All photos have been attained from other sources that can be found here.
To see even more beautiful photos of Indonesia, simply click on one of the links below.
Here is a website that helps show a new traveler to Indonesia, all the wonderful places this part of the world has to offer. Indonesia is not one culture, but a beautiful medley of many cultures that make up this nation, and give it its unique and rich society. As this website is the official website of the Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia, it is an extremely valuable resource for anyone wanting to learn more about this land.
Website: http://www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/destinations |
Here is a website that may appeal more to the left brains, where one can find an incredible amount of statistical data on Indonesia. This data varies including land uses, population distribution, ethnic and religious group percentages, even obesity rates. Of course to fully understand a culture, statistical data is only one of many pieces to a very complex puzzle. You can find that piece here.
Website: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html |
Tamindael, O. (2014, February 22). Antara News. Retrieved from https://en.antaranews.com/news/92806/indonesias-local-languages-need-preservation
Demographic statistics
Gapminder Applied: Indonesia over the last 200+ years.
Figures below courtesy of Gapminder.org
Figures below courtesy of Gapminder.org
Here we see the total number of peoples living in urban areas in the four most populated countries in the world. Indonesia currently has about half its population each living in urban and rural areas.
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As nations advance in both medicine and technology, life expectancy and infant mortality rates both go in opposite directions that lead to population increases. In 2015, Indonesia's life expectancy ranged around 71 years while having a 2.72% chance of infant (0-5 years) mortality. To compare, the U.S. in 2015 had a life expectancy of 79 with an infant mortality rate of 0.65%
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Here we see a snapshot of Indonesia, U.S., China, and India in 1982. The size of the circle shows urban population percentage and the color inside the circle shows their CO2 emissions.
The emission numbers are metric tonnes of CO2 used per each person in that country. Now, compare this with the snapshot of the same nations in 2012 (30 years later) below. |
These four images show us an example of the good and bad effects a nation experiences when "modernizing." A common effect from population growth is an increase in urbanization. Modern nations like the four you see above (except for India) are experiencing relatively high levels of their populations moving into urbanized/industrialized areas, which seems to also coincide with an increase in CO2 emissions per person. In Figure A, we see the constant increasing trend of urbanization for the last 55 years in all four countries. Figure B shows us Indonesia's population growth from a life expectancy/infant mortality rate which are also direct effects from modernized medicine and technology. Figures C and D show us one of the darker effects from population and urbanization growth, relating to CO2 emissions. Over the last 30 years, Indonesians increased their CO2 emissions by over 1.7 tonnes per person. Though, to put this in perspective, the average Indonesian still emits almost 5 tonnes less a year than the average Chinese person, and almost 14 tonnes less a year than the average American!
Religion in Indonesia
The first major religions in Indonesia were Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism arrived on the islands of modern-day Indonesia around the 5th century, and Buddhism arrived about a century later. These two religions dominated most of the archipelago’s population for almost a millennium, and the island of Java itself had thousands of Hindu and Buddhist temples that were believed to have been peacefully co-existing with each other for centuries. A massive volcanic eruption in the early 11th century buried most of these temples but the religions would remain strong until the arrival of Islam around the 15th century.
The role of religion in this country is extensive, especially in modern times as over 225 million Indonesian inhabitants now subscribe to the Islamic faith, yet Hindu, Buddhist, and even ancient local tribal symbols, traditions and architecture remain in various areas across the country. Christianity also has some influence in sparse, scattered areas though they make up less the 10% of the population and is one of the last major religions to arrive to the islands. Therefore, the main religion is Islam and it has been flourishing here for over 500 years. While small areas of the country have implemented Shariah law, most areas are maintaining a relatively healthy balance between religion and government, and non-Islamic inhabitants are still free to practice their own religions. In fact, according to Tom Allard and Jessica Damiana of Reuters (2017), the Indonesian Constitutional Court “affirmed the rights of devotees of faiths outside the country’s officially recognized religions” (Allard & Damiana, 2017). This guaranteed no more religious oppression toward indigenous Indonesian faiths by forcing them to register as either Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist or Confucian. This is good to hear as Indonesia is home to some of the oldest and richest religious cultures in the world.
It is also home to some of the largest, and most beautiful Hindu and Buddhist temples in the world. These include the massive Prambanan, the Mother temple Basakih, and possibly one of the most beautiful Hindu temples on the planet, the Pura Taman Saraswati. Indonesia also has an increasing number of mosques appearing all over the country, however none of these buildings or sites rank very high on a sacred scale for their respective religions. For Islam, the most sacred places remain in Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem and for Hinduism, the major sites are mostly found in India. For Buddhism, many places from China to the northern parts of south Asia can be considered sacred, and some of the Buddhist temples in Indonesia are sought out by many travelers for their aesthetics, but not for any specific religious ritualistic mandates or major historical events.
