The Interesting Facts About Indonesia!
Strangely, once I was asked in Germany where Indonesia is. I frowned and wondered how come on earth there’s someone who didn’t know where a country called Indonesia. Since Singapore is a lot more popular than Indonesia, I merely blurted out that Indonesia is below Singapore and it’s a much larger than Singapore. Afterwards, he just nodded and said, “Oh...I didn’t know that!”
Up to now, I am still wondering if there’s anybody does not have any idea about Indonesia, at least Bali (though some people always think that Bali is a country, not part of Indonesia).
Amid the outstanding diversity and thousands of uniqueness, Indonesia should be a popular country. These are some facts that will amaze you about my beloved country:
- Indonesia is the world largest archipelagic country consisting of 17.504 islands (including the 9.634 islands that have not been named and 6.000 islands are uninhabited). So still have chance to buy an island here, lol!
- Borneo, Sumatra, and Papua are the three of the largest islands in the world. Wow!
- Indonesia is the largest maritime country in the world with water covering an area of 93 thousands km2 and the length of the coast is about 81 thousand km2 or almost 25% the length of the beach in the world. That would be ashamed if any Indonesian cannot swim. C’mon..we have the largest swimming pool!!
- Java Island is the most populous island in the world where about 60% is almost the population of Indonesia (about 130 million inhabitants) lives on the island which covers only 7% of the entire territory of Indonesia. Don't worry we still have lots of oxygen to breath in Java!
- Indonesia is a country with the largest tribes in the world. There are more than 740 tribes / ethnic groups, where in Papua alone there were 270 tribes. FYI, my tribe is Bugis in South Sulawesi.
- Indonesia has the largest regional languages; 583 languages and dialects of the 67 main languages used by various tribes in Indonesia. And I can only speak two of them!
- Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world. The number of Moslems in Indonesia around 216 million people or 88% of the population of Indonesia. Also has the largest number of mosques. But please note that we are not a nest of terrorist!
- Buddhist monument (temple) in the world is the temple of Borobudur in Central Java with a height of 42 meters (10 levels) and long relief of more than 1 km. Believe me, it's stunning!
- A country where Phitecanthropus Erectus, the early men from 1.8 million years ago, was discovered. This is our ancestor’s home!
- A state that the first born after World War II in 1945. Indonesia is listed as the 70 oldest country in the world. Merdekaa!!!
- Indonesia is the first country (until now only one) that ever came out of the United Nations (UN) on the date January 7, 1965. RI rejoined the United Nations in 1966. We do have guts!
- Indonesian badminton team is the top winner of Thomas Cup, which is about 13 times (the first time was in 1958 and the last was in 2002). But now China is running so fats behind us!
- Indonesia is the main producer of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the world and supplies the world demand of LNG about 20%. Still wondering why the price of LPG in here is rather expensive!
- Indonesia is ranked first in some agriculture products, such as clove, nutmeg, rubber, and crude palm oil. It proves that our soil is so fertile.
- Indonesia is the larger exporter of plywood, which is about 80% in the world market. I hope it does not cause deforestation!
- Coral reef in Indonesia is the richest (18% of world total). Come to Indonesia if you wanna see it!
- Indonesia has the world's largest shark species which is 150 species! I have experienced swimming with a shark!
- The largest orchids biodiversity in the world: six thousand species of orchids, rangingfrom the largest (or Grammatophyllum speciosum Tiger Orchid) to the smallest(Taeniophyllum, which no leaves), including the Black Orchid which is a rare and found only in Papua. It reminds me with Anaconda movie: the black orchid!
- Indonesia has the largest mangrove forest in the world. This plantation is beneficial to prevent the erosion of sea water. The fruit can even be made as a cake.
- Ancient animals are still alive: Komodo can be found only in Komodo island in East Nusa Tenggara Province. Komodo is the biggest lizard in the world. It can reach 3 meter in length and 90 kg in weigth. It should have been one of 7 Wonder Heritages.
- In Sumatra we have Rafflesia Arnoldi, the largest flower in the world. When the flowers bloom, it can reach 1 meter diameter. Why did Rafflesia Arnodly find it? We found it first before he came here.
