Indonesia, Republic of, island republic and largest nation of South East Asia, constituting most of the Malay Archipelago and including all of the former Netherlands Indies. Indonesia comprises more than 13,670 islands straddling the equator, 6,000 of which are colonised. From the island of Sumatra in the west to that of New Guinea in the east, Indonesia stretches across some 5,150 km (3,200 mi) of ocean, or almost one eighth of the Earth's circumference; Indonesia's north-south spread is about 1,931 km (1,200 mi).

Population
        195,280,000
        (1995 official estimate)
Population Density
        102 people/sq km
        (264 people/sq mi)
        (1995 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
        42% Urban
        58% Rural
Largest Cities
        Jakarta9,160,500
        Surabaya2,701,300 
        Bandung2,368,200
        Medan1,909,700 
        (1996 estimate)
Ethnic Groups
        40% Javanese
        15% Sundanese
        45% Other
        including Madurese,Acehnese,Bataks,Balinese,Dayaks,Ambonese,Timorese,
Languages
Official Language
        Bahasa Indonesia
Other Languages
        Javanese, Sundanese, and many other local languages
Religions
        87% Islam
        13% Other
        including Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism