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The
People and their Representatives
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The
Republic of Indonesia first saw light on August 17, 1945, when
independence was proclaimed following a long period of Dutch
colonial rule and wartime Japanese occupation.
Today, it is a modern democratic nation of 220 million
people and although it has one official language – Bahasa Indonesia
– there are also some 583 other languages and dialects that
are spoken and belonging to the different ethnic groups that
make up the
Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
Indeed, in this regard, Indonesia is well known for and
is often described as a melting pot of races and ethnic groups.
Because of its geography, for example, - it runs from
Asia in the West to the Pacific in the East, it incorporates
the largest Melanesian population in the world and is also closely
linked with Micronesian ethnicity. The Indonesian motto, “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (Unity in Diversity)
aptly describes and signifies the unity of the Indonesian people
despite their diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
In
the government system of Indonesia, the 1945 Constitution states
that Indonesia is a republic with sovereignty vested in the
people to be fully exercised by an elected People’s Consultative
Assembly, which is the highest political institution in the
state. The President
is both head of state and chief executive. The President holds office for a term of five years and is eligible
for re-election for a second term.
Since the President is also the Mandatory of the People’s
Consultative Assembly, The President must execute the duties
in compliance with the Guidelines of State Policy as decreed
by the Assembly.
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The
Republic of Indonesia is an archipelagic country of 17,508 islands,
which stretches through several oceans and seas between the
Pacific and the Indian Ocean, and bridges two continents, Asia
and Australia. Indonesian
seas and oceans comprise 81% of the total area of the Republic,
which has a land area of 1.9 million square kilometres.
The
five main islands are: Sumatra (473,606 sq. km.); the most fertile
and densely populated, Java/Madura (132,107 sq. km.); Kalimantan,
which comprises two-thirds of the island of Borneo (539,460
sq. km.); Sulawesi (189,216 sq. km.); and Irian Jaya (421,981
sq. km.), which is part of the world’s second largest island,
New Guinea.
The
land area is generally covered by thick tropical rain forests,
where fertile soils are replenished by volcanic activity, especially
on the island of Java. The
highest mountain peak is Mandala Top (15,300 ft) in the Jaya
Wijaya mountain range of Irian Jaya.
There is an extensive river system throughout the country
and these often serve as useful transportation routes.
A number of the islands are also dotted with scenic lakes.
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Indonesia’s
weather is characterised by two tropical seasons, a dry season
(from June to December) and a rainy season (from December to
March) although in recent years the normal monsoonal-type weather
patterns have been somewhat disrupted as part of global weather
changes. Indonesia’s
average relative humidity lies between 70% and 90%.
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Indonesia
contains one of the world’s most remarkable geographical boundaries
in its distribution of animals.
This dates back to the glacial period, when the sea level
fell all over the world. At that time, the islands of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Bali
were joined together and with the Asian mainland, but Irian
Jaya, Aru and the Australian continent were separated.
This early geographical separation explains why the tropical
animal species of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, such as tigers,
bears, elephants, buffaloes, rhinoceroses, as well as apes and
monkeys, do not exist in the eastern part.
For the same reason, the eastern part of Indonesia is
famous for its colourful birds and pouched animals, which are
common in Australia, such as the tree kangaroo of Irian Jaya.
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Indonesia
is also richly endowed with many unique varieties of tropical
plant life in various forms.
The Rafflesia Arnoldi, which is only found in certain
parts of Sumatra, is the largest flower in the world.
The myriad of orchids is rich in species, varying in
size from the largest of all orchids down to the smallest.
And because the flora is so rich, many people in Indonesia
are able to make a living from this natural resource.
It is known that the people use some 6,000 species of
plants, as in the production of traditional herbal medicine
or “Jamu” and flowers are indispensable in ceremonial, customary
and traditional rites. Indonesia’s
flora also abounds in timber species, many of which are used
in the manufacture of the country’s renowned high-quality furniture
and other wood products.
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