The Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, or Indonesian Indonesia and Republik Indonesia is a country transcontinental mainly located in Southeast Asia. With, recognized to date, 13,466 islands, it is the largest archipelago in the world. With an estimated population of 250 million people, it is the 4th most populated country in the world and 1st country to majority Muslim for many believers. The
In the first centuries BC. The Indonesian archipelago is an important region of trade with India and China at the heart of a network centered on the Fou-nan. The leaders of these Indonesian port cities adopt Indian cultural, religious and political models. From the viith century, the trade center moves to the kingdom of Sriwijaya in South Sumatra. The viiith century saw the development in central Java a prosperous rice that allows different kingdoms to build great religious monuments. This is the beginning of the Indonesian classical period.
With the decline of the Silk Road, the Strait of Malacca becomes a major maritime crossroads for trade between Indonesia and China on the one hand and India and the Middle East on the other. The Indonesian archipelago is part of an international trading network soon dominated by Muslim merchants. The princes of the ports gradually converted to Islam.
At the xvi th century, the age of the Great Discoveries, the European powers are seeking to directly access the Moluccas , producing area spices. In 1511, the Portuguese of Goa conquered Malacca and settled there. The Dutch hunt in 1605. In the xvii th century, they eliminate their rival in the east of the archipelago, in what would become the Kingdom of Gowa, and settled in Java. The island is undermined by the wars of succession of the kingdom of Mataram which gradually yields part of its territories to the Dutch. In the xix th century, the colonizers may start the Economic exploitation of the island and impose their law on the rest of the archipelago. a national movement born at the beginning of the xx th century. In 1945, Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaimed the independence of Indonesia. The 1950s were marked by numerous separatist movements. Following the events of 1965-66, General Soeharto took power. He resigned in 1998, allowing the country to begin the process of democratization. Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaim the independence of Indonesia . The 1950s were marked by numerous separatist movements. Following the events of 1965-66, General Soeharto took power. He resigned in 1998, allowing the country to begin the process of democratization. Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaim the independence of Indonesia. The 1950s were marked by numerous separatist movements. Following the events of 1965-66, General Soeharto took power. He resigned in 1998, allowing the country to begin the process of democratization.
Through its many islands, Indonesia includes many distinct groups culturally, linguistically and religiously. The Javanese are the most represented in terms of numbers and political influence. As a unitary state and as a nation, Indonesia has developed a common identity by defining a national language called ” Indonesian ” (which is a variant of Malay ), and respecting diversity, religious pluralism within a Majority of Muslims.
Despite its large population and densely populated areas, Indonesia has vast wilderness areas, which give the country great biodiversity even though this heritage is declining due to increasing human activities.