Geography of Indonesia is very unique. Choose the archipelago for your next holiday and you will for sure discover breath-taking landscapes.
Indonesia consists of more than 17,000 islands. The archipelago is located on the equator, just between Asia and Australia. It is bordered by the Indian and the Pacific oceans. Indonesia has land borders with Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. Current borders are inherited from the Dutch colonial period. Only the Western half of New Guinea, then named Papua, was later attached to the territory of the Republic of Indonesia in 1969. At the same period, Indonesia invaded East Timor but in 2002, after bloody fights, the independence of East Timor was internationally recognized.
What is the geography of Indonesia? The archipelago actually consists of three smaller archipelagos.
The biggest islands of the country are Java, it also is the most populous, Borneo, Sumatra, Papua and Sulawesi.
Indonesian islands are scattered on a territory of 5,000 kilometres from East to West and 2,000 kilometres from North to South, about 1.9 million km² in total. Territorial water of Indonesia is 3 times bigger than its land territory.
It is impossible to discuss the geography of Indonesia without mentioning the seas composing the huge territorial water of the country. The country has about 55,000 km of coastline consisting in mangroves or sandy beaches.
There are 7 seas in the archipelago: Java Sea, Banda Sea, Bali Sea, Flores Sea, Timor Sea, Celebes Sea, Arafora Sea.
There are also 2 straits: Makassar Strait between Borneo and Sulawesi, Malacca Strait between Malaysia and Sumatra.
China Sea, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean border Indonesia.
Indonesia is located above the point where three tectonic plates meet. This explains the fragmentation and diversity of the islands as well as the numerous volcanoes and seismic activity.
There are 150 active volcanoes scattered around the archipelago, they are part of the Pacific ring of fire, a 40,000-km long path of active volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean.
The highest point of Indonesia isn’t a volcano but a mountain: Puncak Jaya Mount (4,884 metres above sea level) in Papua. There are also plains in some places of the archipelago especially in Java, Sumatra and Borneo.
Indonesia has important mineral resources: hydrocarbons, gas, oil, nickel, copper, gold, silver and coal but also a great biodiversity, the second more diverse on the planet!
To conclude on the geography of Indonesia, and to help you plan for your next holiday on the archipelago, here is a short list of what you can discover on each of the main island.
Sumatra is the 6th biggest island in the world. It is a great place to see volcanoes, lush beaches and wild animals such as orang-utan, elephants, tigers, and rhinoceros. The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004. Places to see: Medan, Bukit Lawang, Leuser National Park, Samosir island, Minangkabau, Mentawai island.
Java’s diversity of landscapes will amaze you: rice fields, volcanoes, rainforest, savana… Places to see: Yogyakarta, Borobudur Prambanan, Solo, Bromo and Kawah Ijen volcanoes.
Borneo is the 4th biggest island in the world. This territory is split between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Places to see: Tanjung Putting National Park, Camp Leakey, Sekonyer River, Pangkalan Bun.
Bali is undoubtedly the most touristic island in Indonesia. From Mount Batur and Mount Agung volcanoes to pristine beaches, paddy fields and lakes Bali’s landscapes will surprise you. Places to see: Ubud, Bukit peninsula, Bratan Lake, Bali Barat National Park, Tampaxiring, Munduk
Lombok’s inhabitants will welcome you with open arms and big smiles. From this volcanic island you can access Gili islands a great snorkelling spot! Places to see: Rinjani, Sengigi, Kuta, Sasak
Flores is known for Kelimutu crater lakes and for being the access point to Komodo Island. The biodiversity of the area will astonish you, you can expect to encounter Komodo dragons and observe colourful corals. Places to see: Rinca Park, Labuan Bajo, Bajawa, Wae Rebo, Ruteng
Sulawesi, also known as Celebes, will delight you with its marine life, breathtaking landscapes and beautiful rainforest. Places to see: Bira beacjes, Tempe Lake, Sengkang, Toraja region, Manado
New Guinea, also called Papua, is a territory split between 2 states: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is a very unique Indonesian region, the density is very low and there are many different tribes living there. It is a territory of adventure! Places to see: Raja Ampat island, Jayapura, Baliem valley.
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