Facts about Indonesia

Nation of Islands
More than 13,600 islands make up the nation of Indonesia, in Southeast Asia. People live on about half of the islands. Indonesians rely heavily on boats, such as these bamboo rafts, to travel, communicate, and trade.

Indonesia's Volcanoes
Many volcanoes rise across the Indonesian islands. The island of Java is home to more than 120 volcanoes, and about 13 are still active. Gunung Bromo, shown here, stands in eastern Java. It is among Java's highest active volcanoes.

Indonesia’s National Monument
The towering National Monument is located in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital and largest city. The monument honors Indonesia’s struggle for independence from the Netherlands.

Rice Paddies of Sumatra
Indonesian farmers grow rice in paddies between steep, craggy peaks, on the island of Sumatra. Rice is the main food crop of Indonesia and it is served with most meals.

Tapping Rubber
An Indonesian worker checks a cup used for collecting latex, a milky fluid produced by rubber trees. Latex is used to make rubber. Indonesia's warm, moist climate is ideal for growing rubber trees, and rubber is an important national export.

Komodo Dragon
Indonesia is home to the rare Komodo dragon, the largest lizard on Earth. Komodo dragons are fierce and dangerous predators. They can grow to almost 10 feet (3 meters) long!

Colorful Batik Fabric of Indonesia
Indonesians are famous for making a colorful fabric called batik. To make batik, artists melt patterns of wax on cloth. The cloth is then dyed. When the wax is removed, the patterns remain, creating intricate and colorful designs.

Hindu Temple on Bali
The temple of Pura Besakih is one of the largest and most sacred Hindu temples on the island of Bali, a part of Indonesia. Indonesia is mainly a Muslim country today, but the ancient Hindu religion has had a lasting influence on Indonesia's culture.

Muslim Schoolgirls
These Muslim schoolgirls in Indonesia are wearing headscarves as a sign of their faith. Most Indonesians are Muslims, or followers of Islam. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world.