Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is the world's largest island country, with more than seventeen thousand islands, and at 1,904,569 square kilometers (735,358 square miles), the 14th largest by land area and the 7th largest in combined sea and land area. With over 270 million people, Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority country. The country's capital is Jakarta, which is also the country's largest city and economic center.
The Indonesian archipelago has been a valuable region for trade since at least the 7th century when Srivijaya and later Majapahit traded with entities from mainland Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Local rulers gradually adopted Hindu and Buddhist cultural, political, and religious elements, which were later supplanted by Islam, which came to the region from the 12th century onward.
The Europeans arrived in Indonesia from the 16th century seeking to monopolize the sources of valuable spices. The Dutch East India Company established control over much of present-day Indonesia, which was later transferred to the Dutch government in the 19th century. Indonesian nationalism emerged in the early 20th century, culminating in the proclamation of independence in 1945 after World War II when the Dutch recognized Indonesian independence in 1949.
Indonesia's territory spans across the Equator and consists of five main islands (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, and New Guinea) and over thirty smaller archipelagic groups. The country shares land borders with Malaysia on Borneo, Papua New Guinea on New Guinea, and East Timor on Timor. It also has maritime boundaries with Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and Australia.
The culture of Indonesia has been shaped by long interactions between original customs and multiple foreign influences. Indonesian cuisine is one of the most vibrant and colourful in the world, with each ethnic group having its own traditional dishes. Batik, a method of textile dyeing, is particularly famous, and has been recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Indonesia is a presidential, representative democratic republic with a multi-party system. The President of Indonesia is both head of state and head of government, and the House of Representatives is the legislative body. The country has made significant strides in democratic governance since the end of Suharto's authoritarian New Order in 1998.
Indonesia has a mixed economy in which both the private sector and government play significant roles. The economy is the largest in Southeast Asia and a member of the G20. Key sectors include agriculture (especially rice, palm oil, rubber, tea, coffee, and spices), mining (nickel, bauxite, gold, and copper), manufacturing, and services.
Indonesia's vast tropical forest cover, which once blanketed the archipelago, has been significantly reduced due to logging and the expansion of palm oil plantations. The country is also highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and flooding due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its numerous active volcanoes.