A Historical Glimpse

A Historical Glimpse
The first known hominid inhabitant of Indonesia was the so-called "Java Man", or Homo erectus, who lived here half a million years ago. Some 60,000 years ago, the ancestors of the present-day Papuans move eastward through these islands, eventually reaching New Guinea and Australia some 30-40,000 years ago. Much later, in about the fourth millennium B.C., they were followed by the ancestors of the modern-day Malays, Javanese and other Malayo-Polynesian groups who now make up the bulk of Indonesia's population.

Trade contracts with India, China and the mainland of Southeast Asia brought outside cultural and religious influences to Indonesia. One of the first Indianized empires, known to us now as Sriwijaya, was located on the coast of Sumatra around the strategic straits of Malacca, serving as the hub of a trading network that reached to many parts of the archipelago more than a thousand years ago.

On neighboring Java, large kingdoms of the interior of the island erected scores of exquisite of religious monuments, such as Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world. The last and most powerful of these early Hindu-Javanese kingdoms, the 14th century Majapahit Empire, once controlled and influenced much of what is now known as Indonesia, maintaining contacts with trading outposts as far away as the west coast of Papua New Guinea.

Indian Muslim traders began spreading Islam in Indonesia in the eighth and ninth centuries. By the time Marco Polo visited North Sumatra at the end of the 13th century, the first Islamic states were already established there. Soon afterwards, rulers on Java's north coast adopted the new creed and conquered the Hindu-based Majapahit Empire in the Javanese hinterland. The faith gradually spread throughout archipelago, and Indonesia is today the world's largest Islamic nation.

Indonesia's abundant spices first brought Portuguese merchants to the key trading port of Malacca in 1511. Prized for their flavor, spices such as cloves, nutmeg and mace were also believed to cure everything from the plague to venereal disease, and were literally worth their weight in gold. The Dutch eventually wrested control of the spice trade from Portuguese, and the tenacious Dutch East India Company (known by initials VOC) established a spice monopoly which lasted well into the 18th century. During the 19th century, the Dutch began sugar and coffee cultivation on Java, which was soon providing three-fourths of the world supply of coffee.

By the turn of the 20th century, nationalist stirring, brought about by nearly three centuries of oppressive colonial rule, began to challenge the Dutch presence in Indonesia. A four-year guerilla war led by nationalists against the Dutch on Java after World War II, along with successful diplomatic maneuverings abroad, helped bring about independence. The Republic of Indonesia, officially proclaimed on August 17th, 1945, gained sovereignty four years later.

During the first two decades of independence, the republic was dominated by the charismatic figure of Sukarno, one of the early nationalists who had been imprisoned by the Dutch. General (ret.) Soeharto eased Sukarno from power in 1967. Indonesia's economy was sustained throughout the 1970's, almost exclusively by oil export.

The Asian financial crisis, which broke out in mid-1997, paralyzed the Indonesian economy with the rupiah losing 80% of its value against the US dollar at the peak of the turmoil.

On May 21, 1998, Soeharto resigned after 32 years in power and was replaced by B.J. Habibie following bloody violence and riots. Indonesia held its first democratic election in October 1999, which put Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid in the role of president.


General Info
General Information
Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands with a population of more than 200 million, scatterd over a land area of some 2.02 million square kilometers. Lying across a region of immense volcanic activity, Indonesia has some 400 volcanoes, with at least 70 still active.

Bahasa Indonesia is the official language. English is frequently used in commerce. The people are predominantly Muslim, minority religious groups being Christians, Hindus and Buddhists.


The Department of Justice and Human Rights has officially determined that as of 1 February 2004:
The Free Visa Facility (length of stay max. 30 days) will be issued to citizens of the following countries: Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macao, Morocco, Chile, Peru.


The Visa-on-Arrival Facility (length of stay max. 30 days) will be issued to citizens of the following countries: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, United States.


Citizens of countries not stated above are required to apply for a visa at the Indonesian Embassy/Consulate in their country of domicile.
Indonesia General
Info General Information
Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands with a population of more than 200 million, scatterd over a land area of some 2.02 million square kilometers. Lying across a region of immense volcanic activity, Indonesia has some 400 volcanoes, with at least 70 still active.

Bahasa Indonesia is the official language. English is frequently used in commerce. The people are predominantly Muslim, minority religious groups being Christians, Hindus and Buddhists.

Immigration

The Department of Justice and Human Rights has officially determined that as of 1 February 2004:
The Free Visa Facility (length of stay max. 30 days) will be issued to citizens of the following countries: Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macao, Morocco, Chile, Peru.


The Visa-on-Arrival Facility (length of stay max. 30 days) will be issued to citizens of the following countries: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, United States.


Citizens of countries not stated above are required to apply for a visa at the Indonesian Embassy/Consulate in their country of domicile.

Climate
Although Indonesia is hot and humid throughout the year, the official wet season runs from October to August and is marked by heavy, short rainstorms after which the air is fresher. Temperatures range from 21 to 33°C in the lowlands. Higher altitudes enjoy cooler conditions.



Airport Tax and Transport
Passengers departing on international and domestic flights have to pay Rp. 50,000 and Rp. 11,000 airport tax respectively.

Metered taxis are available only at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta. At other major Indonesian airports, taxis operate on a fixed rate basis.

From Jakarta airport, all taxi fares include a surcharge of Rp. 2,300 and a highway toll of at least Rp. 4,000, depending on destination. The surcharge does not apply to trips to the airport, though the highway toll does. In both directions, airport taxis offer a 25 percent discount on the toll fee.

Customs
On entry to Indonesia, each adult is allowed to bring in tax-free a maximum of one liter of alcoholic beverages and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco.

Cameras, video cameras, portable radios, cassette recorders, binoculars and sport equipment are admitted provided they are taken out of the country on departure. They must be declared to Customs. Prohibited are firearms, narcotics, pornography, Chinese printing and medicines, transceivers and cordless telephones. Films, pre-recorded video tapes and laser disks must be screened by the Censor Board.

There is no restriction on the movement of foreign currencies or travellers checks in and out of the country. However, the import and export of Indonesian hard currency exceeding Rp. 5 million is prohibited.

Communications
Long-distance telephone calls within Indonesia are by direct dialing. International Direct Dialing (IDD) is available in all 26 provincial capitals and in more than 320 cities throughout the country. For the business travellers, facsimile, telex and email services are available in most hotels and at service outlets.

Currency
Exchange facilities for the main foreign currencies are available in banks or at authorized moneychangers in major cities of Indonesia. Rupiah comes in denominations of 100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 500 and 100 in bank notes, and 1000, 500, 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5 coins.

Time
Indonesia is divided into three time zones. Western Indonesia Time (Sumatra, Java, West and Central Kalimantan) is seven hours ahead of GMT, Central Indonesia Time (Bali, South and East Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara) is eight hours ahead, and East Indonesia Time (Maluku and Irian Jaya) is nine hours ahead.

Electricity
50Hz at either 110 or 220 volts.

Office hours
Most government offices are open from 8 am to 3 pm. On Fridays, they close at 11:30 am. On Saturdays, they are open until 2 or 3 pm.

Business offices open from 8 am or 9 am to 4 pm or 5 pm. Some work half day on Saturdays. Banks open from 8 am to 3 pm on weekdays. Banks are closed on Saturdays. Money-changers open longer hours till the evening.