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Indonesia is an archipelago made up of around 17,000 islands, with more than 248 million people living on about 6000 of these islands. The seven main islands of Indonesia are: Java, Sumatera, Bali, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Timor and Papua. The last three islands are shared with other countries. The capital city of Indonesia is Jakarta on the island of Java. Indonesian culture is very diverse because there are so many different islands. The Indonesian motto is “Unity through diversity”.
Landscape: Indonesia is situated along the equator, and has more than 400 volcanoes, but only about 100 of them are active. Indonesians are well used to experiencing volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The combination of volcanic ash and high rainfall means that Indonesia has some of the most fertile land in the world.
Environment: The climate of Indonesia is tropical, which creates a lush environment, with many rainforests. These are filled with many colourful birds, insects, plants and animals.
Food: Rice is the main food crop grown and is also the main food eaten, along with other tasty dishes using the many spices grown locally. Fish and chicken are also included regularly in the Indonesian diet.
Religion: While there are many different religions in Indonesia, including Christianity, about 90% of the population follow the religion of Islam, except in Bali, where the majority of people are Hindu.
Language: Because the Indonesian population is spread over so many islands, there is real diversity in both language and cultural traditions. In 1928, a common national language called ‘Bahasa Indonesia’ was developed, and this is taught in all schools. Students often speak three languages: their local language, the national language and some English.