‘Asian Countries Today: Indonesia’ (I)
‘Asian Countries Today: Indonesia’ by Catrina Daniels-Cowart Published by Mason Crest
1. Indonesia is home to more volcanoes than any other place in the world. About 76 are active, with significant activity in Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi island, Merapi, the Banda Sea and on Halmahera and Sanghe Islands.
2. The flag of Indonesia is a red horizontal stripe and white horizontal strip dividing into halves. The two colours stand for courage and honesty. This flag is identical to the flag of Monaco, except for the overall dimensions. Indonesia’s flag’s dimensions have a ratio of 2:3.
3. There are over 14700 islands that make up Indonesia. It has the fourth largest population on the planet. It is also home to the most forests on Earth, after the Amazon. Indonesia is home to 16% of Earth’s birds, 14% of the planet’s fish and 13% of its mammals. It is a place where conservation is vital.
4. Indonesia is known for its unique species. Orangutans hail from Indonesia in Sumatra and Borneo. Komodo dragons can be found on Komodo.
5. Between 1945 and 1949, the Indonesian people fought against the British and Dutch while seeking independence. There was political unrest throughout the country and negotiations and meetings were difficult. However, Indonesia won out in the end, gaining independence from all colonial rule in 1949, for the first time in 400 years.
6. Indonesia’s major exports include electrical appliances, rubber, textiles, plywood, and oil and gas. In agriculture, the most common exports include rice, soy beans, bananas, rubber, sugar cane, palm, coffee and coconuts.
7. The service sector employs the most people, providing jobs for around 47% of the workforce. The industrial sector is also important to Indonesia as it provides around 40% of the gross domestic products and employs 21% of the workforce.
8. Within Indonesia, it is common to use becaks, buses, dokars, ojeks minibuses, taxis and private vehicles to get around. A becak is a three-wheeled cart that might be pedal-powered or powered by a motor. The driver can determine their own charges, so you should negotiate before you get on. A bus is another option, but they are not common outside Java or Jakarta.
9. As in 2010, it was estimated that 40.1% of the people are Javanese and 31.2% are of ‘other’ backgrounds. The third largest group of people are the Sundanese, who make up around 15.5% of the population.
Source: http://www.artnet.com/artists/konstantin-aleksandrovich-vyalov/fallschirmspringer-ODgPohivBwu4LZwSB7pHFA2
Source: https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/--TINY-TIM/3A20728A9B74E565FF3122C208696C10
