Indonesia is a tropical country made up entirely of islands. How many islands? It’s got more than 13,600 of them! Tigers, pythons, and crocodiles live in thick rain forests that cover some of the islands. Towering mountains and active volcanoes rise across Indonesia, the world’s largest island nation.
People live on about half of Indonesia’s islands. The main islands include Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. Thousands of Indonesia’s smaller islands are little more than tiny dots of land. Indonesia also owns parts of the islands of Borneo, New Guinea, and Timor. Many Indonesians use boats for fishing and traveling between the islands.
Official name | Republic of Indonesia |
Capital | Jakarta |
Official language | Bahasa Indonesia |
Population | 238,000,000 people |
Rank among countries in population | 4th |
Major cities | Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya |
Area | 735,000 square miles 1,900,000 square kilometers |
Rank among countries in area | 15th |
Highest point | Mt. Jaya 16,503 feet/5,030 meters |
Currency | Indonesian rupiah |
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.