- Indonesia has the smallest primate in the world, the Pygmy Tarsier (Tarsius Pumilus) which has only 10 cm length. This primate looks like monkey and lives in the tree in Sulawesi. It must be so cute!
- About the snake, Indonesia has the longest snake in the world: Phyton Reticulates, 49 feet (14,94 meters). I think he eats people! That’s why….!
- As Indonesia has a large sea area, Indonesia has the world smallest fish found recently in the muddy swamps of Sumatra. It’s only 7,9 mm long as adult or about the size of mosquitoes. Uniquely, the fish body is transparent and has no bones in the head. Lest finding Nemo!
- Lastly Indonesian people are the second biggest Facebook users in the world (34 million users) after USA. It’s part of our daily routine already!
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| Budha in Borobudur Temple |
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| Swimming with sharks |
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| Komodo |
Those are just some wonderful facts about Indonesia. But actually have more!
Whatever people say about Indonesia, whether it’s bad or good, I still proud of Indonesia and being Indonesian.
Happy independence day, Indonesia!
So, still have no idea about Indonesia???
Source: click here
A Story from ISU 2011
I passed a group of student, I heard they excitingly talked about ISU, and soon I googled it: What is ISU?
As usual, I came to Google! I’d like to find what ISU is, a program offered by my university. I know that I can have information about it by asking to my uni staffs. Yet, sometimes Google is more truthful.
I put the key words – ISU- and these are what I found: Illinois State University, International Space University, Iowa State University, International Salvage Union, and many more. I knew that those are not what they talked about. That time, Google failed to satisfy my curiosity.
In fact the depiction of ISU was well explained in a slip of paper sticked on an information board in my campus. ISU (stands for International Summer University) is a 3-week joint program, started from July 11th to 29th, organized by my uni (MM UGM) with WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. The theme of this program is Consumer Behavior and Marketing Research.
I found that the program was thrilling and interesting. Having three weeks program and activities with 20 Austrians would be a great flee from my classes. Since then on, I decided to apply and I was accepted (after proving that I can definitely perform traditional dance!). Even more, I was assigned as the group coordinator for my Indonesian fellows. Challenging!
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| ISU 2011 Participants |
Most of the time in the class, we worked in a group. Honestly saying, it’s not that effortless to work with people who have dissimilar culture although it’s not the first time for me and I could easily get along with them. Too many things need to be compromised. Yet I reckoned that it was a part of the lesson in intercultural learning on how I should be more adaptable in any activities and situation.
Some session in the class was the tedious part of this program. I guessed wrongly as I thought that there wouldn’t be so much assignment during ISU. That’s why I said that it would be a nice escape from my classes as I didn’t need to attend my class for three weeks. Yet someway it was fine since I could and know many things in the class, such as: the fact that the Austrian students also “Facebooking” during the class (I thought this habit only infects the Indonesian students), putting a frame in flip chart is somehow important (is it?), cockroach is not cute for the Austrians (actually for some Indonesian too), a prejudice that Indonesian eats sushi, snotting in the class is okay for the Austrian, and so on.
For the interesting program during ISU, I should say that the cultural evening is the utmost, where we all performed our own culture. From Indonesian side, we had prepared it for about a month. So, no wonder if we were very relieved afterwards. It was perfect! All the performers did their best. I myself performed Bambu Gila dance (Crazy Bamboo) dance which is one of cultural sacraments from Maluku. And kudos for the Austrian too! They prepared some nice dishes – which I forget how they call it - and a game “Who wants to be a chocolate millionaire”. Even now I still can feel the excitement of everyone during the night. Thumbs up for everyone!
And the saddest part??? Perhaps the farewell! Three-week might sound very short, but during the time we really had great time together. We did enjoy some tiresome session in the class together, party and dance on the floor together, had excursion together, and dinner together. What we missed was only "sleep" together! Lol :))
Overall, the program was well organized and everyone was great companion during three weeks. I have no regret to join this program except I should write 3 papers and do 4 presentations as the consequence to leave my classes (D*mn!!). But it’s really nothing compare with the experience I get!
Here, we shared a moment until the end of the program and we will keep sharing until we meet again. Therefore, it’s not yet “good bye” but “see you later” in another part of the world.
"Why cant we get all the people together in the world that we really like and the just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. The we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos (Charles M. Schulz)"
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