CIA Factbook

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing financial sector reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist movement in Papua.

BBC

Spread across a chain of thousands of islands between Asia and Australia, Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population.

Ethnically it is highly diverse, with more than 300 local languages. The people range from rural hunter-gatherers to a modern urban elite.

Indonesia has seen great turmoil in recent years, having faced the Asian financial crisis, the fall of President Suharto after 32 years in office, the first free elections since the 1960s, the loss of East Timor, independence demands from restive provinces, bloody ethnic and religious conflict and a devastating tsunami.


Energy Information Administration

Indonesia is the only Southeast Asian member of OPEC, although the country became a slight net oil importer in 2004.

Indonesia’s oil production has declined in recent years.
Indonesia’s largest oil producing fields are mature and declining in output.

Natural gas production has increased in recent years in Indonesia, although the country is facing a declining global LNG market share.

Media reports suggest that Indonesia was surpassed by Qatar in 2006 as the single largest exporter of LNG.

Indonesia’s coal production has increased in recent years, and today the country is one of the world’s chief coal exporters.

Indonesia’s power sector faces shortages on electricity due to underinvestment in new generating capacity.

Indonesia’s per capita carbon emissions remain low by regional comparisons, but the country faces severe environmental challenges.