mainly women working as domestics.
Indonesia’s strategic location between Asia and Australia and between the Pacific and Indian Oceans – and its relatively easy accessibility via boat – appeal to asylum seekers. It is also an attractive transit location because of its easy entry requirements and the ability to continue on to Australia. Recent asylum seekers have come from Afghanistan, Burma (Rohingyas), Iraq, Somalia, and Sri Lanka. Since 2013, when Australia tightening its immigration policy, thousands of migrants and asylum seekers have been stranded in Indonesia, where they live in precarious conditions and receive only limited support from international organizations. The situation for refugees in Indonesia has also worsened because Australia and the US, which had resettled the majority of refugees in Indonesia, have significantly lowered their intake.
Age structure
0-14 years: 24.22% (male 34,627,270/female 33,066,304)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 95,267,122/female 95,063,200)
65 years and over: 7.68% (2023 est.) (male 9,892,325/female 11,560,125)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 47.6
youth dependency ratio: 37.6
elderly dependency ratio: 10
potential support ratio: 10 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 31.1 years
male: 30.5 years
female: 31.8 years (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 117
Population distribution
major concentration on the island of Java, which is considered one of the most densely populated places on earth; of the outer islands (those surrounding Java and Bali), Sumatra contains some of the most significant clusters, particularly in the south near the Selat Sunda, and along the northeastern coast near Medan; the cities of Makasar (Sulawesi), Banjarmasin (Kalimantan) are also heavily populated
Urbanization
urban population: 58.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
11.249 million JAKARTA (capital), 3.729 million Bekasi, 3.044 million Surabaya, 3.041 million Depok, 2.674 million Bandung, 2.514 million Tangerang (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
22.4 years (2017 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Infant mortality rate
total: 19.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total 81
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.33 years
male: 71.1 years
female: 75.68 years (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total population 150
Gross reproduction rate
0.97 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
55.5% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 98.2% of population
rural: 86.8% of population
total: 93.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.8% of population
rural: 13.2% of population
total: 6.7% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
3.4% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
0.62 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density
1 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 97.2% of population
rural: 86.5% of population
total: 92.5% of population
unimproved: urban: 2.8% of population
rural: 13.5% of population
total: 7.5% of population (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Southeast Asia; Indonesia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 178
Tobacco use
total: 37.6% (2020 est.)
male: 71.4% (2020 est.)
female: 3.7% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 9
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
70% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 2%
women married by age 18: 16.3% (2017 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97.4%
female: 94.6% (2020)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2018)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 16.1%
male: 16.3%
female: 15.7% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 107
People - note
Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the World after China, India, and the United States; more than half of the Indonesian population - roughly 150 million people or 55% - live on the island of Java (about the size of California) making it the most crowded island on earth
Environment
Environment - current issues
large-scale deforestation (much of it illegal) and related wildfires cause heavy smog; over-exploitation of marine resources; environmental problems associated with rapid urbanization and economic development, including air pollution, traffic congestion, garbage management, and reliable water and waste water services; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Land use
agricultural land: 31.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 13% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 12.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 6.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 51.7% (2018 est.)
other: 17.1% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 58.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 15.58 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 563.32 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 244.5 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 65.2 million tons (2016 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 4.564 million tons (2016 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 7% (2016 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Danau Toba - 1,150 sq km
note - located in the caldera of a super volcano that erupted more than 70,000 years ago; it is the largest volcanic lake in the World
Major rivers (by length in km)
Sepik (shared with Papua New Guinea [s]) - 1,126 km; Fly (shared with Papua New Guinea [s]) - 1,050 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 23.8 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 9.14 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 189.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
2.02 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form: Indonesia
local long form: Republik Indonesia
local short form: Indonesia
former: Netherlands East Indies (Dutch East Indies), Netherlands New Guinea
etymology: the name is an 18th-century construct of two Greek words, "Indos" (India) and "nesoi" (islands), meaning "Indian islands"
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
geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
time zone note: Indonesia has three time zones
etymology: "Jakarta" derives from the Sanscrit "Jayakarta" meaning "victorious city" and refers to a successful defeat and expulsion of the Portuguese in 1527; previously the port had been named "Sunda Kelapa"
Administrative divisions
35 provinces (provinsi-provinsi, singular - provinsi), 1 autonomous province*, 1 special region** (daerah istimewa), and 1 national capital district*** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta***, Jambi, Jawa Barat (West Java), Jawa Tengah (Central Java), Jawa Timur (East Java), Kalimantan Barat (West Kalimantan), Kalimantan Selatan (South Kalimantan), Kalimantan Tengah (Central Kalimantan), Kalimantan Timur (East Kalimantan), Kalimantan Utara (North Kalimantan), Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (Bangka Belitung Islands), Kepulauan Riau (Riau Islands), Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara (North Maluku), Nusa Tenggara Barat (West Nusa Tenggara), Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara), Papua, Papua Barat (West Papua), Papua Barat Daya (Southwest Papua), Papua Pegunungan (Papua Highlands), Papua Selatan (South Papua), Papua Tengah (Central Papua), Riau, Sulawesi Barat (West Sulawesi), Sulawesi Selatan (South Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tengah (Central Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tenggara (Southeast Sulawesi), Sulawesi Utara (North Sulawesi), Sumatera Barat (West Sumatra), Sumatera Selatan (South Sumatra), Sumatera Utara (North Sumatra), Yogyakarta**
note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, regencies and municipalities have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services
Independence
17 August 1945 (declared independence from the Netherlands)
National holiday
Independence Day, 17 August (1945)
Constitution
history: drafted July to August 1945, effective 18 August 1945, abrogated by 1949 and 1950 constitutions; 1945 constitution restored 5 July 1959
amendments: proposed by the People’s Consultative Assembly, with at least two thirds of its members present; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the unitary form of the state cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2002
Legal system
civil law system based on the Roman-Dutch model and influenced by customary law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Indonesia
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 continuous years
Suffrage
17 years of age; universal; married persons regardless of age
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)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 April 2019 (next election 2024)
election results:
2019: Joko WIDODO elected president; percent of vote - Joko WIDODO (PDI-P) 55.5%, PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (GERINDRA) 44.5%
2014: Joko WIDODO elected president; percent of vote - Joko WIDODO (PDI-P) 53.15%, PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (GERINDRA) 46.85%
Legislative branch
description: bicameral People's Consultative Assembly or Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat (MPR) 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 (DPR) (575 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections: Regional Representative Council - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024)
House of Representatives - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024)
election results: Regional Representative Council - all seats elected on a non-partisan basis; composition - men 102, women 34, percent of women 25%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDI-P 19.3%, Gerindra 12.6%, Golkar 12.3%, PKB 9.7%, Nasdem 9.1%, PKS 8.2%, PD 7.8%, PAN 6.8%, PPP 4.5%, other 9.6%; seats by party - PDI-P 128, Golkar 85, Gerindra 78, Nasdem 59, PKB 58, PD 54, PKS 50, PAN 44, PPP 19; composition - men 449, women 126, percent of women 21.9%; total People's Consultative Assembly percent of women 22.5%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (51 judges divided into 8 chambers); Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by Judicial Commission, appointed by president with concurrence of parliament; judges serve until retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by president, 3 by Supreme Court, and 3 by parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
subordinate courts: High Courts of Appeal, district courts, religious courts
Political parties and leaders
Democrat Party or PD [Agus Harimurti YUDHOYONO]
Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Airlangga HARTARTO]
Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo]
Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]
National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR]
National Democratic Party or NasDem [Surya PALOH]
National Mandate Party or PAN [Zulkifli HASAN]
Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Ahmad SYAIKHU]
United Development Party or PPP [Muhamad MARDIONO]
International organization participation
ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-11, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IORA, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, MSG (associate member), NAM, OECD (enhanced engagement), OIC, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Rosan Perkasa ROESLANI (since 13 January 2022)
chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200
FAX: [1] (202) 775-5236
email address and website:
washington.kbri@kemlu.go.id
https://www.kemlu.go.id/washington/en#!
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sung Y. KIM (since 21 October 2020)
embassy: Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 3-5, Jakarta 10110
mailing address: 8200 Jakarta Place, Washington DC 20521-8200
telephone: [62] (21) 5083-1000
FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189
email address and website:
jakartaacs@state.gov
https://id.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Surabaya
consulate(s): Medan
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; the colors derive from the banner of the Majapahit Empire of the 13th-15th centuries; red symbolizes courage, white represents purity
note: similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red
National symbol(s)
garuda (mythical bird); national colors: red, white
National anthem
name: "Indonesia Raya" (Great Indonesia)
lyrics/music: Wage Rudolf SOEPRATMAN
note: adopted 1945
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 10 (6 cultural, 4 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Borobudur Temple Compounds (c); Komodo National Park (n); Prambanan Temple Compounds (c); Ujung Kulon National Park (n); Sangiran Early Man Site (c); Lorentz National Park (n); Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (n); Cultural Landscape of Bali Province (c); Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto (c); Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its Historic Landmarks (c)
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.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 7
Real GDP per capita
$11,900 (2021 est.)
$11,500 (2020 est.)
$11,900 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 132
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1,119,720,000,000 (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.56% (2021 est.)
1.92% (2020 est.)
3.03% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 175
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BBB (2017)
Moody's rating: Baa2 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2019)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 13.7% (2017 est.)
industry: 41% (2017 est.)
services: 45.4% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: agriculture 71; industry 26; services 197
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 57.3% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 9.1% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 32.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 20.4% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -19.2% (2017 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
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 32%
industry: 21%
services: 47% (2016 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 16.1%
male: 16.3%
female: 15.7% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 107
Population below poverty line
9.4% (2019 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food: 31.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 7.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 28.2% (2010)
Budget
revenues: $130.872 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $192.97 billion (2020 est.)
Public debt
42.92% of GDP (2020 est.)
33.73% of GDP (2019 est.)
33.14% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 129
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
$3.459 billion (2021 est.)
-$4.433 billion (2020 est.)
-$30.279 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 34
Exports
$246.87 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$178.418 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$200.097 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
comparison ranking: 32
Exports - partners
China 15%, United States 10%, Japan 9%, Singapore 8%, India 7%, Malaysia 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
coal, palm oil, natural gas, iron alloys, stainless steel (2021)
Imports
$217.715 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$159.872 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$204.23 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
comparison ranking: 31
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)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$144.908 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$135.916 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$129.186 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 22
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.)
Energy
Electricity access
population without electricity: (2020) less than 1 million
electrification - total population: 99.2% (2021)
electrification - urban areas: 99.9% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 98.2% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 69.065 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 256,742,190,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 1.553 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 25.08 billion kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 19; consumption 18; exports 151; imports 64; transmission/distribution losses 18
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 82.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 5.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 563.728 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 132.548 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 409.892 million metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 8.95 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 39.891 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 842,300 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1.649 million bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 204,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 309,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 2.48 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 62,612,013,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
consumption: 38,673,953,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
exports: 23,938,060,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 1,408,478,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
