Indonesia
Synonyms
Celebes
East Indies
Indonesian New Guinea
Irian Jaya
Java
Madoera
Madura
Malay Archipelago
Netherlands East Indies
New Guinea, Indonesian
New Guinea, West
Sulawesi
Sumatra
Timor
West Irian
A republic stretching from the Indian Ocean east to New Guinea, comprising six main islands: Java, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan (the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo), Sulawesi (formerly known as the Celebes) and Irian Jaya (the western part of New Guinea). Its capital is Djakarta. The ethnic groups living there are largely Chinese, Arab, Eurasian, Indian, and Pakistani; 85% of the peoples are of the Islamic faith.