Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is an island country location
between Southeast Asia and Oceania. The Indonesian archipelago
encompasses about 17,508 islands, of which only about 6,000 are
inhabited. With more than 238 million people, it’s the fourth most
populous country in the world . The name Indonesia has its roots in the
Latin word Indus meaning Indian, and the Greek word Nesos, which means
islands.
In
1602 the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and
became the dominant European power. In the early 20th century Dutch
dominance extend to what was to become Indonesia's current boundaries.
Despite major internal political, social and sectarian divisions during
the National Revolution, Indonesians found unity in their fight for
independence. Japanese occupation during World War II ended Dutch rule,
and encouraged the previously suppressed Indonesian independence
movement.
The
nation’s capital city is Jakarta, where the government has its
headquarters. Indonesia is a democratic republic with an elected
legislature and president, and a member of the G-20 major economies.
Despite being an archipelago, the country shares land borders with Papua
New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries
include Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Palau, Australia and the
Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
The
size of Indonesia, its climate, and the archipelagic geography, support
the world’s second highest level of biodiversity. Forest cover about
60% of the country and is home to a unique mixture of flora and fauna.
Also the 80,000 km of coastline, surrounded by tropical seas with
colorful coral reefs, is an extraordinary feature of Indonesia’s
impressive natural beauty.
Bali
The
island of Bali is one of Indonesia’s 33 provinces. It’s about 140km by
90km and the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, located
approximately 8 degrees south of the equator, lying between Java to the
west and Lombok to the east. The province capital is Denpasar. The
island has a population of almost 4 million people of which about 93% is
Hindu. Bahasa Indonesia is the National Language, but English is widely
spoken.
The
Lombok Strait between Bali and the island of Lombok, coincides with the
Wallace Line that separates the ecozone Indomalaya with the ecozone
Australasia.
The
island has a mountain range that stretches from east to west. The
volcano Mount Agung is the highest point (3142m) and it last erupted in
march 1963.
Bali's volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility.
South of the mountain is a broad area where most of Bali's large rice
crop is grown. The northern side of the mountains to the sea and is the
main coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables
and cattle. There is also a long river, Ayung River, flowing
approximately 75 km.
Bali
is a popular tourist destination and shows a further surge in tourist
numbers. Well known for its arts, dance, sculpture, and music style, it
is also a meeting point for wholesalers around the world; buying
fashion, jewelry, furniture, decoration, etc. for export. But mostly
people are enjoying the tropical environment and beach life; the beaches
in the south are white sand while those in the north are black sand.
The
island is surrounded by coral reefs. Bali has a tropical monsoon
climate with a rainy season from October to March and a dry season from
June to September. Daytime temperatures between 20 to 33°C, but the
mountainous areas have cooler night temperatures due to the altitude.
Bali received the Best Travel Award from Travel and Leisure in 2010.
Lombok
The
island of Lombok is located in the West Nusa Tenggara province of
Indonesia, east of Bali. The provincial capital and largest city of the
island is Mataram. Lombok is around 4,750m2 and home to some 3,16
million people. The island is about the same size as Bali and they share
some cultural heritage. The inhabitants of Lombok are called Sasaks who
make up 85% of the population. They are close related to the Balinese,
but unlike the Hindu Balinese, in Lombok Islam is the majority religion,
but all other religions are practiced freely.
Lombok
belongs to the Wallace area of great scientific interest for its rich
biodiversity, located between Southeast Asia and Oceania. In fact, the
Wallace line runs between Bali and neighboring Lombok. The island is
forest clad in the highlands while the lowlands are highly cultivated.
But it is all dominated by Mount Rinjani, an active volcano rising to
3,726m, making it the third largest volcano of Indonesia. The volcano
and its sacred crater lake Segara Anak are protected by a national park.
Every year thousands of pilgrims visit the lake to place offerings in
the water and bath in the healing hot springs .
Although
not as massive as in Bali, tourism is an important source of income for
Lombok. The tropical climate all year round allows the simple pleasure
of sunshine and white sandy beaches. The culture and eco tours make
Lombok a perfect getaway for honeymooners, families or those who look
for a total relaxing holiday.
