With the Latin indus, meaning India, and Greek nesos, meaning island, combined, Indonesia shows how two completely different worlds can mesh into one. It is indeed bhinneka tunggal ika or unity in diversity at work.

 

Blessed with the fourth biggest population in the world, Indonesia’s 17,508 islands are not exactly teeming with people. In fact, there are 6,000 islands left unoccupied. The majority of the 230 million people are Muslims making Indonesia a country with the world’s largest Muslim population.

 

Aside from these top figures, Indonesia is well-known for the Java Man, Kopi Luwak, batik, Wayang Kulit, Maluku’s Spice Islands and the beaches of Bali.

 

Who doesn’t know the Java man, the oldest fossilized bones of the homo erectus? The world renowned Java man was called thus because it was discovered in Java, Indonesia. Java itself is the world’s most populous island with a population density of 940 people per square kilometer with its Javanese people as the largest political and cultural dominant ethnic group comprising 42% of the population.

 

With its 300 ethnically Malay groups with diverse cultural and language backgrounds, the lingua franca is still Bahasa Indonesian. It is widely taught in schools and spoken by majority if not all of the country. It was declared official during the proclamation of independence in 1945. Majority of Indonesians can speak a local language aside from Bahasa Indonesian.

 

Sambal or chili sauce is the one true Indonesian meal staple. It is in fact present on all the tables in Indonesia. As diverse as the people, Indonesian cuisine varies per region and is based on Indian, Middle Eastern, European and Chinese models. Like the rest of Asia, Indonesian food goes well with rice.

 

Another trademark of Indonesia is its kopi luwak, coffee derived from the civet cat’s droppings. Highly regarded as exotic but drank from across the Indonesian isles as their regular everyday coffee, the kopi luwak has been defined as smooth yet complex to a coffee drinker’s taste.

 

From a month to a year, the tedious art of batik-making reaches completion with a unique palette all its own. Unknown to many, batik is originally an Indo-Malay word meaning “to dot.” It is a tedious wax-resist dyeing technique art form with intricate patterns and a rich history behind the designs. This typifies Indonesian art --- rich, complex, unique, attractive.

 

The Wayang Kulit is a shadow puppetry show known as entirely Indonesian. Originating from Central Java, the wayang is the oldest form of preserved Javanese storytelling.

 

It is theater in highly developed form from thousands of years ago. The flat or round puppets are used since time immemorial. Stories are based on romantic tales from classic Indian epics like "The Mahabarata" and "The Ramayana" or local events, issues and happenings.

 

They all fought for Maluku! Known as the controversial spice islands instigating the spice wars, Maluku has been sought after by Dutch, British, Mongolian, Turkish, Portuguese, Spanish, French, English colonizers. A land surrounded by the sea and rich in natural resources typical of an Indonesian island, Maluku has luxuriant land and rainforests wealthy with coral reef, sea creatures, nutmeg, cloves, flora and fauna very much like paradise.

 

The island of Bali reminds one of Hinduism, Balinese Hinduism is the prevalent religion in the area with its focus on arts and rituals. The perfect beaches attract majority of tourists flocking Indonesia. It is called paradise on earth.