INDONESIA AT GLANCE

1. Belief in the one and only God
2. Just and civilised humanity
3. The unity of Indonesia
4. Democracy guided by the iInner wisdom of deliberations of representatives
5. Social justice for all the Indonesian people

Once called a "tropical treasure house" by a 19th century naturalist, Indonesia's natural eco-systems range from palm-fringed beaches to vast jungles, and from mangrove swamp land to snow-capped mountain peaks. Its tropical forests provide a habitat for thousands of animal and plant species, and its seas and coral reefs are teeming with marine life. By law, 36 species of flora and 521 species of fauna are protected.

The plant life of Indonesia is incredibly diverse, consisting of almost 40,000 different species, about 10 percent of all plant species in the world ! Approximately 6,000 species of Indonesian plants are used by the people as a source of raw material for the making of traditional Indonesian herbal medicines or as an indispensable part of traditional rituals and ceremonies. Indonesia is a main source of the world's supply of spices and herbs.

Tropical forests cover 75 percent of the land, more than 350 million acres. Most plant species are natives of the equatorial rain forest, with its immense variety of wild orchids, palms bamboo, ferns, spice trees, fruits and exotic oddities such as the Rafflesia, the world's largest flower and parasitic bloom.

With Indonesia's rich volcanic soil, high humidity and strong sunlight, flowers are common, including hibiscus, jasmine, frangipani, bougainvillea and lotus lilies. Native fruit species include mango, salak, jack fruit and the pungent durian, which has such a strong smell it is forbidden in hotel rooms. Indonesia produces some of the most exotic orchid species, including the Black Orchid, which grows in the Kersik Luway reserve of East Kalimantan. Thousands of species may be seen at commercial orchid gardens, such as the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature) Park in Jakarta, where there is also the Taman Apotik Hidup ( Living Pharmacy Park ) of medicinal plants.

The Bogor Botanical Garden, south of Jakarta, is the most renowned of public gardens. Also the site of International research, a collection of more than 15,000 plant species can be seen here. The affilliated Cibodas Mountain Garden located on the slope of Mt Gede, West Java, was founded for the study of mountain flora and fauna. Attached to this garden is forest reserve of more than 3,000 acres.

Due to its sprawling size and unique geographical location, Indonesia is one of the most biologically significant places on earth, with an animal life unmatched anywhere in the world. Indonesia hosts more than 500 species of mammals, 1,500 species of birds, 3,000 species of fish and countless reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. There are mammoth butterflies, giant sea turtles and prehistoric, flesh-eating lizards. Unusual species include the following :

Rhinoceros - One of the most endangered and rarest species in the world, the one horned rhino can be found in Java's Ujung Kulon National Park. The smaller, two-horned rhino, is found in Sumatra and Kalimantan. In Sumatra, a rhino breeding project is underway.

Asian Elephant - Discovered by the Sultan of Aceh in 19th century, this species can be found in Sumatra and the northern part of Kalimantan. Three elephant training centres have been established in Lampung, Aceh and Riau, all in Sumatra

Babirusa - Resembling a wild boar, one of Sulawesi's most remarkable endemic species.

Bali Mynah - An endemic bird species, which lives naturally in the area of Bali Barat National Park, where it is protected and propagated.

Orang utan - Asia's only great ape, "orang utan" means "person of the forest". Found in North Sumatra and Kalimantan, these red haired primates were popular pets until captivity threatened their extinction. Now the orangutans are a protected species and are being returned from captivity to their native habitat at special rehabilitation centres.

Komodo Dragon - The largest living lizard, this "dragon" may grow to 6 feet in length. Surviving more than 2 million years, these species is found only on the tiny island of Komodo, near the island of Flores.

Anoa - The smallest of its species, this dwarf buffalo is endemic to Sulawesi.

Tree Kangaroo - Marsupial resembling the fauna of Australia but native to Irian Jaya, these acrobatic creatures scoot up trees and jump from one tree to another.

Bird of Paradise - Of the 42 species of this bird, all but two are found in the jungles of Irian Jaya.

The modern Republic of Indonesia is relatively young as a nation, but embraces a people whose roots stretch deep into antiquity. When ice sheets still covered Europe and North America there was already human life in the archipelago, as evidenced by the discovery of the remains of "Java Man" (Pithecantropus Erectus). The main populating of the area is attributed to a series of migrations from the Asia mainland throughout the second and third millennia B.C. Thus, the majority of Indonesians are of Malay stock, except for the Dani, Asmat, and other tribes further east inhabiting Irian Jaya, which are of Melanesian stock.

