Composed of over 17,000 islands, Indonesia is the largest island nation on the earth. Though it has the fourth largest population in the world, barely a third of Indonesia’s islands are inhabited. The rest are so densely forested that they rival the Amazon jungle in their beauty and inaccessibility. Indonesia’s motto of “Many, Yet One,” refers to its incredible diversity as a symbol of its unity. Over 700 languages are spoken throughout the country, with the largest population of Muslims in the world.. We will share the unifying love of Jesus in this diverse country.
Type of Government: Republic
Official Name: Republic of Indonesia
Religion: Freedom of religion is what their constitution states but Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims in the world. It is broken down as follows: Islam 87%, Protestant 6%, Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist and other 1%.
Official Language: Bahasa Indonesia
Currency: Indonesian Rupiah
National food dish: Nasi Goreng, which is Asian fried rice.
Population: Indonesia is ranked 4th in world population (261.1 million)
Climate: Split by the equator, Indonesia has an almost entirely tropical climate, with the coastal plains averaging 82°, the inland and mountain areas averaging 78°, and the higher mountain regions, 73°. The area’s relative humidity is quite high and ranges between 70 and 90 percent.
Fun Facts
1. Indonesia is extremely culturally diverse. In fact, there are over 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia, each with their own customs, traditions, and dialects.
2. Indonesia exports 3,000 tons of frogs’ legs to France each year.
3.Indonesia has the world’s most expensive coffee, and it’s made from ‘poop’. Or rather, it’s made from coffee beans that are partially digested and then pooped out by the civet, a catlike creature. A cup of kopi luwak, as it’s known, can sell for as much as $80 in the United States. In Indonesia, the Asian palm civet, which raids commercial fruit farms, is often seen as a pest, so the growth in the kopi luwak industry encouraged local people to protect civets for their valuable dung. Their digestive enzymes change the structure of proteins in the coffee beans, which removes some of the acidity to make a smoother cup of coffee.
4.Indonesian is located in the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire stretches for 40,000 kilometers and has 450 of the world’s volcanoes. It has more exploding, active volcanoes and earthquakes than any place on the earth. Indonesian alone has a total of 147 Volcanoes.
5.Indonesian national animal is a Komodo Dragon. They are the largest lizard in the world reaching up to 10 feet in length and weighing up to 200 pounds. They are carnivores and venomous.
Prayer Points
1. First and foremost pray with me for God’s direction and purpose for Indonesia to be evident to my team and I while we are there. That God’s heart and purpose for sending us there will be what leads us.
2. For hearts ready to hear the Gospel. That God will give my team and I the words to say and His divine plan to reach the people. That God will make us a light in the darkness.
3. For protection for my team from Volcanoes and earthquakes. That everywhere we walk, God’s protection is with us and keeping us in perfect health.
4. Pray for the missionaries we will be working with and that God will align our team under the right leadership.
5. Pray with me for divine meetings to happen while my team and I are there. That God is already setting up meetings with people that are an influence in the culture and doors are open to reach whole people groups with the gospel.