Indonesia throughout the years has appeared to want to keep freedom of religion a standard policy and most provincial governments within the country remain secular. There are, however, some areas like Aceh, a northwestern province, that have adopted the political Shariah ideology which mandates Shariah law. Public whippings/canings have become a common form of punishment for individuals who violate the laws in this area. According to Suroosh Alvi, a reporter for VICE news (2018), these punishments can be a few lashings for being caught outside after dark with a person you are not married to, to 100 lashings for being identified as a homosexual. (Alvi, 2018) While it appears the Indonesian government will never allow the spread of Shariah law nation-wide, they also have no intention of stopping the Aceh Province from continuing this form of law enforcement.
Despite the overwhelming influence of one religion on over 90 percent of the population, the country remains deeply rooted in its history with Hinduism, Buddhism, and even some ancient tribal belief systems that might date back further than any other religion Indonesia has today. To put that in perspective, there have been Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms ruling various Indonesian islands as far back as the 2nd century. Indonesia’s religious history is rich and eclectic, and as long as a relatively secular government remains in power, there should be no reason to think this will change.
The role of religion in this country is extensive, especially in modern times as over 225 million Indonesian inhabitants now subscribe to the Islamic faith, yet Hindu, Buddhist, and even ancient local tribal symbols, traditions and architecture remain in various areas across the country. Christianity also has some influence in sparse, scattered areas though they make up less the 10% of the population and is one of the last major religions to arrive to the islands. Therefore, the main religion is Islam and it has been flourishing here for over 500 years. While small areas of the country have implemented Shariah law, most areas are maintaining a relatively healthy balance between religion and government, and non-Islamic inhabitants are still free to practice their own religions. In fact, according to Tom Allard and Jessica Damiana of Reuters (2017), the Indonesian Constitutional Court “affirmed the rights of devotees of faiths outside the country’s officially recognized religions” (Allard & Damiana, 2017). This guaranteed no more religious oppression toward indigenous Indonesian faiths by forcing them to register as either Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist or Confucian. This is good to hear as Indonesia is home to some of the oldest and richest religious cultures in the world.
It is also home to some of the largest, and most beautiful Hindu and Buddhist temples in the world. These include the massive Prambanan, the Mother temple Basakih, and possibly one of the most beautiful Hindu temples on the planet, the Pura Taman Saraswati. Indonesia also has an increasing number of mosques appearing all over the country, however none of these buildings or sites rank very high on a sacred scale for their respective religions. For Islam, the most sacred places remain in Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem and for Hinduism, the major sites are mostly found in India. For Buddhism, many places from China to the northern parts of south Asia can be considered sacred, and some of the Buddhist temples in Indonesia are sought out by many travelers for their aesthetics, but not for any specific religious ritualistic mandates or major historical events.
Indonesia throughout the years has appeared to want to keep freedom of religion a standard policy and most provincial governments within the country remain secular. There are, however, some areas like Aceh, a northwestern province, that have adopted the political Shariah ideology which mandates Shariah law. Public whippings/canings have become a common form of punishment for individuals who violate the laws in this area. According to Suroosh Alvi, a reporter for VICE news (2018), these punishments can be a few lashings for being caught outside after dark with a person you are not married to, to 100 lashings for being identified as a homosexual. (Alvi, 2018) While it appears the Indonesian government will never allow the spread of Shariah law nation-wide, they also have no intention of stopping the Aceh Province from continuing this form of law enforcement.
Despite the overwhelming influence of one religion on over 90 percent of the population, the country remains deeply rooted in its history with Hinduism, Buddhism, and even some ancient tribal belief systems that might date back further than any other religion Indonesia has today. To put that in perspective, there have been Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms ruling various Indonesian islands as far back as the 2nd century. Indonesia’s religious history is rich and eclectic, and as long as a relatively secular government remains in power, there should be no reason to think this will change.
References
Allard, T & Damiana, J. (2017). Indonesian Court Recognizes Native Religions in Landmark Ruling. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-religion/indonesian-court-recognizes-native-religions-in-landmark-ruling-idUSKBN1D71J2
Alvi, S. (2018). This is What Life is Like Under Sahria Law. VICE news. Retrieved from https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/bjyw45/this-is-what-life-is-like-under-sharia-law
U.S. Department of State (2016). Indonesia 2016 International Religious Freedom Report. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/268976.pdf
Alvi, S. (2018). This is What Life is Like Under Sahria Law. VICE news. Retrieved from https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/bjyw45/this-is-what-life-is-like-under-sharia-law
U.S. Department of State (2016). Indonesia 2016 International Religious Freedom Report. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/268976.pdf
Food and culture
Indonesia
Common basic food items:
Rice, noodle, and soup dishes.
