The Republic of Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia or Indonesia or abbreviated Republic of Indonesia or RI) is the largest archipelago in the world, located in Southeast Asia, across the equator between Asia and Australia and between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Because it lies in between the two continents and two oceans, he also called Nusantara (Reuters Islands). Indonesia borders Malaysia on the island of Borneo, bordering with Papua New Guinea on the island of Papua and borders with East Timor on the island of Timor.
The word "Indonesia" is derived from two Greek words, namely Indos meaning "India" and nesos which means "island". So the Indonesian word means Indian islands, or archipelago located in the Indian region.
Under the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism, several kingdoms formed on the islands of Sumatra and Java from the 7th century until the 14th century. The arrival of Chinese sailors, led by Admiral Cheng Ho / Zheng He, Arab traders from Gujarat, India, and brought Islam.
When the Europeans arrived in the early 16th century, they found several small countries. Small states is easily mastered by those who want to dominate the European spice trade. Portuguese first landed at the two ports, namely the Kingdom of Sunda Banten and Sunda Kelapa but can be evicted and moved eastwards and master Maluku. In the 17th century, the Dutch emerged as the strongest among the other European countries, the United Kingdom and Portugal beat (except for their colony, East Timor). It was here that Christianity came to Indonesia as one of the missions of the Netherlands, known as 3G, that is Gold, Glory, and Gospel. Dutch controlled Indonesia as a colony until World War II, initially through the VOC, and later directly by the Dutch government since the beginning of the 19th century.
Under Cultuurstelsel system (System Board) in the 19th century, large plantations and planting forcibly implemented in Java, it provides several benefits for the Dutch VOC that can not be generated. During the colonial administration a freer after 1870, the system was abolished. After 1901 the Dutch introduced the Ethical Policy, which includes a limited political reform and greater investment in the Dutch East Indies.
During World War II, when the Dutch colonized by Germany, Japan controlled Indonesia. After getting Indonesia in 1942, Japan saw that a fellow Indonesian fighters trade cooperative and willing to deploy troops if necessary. Sukarno, Mohammad Hatta, KH. Mas Mansur, and Ki Hajar Dewantara been honored by the Emperor of Japan in 1943.
In March 1945, the Japanese set up a committee for the independence of Indonesia, after the Pacific war ended in 1945, under pressure from youth organizations, group leader Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia's independence. In an effort to recapture Indonesian, Dutch send their troops.
Bloody efforts to curb the independence movement became known as the 'police action' (Politionele Actie). Netherlands finally received the right for Indonesian independence on December 27, 1949 after strong pressure from the international community, especially the United States. Sukarno became the first president of Indonesia with Mohammad Hatta as vice president.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Sukarno government began to follow a non-aligned movement at first and then with the socialist bloc, such as China and Yugoslavia. The 1960s witnessed the military confrontation against neighboring countries, Malaysia ("Confrontation"), and dissatisfaction with the growing economic difficulties. Erupted in 1965 G30S incident that caused the death of 6 people generals and other high officers. Emerging new forces that call themselves New Order immediately accused the Communist Party of Indonesia as the brains behind this incident and intend to overthrow the legitimate government and replace national ideology based on the socialist-communist. This charge as well as a reason to replace the old government under President Sukarno.
General Suharto became president in 1967 on the grounds to secure the country from the threat of communism. While the physical condition has weakened Sukarno himself now. After Suharto's rule, hundreds of thousands of Indonesian citizens suspected communist party were killed, while many more Indonesian citizens who are abroad, do not dare to return to their homeland, and eventually revoked his citizenship. 32 years of Soeharto's rule called New Order, while the reign of Sukarno called Old Order.
Suharto implement neoliberal economic and successfully bring huge foreign investment to enter Indonesia and generate substantial economic growth, though not uniformly, in Indonesia. At the beginning of the New Order Indonesia both economic policy drawn up by a group of economists graduated from the department of economics University of California, Berkeley, who was called "Berkeley Mafia". However, Suharto and his family increase his wealth through corruption, collusion and nepotism are widespread, and he was eventually forced to resign after a massive demonstration and deteriorating economic conditions in 1998.
From 1998 to 2001, Indonesia has had three presidents: Bacharuddin Jusuf (BJ) Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Sukarnoputri. In 2004 elections in the world's largest single-day was held and won by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
(source ; wikipedia Indonesia)