563.543 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 267.326 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 209.279 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 86.938 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 11
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 8,998,814 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 19
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 365,872,608 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 134 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 3
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Indonesia faces more than the usual number of obstacles in terms of enabling widespread access to quality telecommunications services for its population of more than 270 million; the geographical challenges have been further compounded by a variety of social, political, and economic problems over the years that have kept the country’s wealth distributed very thinly; the fixed-line (fiber) and mobile operators have continued to expand and upgrade their networks across the country; Indonesia’s 18,000 islands (many of which, however, are sparsely populated) makes the deployment of fixed-line infrastructure on a broad scale difficult; there has been renewed activity in fiber optic cable, but the bundling of fixed-line telephony with TV and internet services will see the country’s teledensity stabilize; mobile subscriptions have reached more than 130% and is projected to exceed 150% by 2026; with 4G LTE universally available, the major mobile companies have been busy launching 5G services in selected areas; the rollout of 5G will be hampered by the lack of availability of suitable frequencies; the 4G had to be reallocated from broadcasting services, and indications are that the same process is going to have to be followed in order to allow the expansion of 5G into its core frequency bands (3.3 to 4.2GHz) (2022)
domestic: fixed-line subscribership roughly 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular 134 per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code - 62; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-3 & 5, DAMAI, JASUKA, BDM, Dumai-Melaka Cable System, IGG, JIBA, Link 1, 3, 4, & 5, PGASCOM, B3J2, Tanjung Pandam-Sungai Kakap Cable System, JAKABARE, JAYABAYA, INDIGO-West, Matrix Cable System, ASC, SJJK, Jaka2LaDeMa, S-U-B Cable System, JBCS, MKCS, BALOK, Palapa Ring East, West and Middle, SMPCS Packet-1 and 2, LTCS, TSCS, SEA-US and Kamal Domestic Submarine Cable System, 35 submarine cable networks that provide links throughout Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
Broadcast media
mixture of about a dozen national TV networks - 1 public broadcaster, the remainder private broadcasters - each with multiple transmitters; more than 100 local TV stations; widespread use of satellite and cable TV systems; public radio broadcaster operates 6 national networks, as well as regional and local stations; overall, more than 700 radio stations with more than 650 privately operated (2019)
Internet users
total: 167.4 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 62% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 5
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 11,722,218 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 17
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 25 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 611
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 115,154,100 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,131,910,000 (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
186
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
487
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Heliports
76 (2021)
Pipelines
1,064 km condensate, 150 km condensate/gas, 11,702 km gas, 119 km liquid petroleum gas, 7,767 km oil, 77 km oil/gas/water, 728 km refined products, 53 km unknown, 44 km water (2013)
Railways
total: 8,159 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 8,159 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified)
note: 4,816 km operational
comparison ranking: total 27
Roadways
total: 496,607 km (2011)
paved: 283,102 km (2011)
unpaved: 213,505 km (2011)
comparison ranking: total 15
Merchant marine
total: 11,015
by type: bulk carrier 154, container ship 218, general cargo 2,310, oil tanker 700, other 7,633 (2022)
comparison ranking: total 1
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Banjarmasin, Belawan, Kotabaru, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok
container port(s) (TEUs): Tanjung Perak (3,901,215), Tanjung Priok (6,849,227) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (export): Bontang, Tangguh
LNG terminal(s) (import): Arun, Lampung, West Java
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL); includes Marine Corps (Korps Marinir or KorMar)), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)) (2023)
note 1: in 2014, Indonesia created a Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) to coordinate the actions of all maritime security agencies, including the Navy, the Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard (Kesatuan Penjagaan Laut dan Pantai, KPLP), the Water Police (Polair), Customs (Bea Cukai), and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
note 2: the Indonesian National Police, which reports directly to the president, includes a paramilitary Mobile Brigade Corps (BRIMOB); following the Bali terror bombing in 2002, the National Police formed a special counterterrorism force called Detachment 88 (Densus or Detasemen Khusus 88 Antiteror); Detachment 88 often works with the TNI's Joint Special Operations Command, which has counterterrorism and counterinsurgency units; the National Police are also bolstered by the KAMRA "People's Security" police auxiliaries
Military expenditures
0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.8% of GDP (2021)
0.8% of GDP (2020)
0.8% of GDP (2019)
0.7% of GDP (2018)
comparison ranking: 134