At the beginning of the Christian era, Indonesia's position on major sea routess brought emissaries and traders from India, China and Arabia. Indonesia's profitable spices lured the traders, and wet rice agriculture gave Indonesian society the capacity to support the great Kingdoms of Sriwijaya, Sailendra, Majapahit, and many smaller chiefdoms.

Throughout the islands, the prevalent belief in animism and ancestor worship blended with the world's religions, namely Hinduism and Buddhism, followed by Islam and Christianity.

The Indonesia of today has evolved from century upon century of cultural and religious assimilation. Today, at least 80 percent of the population is Muslim, except for the people of Bali, who are mostly Hindu. Yet these religions are practiscd in a manner that is distinctly Indonesian. Adat or customary law plays a powerful role in determining appropriate behaviour. For example, the Minangkabau people of west Sumatra are a matrilineal society in which property passes from mother to daughter.

The Republic of Indonesia embraces more than 300 ethnic groups. Of these, the most numerous are the Javanese, and more than 60 percent of Indonesia's population live on the island of Java. But equally enduring cultural traditions may be found among the Bugis and Toraja people of South Sulawesi, the Dayaks of Kalimantan, the Bataks of Sumatra, the Asmat of Irian Jaya, and the Balinese, to name only a few. Each ethnic group has its own cultural identity, expressed through religious ritual, celebrations and ceremonies, music and dance. Their time-honoured traditions are preserved and strengthened by a spirit of unity expressed in the national motto of Indonesia, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, or "Unity in Diversity".

As a part of the program to protect its diverse environment, Indonesia has established 24 national parks and hundreds of other protected areas. In 1989, there were 177 nature reserves, 73 wildlife reserves, 65 recreation parks, and 13 hunting parks, covering a total area of more than 30.5 million acres, plus 7 marine parks and reserves covering an area of more than 2.5 million acres. The total conservation are will be expanded to over 70 million acres.

The largest national park is Gunung Leuser in North Sumatra, reached by road from the city of Medan. Two research stations within the reserve function as Orangutan Rehabilitation Stations. A boat trip on the Alas River, which flows through the reserve, offers an alternate route to see the rain forest habitat of endangered Sumatran rhinos, orangutan, tigers and elephants. There are also gibbons, leaf monkeys, jungle cats, forest deer, otter, hornbills and argus pheasants.

Ujung Kulon National Park at Java's western tip is Indonesia's oldest national park. Here roam the rare Javan rhinos, only about 60 of which remain. Another popular national park for tourists, located in East Java, is Bromo-Tengger-Semeru, which offers a look into the active Mt Bromo volcano. Komodo National Park, on the tiny island of Komodo, is the home of famous Komodo Dragon, found nowhere else on earth.

Almost all National Parks require a permit to enter and only a few are equipped to accommodate the public, so wildlife is best seen on special nature tours, in recreation parks and at the zoo. The Ragunan Zoo, in the capital city of Jakarta, is the best landscaped zoo in Indonesia, providing a close to native habitat for more that 4,000 animal and bird species on over 450 acres. Here many endangered species are bred. The Surabaya Zoo in East Java also offers one of the most complete collection of animals in Southeast Asia, including a special selection of nocturnal animals.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, or "Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature", located in Jakarta, presents the diversity of the archipelago with life size replicas of the traditional architecture of Indonesia's 27 provinces. The 300 acre park has its own aviary with some 600 bird species native to Indonesia and an orchid garden with approximately 3,000 species.

Indonesia ranks as :

• The largest oil exporter in Southeast Asia.
• The world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter.
• The world's largest plywood exporter.
• The world's second largest producer of rubber.
• The world's second largest producer of palm oil.

Traditional Exports: Spices, essential oils, plant materials, foodstuffs, rubber, coffee, tea, cocoa, tobacco. Food products include prawns, tuna fish, mushrooms, fresh vegetables. Spices include pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Processed Materials: Plywood and lumber, palm and coconut oil, cement, chemicals (organic and inorganic), fertilisers, cement, steel, processed food.

Mineral Products: Oil and gas, tin, coal, copper, nickel, gold.

Manufactured Goods: Textiles, garments, footwear, leather goods, latex gloves, wood and rattan furniture, wooden utensils, glassware, ceramics, tiles, small manufactured goods.

High Technology: Automobiles, engines and parts, aircraft and components, electronic goods, measuring instruments.

Unique Products: Batik, handicrafts, herbal medicines, natural cosmetics, Indonesian handicrafts include exquisite gold and silver jewellery, pottery, baskets, ornate carvings and wood sculpture, hand-woven sarongs and embroidered cloths, leather bags and belts, stone and shell ornaments, bamboo decorations and furnishings.