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The name Indonesia was derived from "indos
nesos", meaning islands near India, The country is in fact the largest
archipelago in the world with a thousand islands, 17,508 to be precise,
spread in an area between the Asian continent and Australia, and between
the Pacific and the Indian oceans. The islands are inhabited by many tribes
with diverse culture and languages, although there is a national language
spoken throughout the country, namely Bahasa Indonesia. It is thus appropriate,
that the country's motto is Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, which means: Unity in
Diversity. Our state philosophy is Pancasila, or the Five Principles.
Climate and Weather : The climate and weather of Indonesia is characterized by two tropical seasons, which vary with the equatorial air circulation and the meridian air circulation. The dry season (June to September) is influences by the Australian continental air masses; while the rainy season (December to March) is the result of the Asian and Pacific Ocean air masses. Volcanoes : The country is predominantly mountainous with some 400 volcanoes of which 100 are active. Mountains higher than 9,000 feet are found on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa. The highest mountain is the perpetually snow-capped Mandala Top (15,300 feet) in the Jaya Wijaya mountain range of Irian Jaya. Rivers and Lakes : Many rivers flow throughout the country. They serve as useful transportation routes on certain islands, for example the Musi, Batanghari, Indagiri and Kamper rivers in Sumatra; the Kapuas, Barito, Mahakam and Rejang rivers in Kalimantan; and the Memberano and Digul rivers in Irian Jaya. On Java rivers are important for irrigation purposes, i.e. the Bengawan Solo, Citarum and Brantas rivers. A number of islands are dotted with scenic lakes, like the Toba, Maninjau and Singkawang lakes on Sumatra; the Tempe, Tawuti, Sidenreng, Poso, Limboto, Tondano, and Matana lakes on Sulawesi; the Paniai and Sentani lakes on Irian Jaya. Fauna : Indonesia contains one of the world's most remarkable geographical boundaries in its distribution of animals. This dates back to the glacial period when sea level fell all over the world. During this period the islands of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Bali on the Sunda Shelf were joined together with one another and the Asian mainland, but Irian Jaya, Aru and the Australian continent of the Sahul Shelf were separated. This early geographical separation explains why the tropical animal species of Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan do not exist in Irian Jaya. For the same reason, the kangoroo of Irian Jaya is missing in the other region. Maluku, Sulawesi, and the Lesser Sunda Islands, which lie between the Sunda and Sahul shelves, have a strikingly different fauna. Most of the eastern fauna do not exist in Sulawesi even though this island is close to Kalimantan, being just across the Makassar Strait. One possible reason for this is that Kalimantan and Sulawesi might have been separated by a deep straight at one point, while the great depth of the Banda Sea kept them apart during the glacial period. Some scientists have attributed the phenomenon to three faunial lines. ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE (1823-1913) wrote in his book, "The Malay Archipelago", that Nusantara was separated into the Oriental ecological area and the Australian ecological area by a Wallace L line that runs from the South to North, passing the Lombok and Makassar Straits and ending in the south eastern part of The Philippines. Flora : The rich flora of Indonesia includes many unique varieties of tropical plant life in various forms. Rafflesia Arnoldi, which is only found in certain parts of Sumatra, is the largest flower in the world. The parasitic plant grows on certain lianas but does not produce leaves. The myriad of orchids in rich in species, varying in size from the largest of all orchids, the tiger orchid of Grammatophyllum Speciosum, to the tiny and leafless species of Taeniophyllum which is edible and taken by the local people as a medicine and is also used in handicrafts. On June 5, 1990, in a ceremony to mark the World Environment Day, President Soeharto declared three flowers as Indonesia's national flowers: the melati (small white sweet smelling flower), the angrek bulan (moon orhid) and the Raflesia Arnoldi, named after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles and Dr. Arnold. About 6,000 species of plants are known to be used directly or indirectly by the people. A striking example in this modern time is the use of plants in the production of traditional herbal medicine or "Jamu". Flowers are indispensable in ceremonial, customary and traditional rites Indonesia Standard Time : As of January 1, 1988, Indonesia's three time zones have been changed : 1. Western Indonesia Standard Time equals GMT + 7 hours (meridian 105 East), covering all provinces in Sumatra and Java, and the provinces of West and Central Kalimantan. 2. Central Indonesia Standard Time equals GMT + 8 hours (meridian 120 East), covering the provinces of East and South Kalimantan, all provinces in Sulawesi, and the provinces of Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor. 3. Eastern Indonesia Standard Time equals GMT + 9 hours (meridian 135 East), covering the provinces of Maluku and Irian Jaya. Currency : The local currency is the Rupiah. Foreign currencies, either banknotes or travellers cheques, are easily exchangedatbanks and moneychangers in major tourist destinations. Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and restaurants in main cities. It is advisable to carry sufficient amounts of Rupiah when travelling to smaller towns or outer provinces. Tipping : Major hotels add a 10% service charge to bills. Where it is not included a tip of between 5% to 10% of the bill would be appropriate if service is satisfactory. Airport poterage is Rp 500,- for a small bag and Rp 1,000,- if weighing more than 20 kg. Tipping taxi and hire-car drivers is not mandatory, but Rp 500,would be sufficient for a taxi driver, but more for a hire-car driver. Clothing : Dress is generally informal in Indonesia. Light fabrics are recommended due to the warm, humid climate. For men, a jacket and tie is considered appropriate when making officials calls or non formal occasions. Or, follow local custom by wearing a long-sleeve batik shirt. It is recommended to bring a sweater or light jacket for travel to mountain areas. Shorts and beachwear are not considered appropriate except at sports facilities and on the beaches, and never appropriate for visits to temples, mosques and other places of worship. Food : The main staple food of the majority of the population is rice. Coconut milk and hot chili peppers are popular cooking ingredients nationwide. Tastes range from very spicy dishes of meat; fish and vegetables to those that are quite sweet. The most popular dishes are "nasi goreng" (fried rice) which is otten served for breakfast, lunch or dinner, "satay" barbequed meat or chicken on skewers and "gado-gado", a vegetable salad with a pean ut sauce.All are most compatible with internationaltastes. Inthemaintouristcenters and cities, restaurants catering to international visitors are many, from fine continental grill rooms to Japanese specialty restaurants. Chinese restaurants are found in all towns throughout Indonesia. Tropical and subtropical fruits are available yearround. Bottled drinking water can be purchased everywhere. Shopping : Many of Indonesia's main cities have department stores, supermarkets and large shopping complexes, open generally from 9 am to 8 pm, where fixed prices prevail. In local markets and small shops bargaining is the rule. Electricity : Most hotels use 220 volts 50 cycles and two-pronged plugs. However it is not uncommon to find some hotels using 110 volts, particularly in the provinces. Check before using an appliance. Some hotels supply adaptors on request. Communication : Long distance calls within Indonesia may be made by direct dialing through International Direct Dial (IDD) in major cities or through operator-assisted calls. Telex and fax services are readily available in major hotels and larger cities. |
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