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 400,000 active-duty troops (300,000 Army; 60,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines; 30,000 Air Force) (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory is a wide mix of Chinese, Russian, and Western (including US) equipment; in recent years, the top suppliers have included China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, and the US; the TNI has been engaged in a modernization program for more than a decade with uneven success; Indonesia has a growing defense industry fueled by technology transfers and cooperation agreements with several countries; in 2019, the Indonesian Government said that growing its domestic defense industry was a national priority over the following 10 years (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18-45 years of age for voluntary military service, with selective conscription authorized (males, age 18), but not utilized; 24-month service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers) (2023)
Military deployments
225 (plus about 140 police) Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,025 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 1,225 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2023)
Military - note
the military is responsible for external defense, combatting separatism, and responding to natural disasters; in certain conditions it may provide operational support to police, such as for counterterrorism operations, maintaining public order, and addressing communal conflicts; the TNI has undergone reforms since the 1990s to improve its professionalism and limit its involvement in internal politics; the infantry-heavy Army is the largest service and deployed throughout the country in 14 area (KODAM) and three joint area (KOGABWILHAN) defense commands; it also has a special forces command (KOPASSUS) and three strategic reserve (KOSTRAD) infantry division headquarters; as of 2023, the Army was conducting counter-insurgency operations in Papua against the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Organization, which has been fighting a low-level insurgency since Indonesia annexed the former Dutch colony in the 1960s; it has also been assisting police in Sulawesi in countering the Mujahideen Indonesia Timur (MIT; aka East Indonesia Mujahideen), a local militant group affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); the Navy is organized and equipped for coastal defense and patrolling Indonesia’s territorial waters where it faces such issues as piracy, transnational crime, illegal fishing, and incursions by Chinese vessels; its warships include more than 30 frigates and corvettes and a substantial number of patrol vessels, plus a handful of attack-type submarines; the Navy also has a maritime aviation component and an amphibious force with several marine infantry brigades and amphibious assault ships; the Air Force has more than 100 combat aircraft
Indonesia is not a formal claimant in the South China Sea, although some of its waters lie within China's “nine-dash line” maritime claims, resulting in some stand offs in recent years; since 2016, the Indonesian military has bolstered its presence on Great Natuna Island (aka Pulau Natuna Besar), the main island of the Middle Natuna Archipelago, which is part of the Riau Islands Province, and held military exercises in the surrounding waters (2023)
Maritime threats
the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; the number of attacks in Indonesia increased to ten incidents in 2022 compared to nine in 2021; aggressive maritime patrolling by regional authorities has reduced the frequency of attacks in recent years; vessels continue to be boarded while anchored or berthed at Indonesian ports; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia
Space
Space agency/agencies
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN; established 2021); BRIN integrated five previously separate Indonesian institutions, including the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space of Indonesia (Lembaga Penerbangan Dan Antariksa Nasional or LAPAN; established 1964), and nearly 50 governmental research divisions; BRIN is under the Ministry of Research and Technology and manages Indonesia’s space program through the Indonesian Space Agency (INASA; formed 2022) and the Research Organization for Aeronautics and Space (ORPA; formed 2021) (2023)
Space launch site(s)
Stasiun Peluncuran Roket rocket launch facility (West Java); building an space launch facility/spaceport on Biak, Papua (estimated completion date is 2025) (2023)
Space program overview
has had a space program since the 1960s that has focused largely on rocket development and the acquisition and operation of satellites; operates satellites; manufactures remote sensing (RS) satellites; has a sounding (research) rocket program geared towards development of an indigenous orbital satellite launch vehicle (SLV) and independent satellite launch capabilities; researching and developing a range of other space-related technologies and capabilities related to satellite payloads, communications, RS, and astronomy; has relations with several foreign space agencies and industries, including those of France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (aka Jemaah Anshorut Daulah); Jemaah Islamiyah
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of establishing stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of its neighbors; three stretches of land borders with Timor-Leste have yet to be delimited, two of which are in the Oecussi exclave area, and no maritime or Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundaries have been established between the countries; all borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches; land and maritime negotiations with Malaysia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalizing their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; maritime delimitation talks continue with Palau; EEZ negotiations with Vietnam are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 5,684 (Afghanistan) (mid-year 2022)
IDPs: 72,000 (inter-communal, inter-faith, and separatist violence between 1998 and 2004 in Aceh and Papua; religious attacks and land conflicts in 2007 and 2013; most IDPs in Aceh, Maluku, East Nusa Tengarra) (2022)
stateless persons: 866 (2022)
Illicit drugs
major transit point and destination for illicit narcotics; a destination for methamphetamine, ecstasy, and other illicit drugs; methamphetamine production facilities within Indonesia