Background: Indonesia declared its independence in 1945 from the Netherlands, a claim disputed, then recognized by the Dutch in 1949. In 1975 Indonesian troops occupied Portuguese East Timor. Current issues include implementing IMF-mandated reforms (particularly restructuring and recapitalizing the insolvent banking sector), effecting a transition to a popularly elected government, addressing longstanding grievances over the role of the ethnic Chinese business class and charges of cronyism and corruption, alleged human rights violations by the military, the role of the military and religion in politics, and growing pressures for some form of independence or autonomy by Aceh, Irian Jaya, and East Timor.

Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 1,919,440 km²
Land: 1,826,440 km²
Water: 93,000 km²
Comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 2,602 km
Border countries: (2) Malaysia 1,782 km; , Papua New Guinea 820 km

Coastline: 54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use
Arable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 7%
Permanent pastures: 7%
Forests and woodland: 62%
Other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 45,970 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes

Geography
Note: archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited; straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Population: 209,774,138 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 1.51% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Indonesian(s)
Adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups: Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26%

Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Religions: Muslim 87%, Protestant 6%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1985)

Age structure
0-14 years: 31% (male 33,313,149; female 32,367,905)
15-64 years: 65% (male 67,824,993; female 68,226,617)
65 years and over: 4% (male 3,557,886; female 4,483,588) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.51% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 23.39 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.3 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.2 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.06 years
Male: 59.89 years
Female: 64.34 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.66 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 83.8%
Male: 89.6%
Female: 78% (1995 est.)

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

Government type: republic

Capital: Jakarta

Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota; Aceh*, Bali, Bengkulu, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Lampung, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Timor Timur, Yogyakarta*

Independence: 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution: August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968) and Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968) and Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet
Elections: president and vice president elected by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 11 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998)
Election results: Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO elected president by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly; Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO elected vice president by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 400 elected by popular vote, 100 are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year terms; note - beginning with the elections in May 1997, the composition of the DPR will change to 425 elected representatives and 75 appointed representatives)
Elections: last held 8 June 1992 (next scheduled for 29 May 1997)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 68%, PPP 17%, PDI 15%; seats by party - Golkar 282, PPP 62, PDI 56
Note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) includes the DPR plus 500 indirectly selected members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and to approve the broad outlines of national policy

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung), the judges are appointed by the president

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Arifin Mohamad SIREGAR
In the us chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 775-5,200
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 775-5,365
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador J. Stapleton ROY
From the us embassy: Medan Merdeka Selatan 5, Jakarta
From the us mailing address: Unit 8,129, Box 1, APO AP 96,520
From the us telephone: [62] (21) 344-2,211
From the us FAX: [62] (21) 386-2,259
From the us consulates general: Surabaya

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy overview: Indonesia's sound macroeconomic management, combined with an emphasis on rapid deregulation and encouragement of private investment resulted in real GDP growth in 1991-96 averaging about 7%. This was impressive, but not sufficient to cut underemployment while absorbing the 2.3 million workers annually entering the labor force. Foreign investment has boosted manufacturing output and exports in recent years. The economy's growth is driven by continuing expansion of nonoil exports. Plantation crops - rubber and palm oil - and textiles and plywood are being encouraged for both export and job generation. Industrial output is based on diverse natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas, timber, metals, and coal. Japan remains Indonesia's most important customer and supplier of aid. Growth in 1996 was led by industry, transport, and tourism. Strong growth should continue in 1997 assuming no sharp rise in political uncertainty.

Real gdp growth rate: 7% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,770 (1996 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17%
Industry: 42%
Services: 41% (1995 est.)

Agriculture products: rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra, other tropical products; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Industries: petroleum and natural gas, textiles, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, food, rubber; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 13.9% (1995 est.)

Labor force
Total: 67 million
By occupation agriculture: 55%
By occupation manufacturing: 10%
By occupation construction: 4%
By occupation transport and communications: 3%
By occupation other: 28% (1985est.)

Unemployment rate: 3% official rate; underemployment 40% (1994 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $41.5 billion
Expenditures: $41.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $16 billion (FY97/98 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports
Total value: $49.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: manufactures 51.9%, fuels 26.4%, foodstuffs 12.7%, raw materials 9.0%
Partners: Japan 27.1%, US 13.9%, Singapore 8.3%, South Korea 6.4%, Taiwan 3.9%, China 3.8%, Hong Kong 3.6% (1995)

Imports
Total value: $42.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: manufactures 75.3%, raw materials 9.0%, foodstuffs 7.8%, fuels 7.7%
Partners: Japan 22.7%, US 11.7%, Germany 6.9%, South Korea 6.0%, Singapore 5.8%, Australia 5.0%, Taiwan 4.5% (1995)

Debt external: $110 billion (yearend 1996 est.)

Exchange rates: Indonesian rupiahs (Rp) per US$1 - 2,393.0 (January 1997), 2,342.3 (1996), 2,248.6 (1995), 2,160.8 (1994), 2,087.1 (1993), 2,029.9 (1992)

Electricity
Capacity: 16.27 million kW (1994)
Production: 58.31 billion kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 276 kWh (1995 est.)

Telephones: 1,276,600 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: domestic service fair, international service good
Domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.3 billion (FY97/98)
Percent of gdp: 1.3% (FY97/98)

Airports: 413 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 386
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 10
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 36
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 39
With paved runways under 914 m: 297 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 27
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 23 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 4 (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km (1989)

Railways
Total: 6,458 km
Narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (1995)

Waterways: 21,579 km total; Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Celebes 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km

Merchant marine
Total: 465 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,185,353 GRT/3,191,792 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 30, cargo 267, chemical tanker 8, container 9, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 102, passenger 6, passenger-cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 4 (1996 est.)

Disputes international: sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province) disputed with Portugal and not recognized by the UN; two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin