Indonesia
Indonesia shares borders with Malaysia to the north and Papua New Guinea to the east. The country consists of a group of islands along the equator between Southeast Asia and Australia. There are five large islands and 17,500 smaller islands, of which approximately 6,000 of the smaller ones are inhabited.
Quick Facts
Population: 262.787 million
Ethnic Groups: Javanese (40.1%), Sundanese (15.5%), Malay (3.7%), Batak (3.6%), Madurese (3%), Betawi (2.9%), Minangkabau (2.7%), Buginese (2.7%), Bantenese (2%), Banjarese (1.7%), Balinese (1.7%), Acehnese (1.4%), Dayak (1.4%), Sasak (1.3%), Chinese (1.2%), Other (15%)
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (Official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (of which the most widely spoken is Javanese)
Religions: Muslim (87.2%), Christian (7%), Roman Catholic (2.9%), Hindu (1.7%), Other (0.9%), Unspecified (0.4%)
Capital: Jakarta
CIA: The World Factbook — Last Updated December 28, 2019
Indonesians in Canada
Indonesian Population in Canada
21,390
Useful Links
Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous nation and is home to over 750 distinct people groups, so it is difficult to characterize the Indonesian people in general. Indonesia is not a particularly prosperous nation, but its poverty rate has declined significantly (from 40% in 1976 to 17% in 2007) while life expectancy is on the rise. The Indonesian government recognizes only six religions: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Atheism is not an option. Religion plays an important part of community life, and a person’s religion is displayed on all official documents. The government discourages interfaith marriage – one of the partners must officially convert in these cases. Religious communities are not allowed to try to convert people from a different religion, and can only seek to convert the “non-religious” (for example, animist tribespeople).
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- Central Intelligence Agency. (2019, December 17). The World Factbook: Indonesia. Retrieved December 28, 2019, from
https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/indonesia/ - Encyclopedia of the Nations. (n.d.). Indonesia. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Indonesia.html - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. (2009, October 15). Cultural Information – Indonesia. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from https://www.international.gc.ca/cil-cai/country_insights-apercus_pays/culture-culture_id.aspx?lang=eng
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- Indonesians. (2009). In T. L. Gall & J. Hobby (Eds.), Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life (2nd ed., Vol. 3, pp. 371-381). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- Mandryk, J. (2010). Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation (7th ed.). Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing.
- Prayercast. (n.d.). Indonesia. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from https://www.prayercast.com/indonesia.html
- Statistics Canada. (2011, April 7). 2006 Census of Canada: Topic-based tabulations/Ethnic Origin, Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses and Sex for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census – 20% Sample Data. Retrieved July 15, 2014, from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement