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22 facts about Indonesia
28 October 2020
It is almost impossible to imagine a person who wouldn't be happy to spend some time in an exotic country. Far away islands attract people who want to have an unforgettable experience. This tendency is not surprising, because a mix of unknown mysteries and even some danger will always be trendy.
Indonesia allows people to experience all the benefits of an exotic world, where you can see the border between civilization and pristine nature. You can dive into a fantastic world of cultural monuments, landmarks, and shocking traditions. There are 22 facts about Indonesia, which would help you to know more about this incredible world of Wonders.
Fact #1
Indonesia is an unusual country. Even though we can see different island countries, Indonesia is an archipelago of 17,504 islands! However, more than 6,000 of these land plots don't even have a name because no one ever lived there, while some of them are popular. For example, Sumatra, Bali, and Java are extremely popular landmarks for a lot of tourists.
Fact #2
The most popular religion in Indonesia is Islam. About 80% of the population is Muslim. Nevertheless, women feel freer than women in some other Muslim countries. Women don't have to hide their faces, and they are not wearing burka but hijab. They can even go to politics (Megawati was president of Indonesia from 2001 to 2004). Furthermore, there are big communities of Christians, Hindus, and also Buddhists.
Fact #3
Indonesia is a leading country in peanut production. The fact that Indonesian people like nuts is not surprising. For example, the traditional dish Gado-Gado with its famous peanuts sauce might be served either in a street food place or in a luxury restaurant. The recipe is simple enough: you need an onion, garlic, some oil, chili pepper, lime juice, peanuts, coconut milk, green beans, cucumber, bell pepper, boiled eggs, and cilantro. For more information about Indonesian cuisine, read here.
Fact #4
The significant number of islands in Indonesia was one of the fundamental factors of language forming. A considerable part of the population uses different languages and dialects (more than 700!) And that's not a disadvantage. The varieties of languages create a brand image of Indonesia. And to understand each other, Indonesians use Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of the country.
Fact #5
The right thing You need in Indonesia is keeping your eyes open because you can have an unplanned meeting with a snake. A lot of them are harmless, while others might be fatal. The most poisonous snake in Indonesia is Bungarus. They may grow up to more than one meter. Even more, you can see them either in the water or on the land. However, zebra coloring makes it easier to recognize them. For more information about Indonesian snakes, read here.
Fact #6
One of the essential places in Indonesia is Bali. Bali is an Indonesian island created by volcanoes. This island became precious for its magnificent landscapes, rice fields, beaches, coral reefs, and also for its Hinduism culture. Moreover, there are many unique sanctuaries and temples all around the island (more than 7000). Bali's most famous districts are crowded Seminyak and Sanur, Nusa-Dua with its wite beaches, and the more calm and meditative Ubud.
Fact #7
Here is an exciting story with the same country flags. Indonesia and Monaco have the same flags, red and white. (Poland too, but the location of the two colors are inverted!) Monaco started using the red and white flag in the 19th century, while Indonesia decided to use it in the 20th century. Monaco was so furious that they sued Indonesia. However, the magistrate's Court denied the claim because the red and white flag had belonged to Majapahit, Indonesia. This Majapahit kingdom existed in the 14th century.
Fact #8
Traditional suits sarong is very useful for different purposes. Sarong represents the stripes of cloth that wrap around the body. Sarong is used both in everyday life and for religious ceremonies. This is the universal suit, which is also used as the baby carrier.
Fact #9
An island called Borneo is the only island in the world, divided by three countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. About 73 % of the island is Indonesian (Kalimantan), while 26% is Malaysian (Sarawak and Sabah), and less than 1% is the Sultanate of Brunei.
Fact #10
Indonesian history is interesting. This country was colonized a few times; nevertheless, the last country that colonized Indonesia was The Netherlands (Dutch East Indies). Dutch colonial occupation left a unique mark, which combined with that cultural variety that Indonesia had.
Fact #11
Indonesian island Java has a volcano called Kawah Ijen. This volcano has a magnificent and the biggest acid lake in the world. This lake consists of sulfuric acid dissolved in water. This acidity creates the cyan color of the lake, which makes this place amazing but also dangerous.
Fact #12
The most popular dish in Indonesia is Nasi goreng (fried rice). It's fried rice with chicken or beef. To prepare this dish is relatively easy. The ingredients you need are a glass of rice, one chicken chest, one carrot, two eggs, one chili pepper, one onion, three garlic cloves, Chinese cabbage, green onions, one bar of tempeh (fermented soybeans), sweet soy sauce, seasonings, and of course, some oil.
Fact #13
Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhis temple. This temple was built in the 9th century and remained a magnificent landmark of Indonesia. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was revealed in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, then the British Lieutenant-governor of Java, who was advised of native Indonesians' location. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, followed by the monument's listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more information about Borobudur, read here.
Fact # 14
Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia are two standardized varieties of the Malay language used in Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively. Both types are generally mutually intelligible, yet there are noticeable differences in spelling, grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, and the predominant loanword source.
Fact #15
Volcanoes are one of the Indonesian features. There are about 400 volcanoes in Indonesia, and some are continually erupting! Sometimes, the volcanic ash creates a massive cloud of smoke, making it impossible to fly to Indonesia. One of the most massive latest eruptions occurred in 2018. The volcano Gunung Agung (at Bali) began to erupt. For their protection, thousands of people were evicted from their places of residence. Air traffic with the Bali island stopped for several weeks.
Fact # 16
One of the most significant landscapes of Indonesia is the Bromo volcano on East Java. This volcano is so famous it has a fantastic lunar view and the possibility to walk on its caldera. Moreover, Bromo volcano remains active for more than 200 years in a row but erupts every almost five years. If you want to visit this must-see place on your next vacation in Indonesia, click here.
Fact #17
Locals like when tourists act respectfully towards them and Indonesians are not an exception. One of the best ways to act respectfully is to be polite. Also, Indonesian people love when guests of their country speak to them some basic phrases in Indonesian. It's easy to remember a few sentences: "Selamat pagi" means "Good morning," "Terima kasih" means "Thank you," "Apa kabar?" means "How are you?".
Fact #18
The center of Balinese mythology is Gunung Agung. This volcano connects the underworld and heaven according to the Balinese legend. Besides, Balinese mythology has developed a complete pantheon. As volcanoes surround Bali (17 volcanoes at Bali), locals believe Gods live there. For more about Indonesian mythology, read here.
Fact #19
Indonesia is a country of motorcycle taxis. The massive load on the street makes this cheap transport more and more valuable. There are Go-Jek and Grab apps, which might help you to find a moto-taxi. Don't forget to wear a helmet while riding a motorbike (the driver is supposed to propose a helmet)!
Fact #20
Everyone knows tofu. Tofu is a soy cheese, which contains a vast amount of protein. Indonesians prepare tofu (called Tahu at Bali) and tempeh, a fermented way to use the soybeans. It's a top-rated product in Indonesia.
Fact #21
Indonesia is a country with a high level of population. More than 269 million people are living here. Nowadays, Indonesia takes 4th place in the world by its population. In the 3rd place is the USA with more than 322 000 000 people, 2nd place has India with more than 1 280 000 000 people, and the world's champion by population is China with more than 1 320 000 000 people.
Fact #22
If you love diving, Tulamben, on the East coast of Bali, is one of the best places for you. Diving here became very popular because of the drowned American cargo ship "Liberty," which is not far from the shore. Divers can expect to see a diverse range of marine life, including corals, sponges, sea turtles, sharks, squids, octopus, starfish, manta rays, and of course, hundreds of species of colored fishes.
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