Dairy:
Large-scale dairies continue to expand in Indonesia and are driving production growth. Interviews with leading dairy businesses note that the demand for dairy products is very strong, with local businesses unable to meet demand for fresh milk and other fresh dairy products. As a result, the local dairy population continues to grow, and Post estimates that Indonesian fresh milk production will reach 1.67 million liters per day.
Meat, fish & eggs:
Chicken, duck, beef, goat meat, and a large array of fish are main sources of protein.
Fruits, vegetables & nuts:
Kangkung (water spinach), spinach, aenier (yellow velvetleaf), melinio (paddy oats), papaya and cassava leaves.
Spices:
Nutmeg (mace), clove, pandan leaves, keluwak, black pepper, cinnamon, candlenut and galangal.
References:
USDA Foreign Agriculture Services: https://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Dairy%20and%20Products%20Annual_Jakarta_Indonesia_11-5-2015.pdf
Common basic food items:
Rice, noodle, and soup dishes.
Dairy:
Large-scale dairies continue to expand in Indonesia and are driving production growth. Interviews with leading dairy businesses note that the demand for dairy products is very strong, with local businesses unable to meet demand for fresh milk and other fresh dairy products. As a result, the local dairy population continues to grow, and Post estimates that Indonesian fresh milk production will reach 1.67 million liters per day.
Meat, fish & eggs:
Chicken, duck, beef, goat meat, and a large array of fish are main sources of protein.
Fruits, vegetables & nuts:
Kangkung (water spinach), spinach, aenier (yellow velvetleaf), melinio (paddy oats), papaya and cassava leaves.
Spices:
Nutmeg (mace), clove, pandan leaves, keluwak, black pepper, cinnamon, candlenut and galangal.
References:
USDA Foreign Agriculture Services: https://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Dairy%20and%20Products%20Annual_Jakarta_Indonesia_11-5-2015.pdf
Popular Traditional dish:
Gudeg Jogja - Yogyakarta Jackfruit Stew
Recipe:
Prep time: 30 mins / Cook time: 5 hours / Total time: 5 hours 30 mins / Serves: 8 Ingredients
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Background:
This dish originates from the island of Java, specifically Yogyakarta and Central Java. The dish started sometime during the time of the Mataram Kingdom in the 16th century. A large number of Jackfruit trees were ordered to be cut down. This left the local cooks with an abundance of jackfruits, and the experimenting began. The name "Gudeg" comes from the very specific process of stirring that is required in the preparation process. It can be served "wet" or "dry." A Wet Gudeg is simply a Gudeg that is stopped cooking mid-boil and served with the coconut milk it was boiling in. A Dry Gudeg is simply one that is completely boiled through until no liquid is present in the pot. |
Religion's affect on food: As about 90% of Indonesia's population is Muslim, a halal diet in most parts of the country is to be expected. This means absolutely no consumption of swine ever, as well as never consuming any animal that was not slaughtered in accordance with halal guidelines. There are several islands, however, that do not have a major Muslim population and have many local dishes that include swine.
More eclectic than most: Indonesia has been a trading hub since maritime trade began. Many different cultures have arrived on the shores of these islands, and the traditional cuisines of this country show the effect these various groups had in forming the food culture Indonesia has today. The three most noticeable influences came from India, China, and the Netherlands. India's influence can be seen in the, ever so common, curry dishes served all over the country. Chinese influence shows in almost every island as Chinese immigrants have been arriving in Indonesia since the 7th century. A famous Chinese inspired dish known as bakmi is made with noodles and sauteed minced pork. Of course there are variations to this dish substituting pork with chicken or beef to adjust to halal food standards. Finally, Netherlands' influence is found in the now various breads and cheeses that almost all Indonesian restaurants will serve.
More eclectic than most: Indonesia has been a trading hub since maritime trade began. Many different cultures have arrived on the shores of these islands, and the traditional cuisines of this country show the effect these various groups had in forming the food culture Indonesia has today. The three most noticeable influences came from India, China, and the Netherlands. India's influence can be seen in the, ever so common, curry dishes served all over the country. Chinese influence shows in almost every island as Chinese immigrants have been arriving in Indonesia since the 7th century. A famous Chinese inspired dish known as bakmi is made with noodles and sauteed minced pork. Of course there are variations to this dish substituting pork with chicken or beef to adjust to halal food standards. Finally, Netherlands' influence is found in the now various breads and cheeses that almost all Indonesian restaurants will serve.