17 August 1945 (declared) note: recognized by the Netherlands on 27 December 1949; in August 2005, the Netherlands announced it recognized de facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945
5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Religions
Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Languages
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is Javanese)
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Exports
oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
External Debt
$187,100,000,000 $
$63,740,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar - 9,558.1 (2008 est.), 9,056 (2007 est.), 9,159.3 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005), 8,938.9 (2004)
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004) note: On 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
0.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
5
1
Location
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
