GEOGRAPHY
Indonesia is the largest archipelago and the fifth most populous country in the world. It has a total of 13,677 islands of which about 6,000 islands are inhabited and consists of five main islands: Sumatera, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Irian Jaya and Java. The island stretch 5,120 km from East to West and 1,760 km from North to South between Australia and Asian continents and divide Pacific and Indian Oceans at the equator.

CLIMATE
There are only two seasons, dry season between April and October and wet season between November and March. The temperature ranges from 21 C (70F) in the highlands to 33 C (90F) in the lowlands, except in the higher country regions which are cooler.

TIME
Indonesia is divided into three times zone:

• Western Indonesia Time (Sumatera, Java, West & Central Kalimantan) is 7 hours ahead of GMT.
• Central Indonesia Time (East & South Kalimantan, Bali Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara) is 8 hours ahead of GMT.
• Eastern Indonesia Time (Maluku & Irian Jaya) is 9 hours ahead of GMT.

OFFICE HOURS
Government offices open from:
8:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays and closed on Saturday.

Business offices open from:
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Monday - Friday),
8:00 AM to 1:00 PM (Saturday).
Banks open from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays but foreign banks close on Saturday.

PEOPLE & LANGUAGE
Indonesia has a population of about 65 % of them is concentrated in Java and Madura. The national language is Bahasa Indonesia but English is spoken and written in all tourist destination areas. Dutch is spoken by the older generation and there still exist more than 300 ethnic group who speak more than 200 district languages. Diversity also extends to customs, cuisine and dress.

RELIGION
The majority of the population is moslem, however the Indonesian constitution recognizes freedom of religion as specified in the first principle of the PANCASILA (State Philosophy) - Believe in One Supreme God. Churches, Hindu and Budhist temples are found through the country.

CURRENCY - Indonesian Rupiahs (IDR)
Main foreign currencies are exchangeable at the banks and money changers in major cities. Indonesian rupiahs come in denominations of the Rp. 50,000,-, Rp. 20,000,-, Rp. 10,000,-,Rp. 5,000,- Rp. 1,000,-, Rp. 500,- and Rp. 100,- in bank notes and the Rp. 100,- Rp. 50,- and Rp. 25,- in coins. Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and restaurants in the main cities.

$ 1 US DOLLAR = IDR 9005 approx. (subject to change as per the daily exchange rate)
1 IDR = INR 0.005 approx. (subject to change as per the daily exchange rate)

CAPITAL - Jakarta