Indonesia is an island republic located in Southeast Asia that is comprised of nearly 13,700 islands in the Malay Archipelago. The nation's total population is 212,941,810, making it the fourth most populous country in the world, after China, India, and the United States. The capital city, Jakarta, is located on the island of Java and is home to one of Quota International's newest clubs. The Jakarta metropolitan area, which boasts approximately 25 million people, is the most populated area in the nation. The city itself is home to the majority of the country's educational institutions, museums, and cultural centers.

Courtesy of The General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

It is believed that the first inhabitants of the Indonesian islands arrived from India or Burma about 500,000 years ago. Successive waves of migration occurred primarily from southern China and Indochina (known as Malays). Hindus, and later Muslims, migrated to the archipelago in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Europeans did not arrive until 1511, when the Portuguese arrived in search of spices. Later, the Dutch ousted the Portuguese and took hold of Jakarta (known then as Batavia); they remained in control of the country until 1949.

The transition to peaceful democracy has been slow since then. However, today President Abdurrahman Wahid,
a 59-year-old moderate Islamic leader, is working to
return democracy to the nation.

Indonesia enjoys a rich cultural environment with over
300 ethnic groups speaking 365 languages and dialects. Though the religious majority is Islamic, the religion is interfused with Hindu-Buddhist elements, especially in the adat, or traditional laws and customs. This has also influenced drama, art, and dance. The principal link of all Indonesians is the use of the national language, Bahasa Indonesia, the lingua franca which represents the fusion of cultures on the islands.

Visit these sites for more tourism information on Indonesia:
http://www.indonesia-ottawa.org/indonesia/general
http://www.indonesiatourism.com/

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