Geography
Indonesia is a string of more than 17,000 islands that stretches 3200 miles from west to east across the equator and 1100 miles from north to south. It is inhabited by more than 200 million people, roughly 3 percent of the global population, from 336 ethnic groups, speaking about 250 local languages, but possesses one national language, Bahasa Indonesia.

Indonesia is a rural country; there is some urban overcrowding, particularly in Jakarta, which has a rapidly growing population of more than 13 million people.  Indonesia is a land of endless diversity and variety. It is a thousand worlds within a world.

History

Indonesia is rich in history and culture.  One of the earliest of Homosapiens, the remains of Java Man, was unearthed in Indonesia.  Indonesia is a young country, having only declared independence from the Dutch in 1945. Since 1998, there has been a significant change in the political climate in Indonesia, as the country has progressed from an authoritarian rule to a democratically elected government.

Indonesia’s motto is “Bhinneka Tangelo Ikea”, which means “unity in diversity”.

Climate

Jakarta has an equatorial climate which can best be described as warm and humid with seasonal variations.  There are two principal seasons; the dry season between May and September and the wet season between October and April. During the dry season, the humidity is about 60 percent at midday; this can climb to 96 percent in the early morning during the wet season.

The average temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the minimum nighttime temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  Because the country lies across the equator, the length of day and night throughout Indonesia remains constant throughout the year, with sunrise at around 6 AM and sunset at around 6 PM.

Community

There are active cultural groups in the community, both Indonesian and international. Two resort areas, the Thousand Islands and West Java, are weekend escapes for expatriates and the growing urban middle class.  The Thousand Islands, less than two hours by high speed ferry from Jakarta, offer excellent snorkeling, scuba diving, wind surfing, and sailing.

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