Indonesia Land & Resources

O  R  A  R  I Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia Zone 28 Oceania Best view with: 800 x 600 pixels and This TrueType font

LAND AND RESOURCES Mount Bromo (right) in the Tengger highlands of East Java, Indonesia, is a favorite tourist sight. It is 2,392 m (7,848 ft) high and known for its frequent volcanic activity. [Aztech New Media Corp.] Territories on five islands make up 90% of Indonesia. The largest territory, Kalimantan, occupies the southern two-thirds of the island of BORNEO and comprises 28% of Indonesia's total area. Second in size is the island of Sumatra (Sumatera), with 24% of the total area. Irian Jaya, which occupies the western half of New Guinea, forms 22% of the country; SULAWESI (Celebes), 10%; and the islands of JAVA and Madura -- inhabited by 64% of the population -- only 7%. Notable small islands include BALI, TIMOR, Lombok, and Sumba of the Lesser SUNDA ISLANDS, and Halmahera, Buru, Seram, and Ambon, parts of the MOLUCCAS -- Malaka (formerly known as the Spice Islands). High mountains, some of them volcanic, extend the length of the archipelago. On Irian Jaya, Indonesia's highest mountain, Jaya, reaches 5,030 m (16,495 ft). High mountains also form the southern edge of Sumatra. They continue across the Sunda Strait, where the famous volcano KRAKATOA [Krakatau or Anak Krakatau] is located, and into Java, where they rise to 3,676 m (12,060 ft) in Semeru. On Sulawesi, the mountains rise to 3,455 m (11,335 ft) in Rantekombolo. Extensive, swampy lowlands characterize the eastern half of Sumatra, southern Kalimantan, and southeastern Irian Jaya. Soils As in many rainy, tropical areas, the soils are predominantly infertile in Indonesia because of leaching. The most productive are those on Java and adjacent islands. Soil nutrients there are replenished by frequent volcanic eruptions, and the lavas' alkalinity is conducive to plant growth. The Borobudur, the remains of a great 9th-century Buddhist monument in central Java, is decorated with a series of 463 niches containing images of the Buddha striving toward all-embracing compassion. A pilgrim climbing clockwise around the monument symbolically embarks upon a spiritual journey, moving from the clear and vivid images of the material world to the simple spiritual world of the Buddhas.   [Photo Explorer] Climate Most islands are hot and humid throughout the year. Rain falls primarily from December to March, when the winter monsoon dominates, blowing from the Asian mainland. Only western Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands have a dry season, from June to September, when dry winds blow from the interior of Australia's deserts. Temperatures in coastal areas range from 24 deg C to 28 deg C (75 deg F to 85 deg F), while the mountains are cooler. The average annual rainfall varies from 3,050 mm (120 in) in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Irian Jaya to 1,015 mm (40 in) in the Lesser Sundas. Drainage Rivers are numerous, short, and important for irrigation. The longest is the Mamberamo, on Irian Jaya, navigable for 160 km (100 mi). Lake Toba (1,300 sq km/ 502 sq mi), in the Barisan Mountains of northern Sumatra, was formed within the world's largest caldera of a volcano. The Komodo dragon, V. komodoensis, is a relative of the extinct 7-m (23-ft) reptile V. priscus, whose remains have been found in Quaternary deposits in Australia.   [Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc.] Vegetation & Animal Life Tropical rain forest covers most of the islands; this is characterized by a dense overhead canopy of trees, an abundance of tree species, and numerous lianas (vines), along with ferns, orchids, and other epiphytes. The monsoonal forests are composed primarily of stands of bamboo with a seasonal fall of leaves. Indonesia's animals have an Asian affinity in the west and an Australian relationship in the east, suggesting the past existence of land bridges between the islands and the two continents. In the Lesser Sundas, the island of KOMODO is the last protected habitation for the Komodo Dragon, the world's largest lizard. Resources Indonesia is potentially rich in mineral resources. The most important is crude petroleum -- with associated deposits of natural gas -- extracted in eastern Sumatra and Kalimantan. Tin ores are found on a number of islands, as well as deposits of bauxite, nickel, and coal. Large reserves of low-grade iron ore have been reported; ore is extracted in central Java. Bibliography: American University, Indonesia, A Country Study, 4th ed. (1983); Aveling, H., ed., The Development of Indonesian Society (1980); Booth, A., and McCawley, P., eds., The Indonesian Economy During the Suharto Era (1981); Crouch, Harold, The Army and Politics in Indonesia (1988); Drake, C., National Integration in Indonesia (1989); Green, M., Indonesia (1991); Holt, Claire, et al., Culture and Politics in Indonesia (1988); Jenkins, D., Suharto and His Generals (1985); Kahin, A., ed., Regional Dynamics of the Indonesian Revolution (1986); McDonald, H., Suharto's Indonesia (1981); Mackie, J. A. C., Indonesia: The Making of a Nation (1981); Peacock, James L., Indonesia: An Anthropological Perspective (1973); Reeve, D., Golkar of Indonesia (1987); Ricklefs, M. C., A History of Modern Indonesia (1981); Stewart, I. C., and Shaw, J., Indonesians: Portraits from an Archipelago (1984); Wild, C., and Carey, P., eds., Born in Fire, The Indonesian Struggle for Independence (1988).

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