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Apr 2008: Chinese are feeling better about being citizens of Indonesia at the same time that they are identifying themselves more closely with mainland China and embracing Chinese culture. Chinese are starring on television, and there are Chinese in politics. It has been ten years since the last anti-Chinese riots, but fear among them has not completely dissipated.
Many islands in Southeast Asia, between Indian and Pacific Oceans, equivalent in size to 1,385 by 1,385 kilometers, or roughly 866 by 866 miles. Hot and humid. Capital: Jakarta.
Per capita GDP:
2007 $3,400 (Ranks 156th)
GDP annual growth rate estimated for 2007: 6.1 percent. (Ranks 66th.)
Unemployment for 2004: 9.2 percent.
Factbook: "... a fragile banking sector, endemic corruption, inadequate infrastructure, a poor investment climate, and unequal resource distribution among regions. Indonesia became a net oil importer in 2004 due to declining production and lack of new exploration investment."
Deaths: 6.25. Births: 19.65, down from 20.71 in 2005.
Estimate for July 2007: 234.69 million. Density for 2005: 132 persons per square kilometer.
Infant mortality estimated for 2007: 32.14, down from 35.6 in 2005 (deaths before the age of one year, per 1,000 live births).
Average life expectancy estimated for 2007: 70.16, up from 69.57 in 2005
Living with HIV/AIDS, ages 15 to 49: 0.1 percent (2003)
Javanese 45 percent, Sundanese 14 percent, Madurese 7.5 percent, coastal Malays 7.5 percent, other 26 percent
Muslim 88 percent, Protestant 5 percent, Roman Catholic 3 percent, Hindu 2 percent, Buddhist 1 percent, other 1 percent (1998). Hinduism is prominent on the island of Bali.Buddhism was prevalent before the arrival of Islam. It became adhered to mostly by Indonesia's Chinese. When General Suharto acquired power in 1965 everybody was required to have a religion, or they would be considered Communist, and Communists were being exterminated. So many Chinese made a show of adopting Christianity.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.