Indonesia — books & literature

The story of Indonesia

The Indonesian archipelago's story stretches back to ancient Hindu-Buddhist thalassocracies: Sriwijaya rose in southern Sumatra around the 7th century CE, controlling trade through the Malacca Strait, followed by the Javanese Majapahit Empire (circa 1293-1527), which at its height held influence across much of maritime Southeast Asia. Islam spread through the archipelago via traders from the 13th century onward, becoming the dominant faith in most regions. European contact began with Portuguese traders in the 16th century, but it was the Dutch East India Company (VOC), chartered in 1602, that came to dominate the spice trade and eventually the whole archipelago as the Dutch East Indies. Japan occupied the islands during World War II (1942-1945), and in the power vacuum after Japan's surrender, nationalist leader Sukarno proclaimed independence on 17 August 1945. A four-year armed and diplomatic struggle followed before the Netherlands formally recognised Indonesian sovereignty in December 1949. Since then Indonesia has navigated Sukarno's Guided Democracy, Suharto's three-decade New Order, the 1998 Reformasi that restored democracy, and its rise today as Southeast Asia's largest economy and the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 683

   Sriwijaya rises in Sumatra as a major maritime and trading power.

2. circa 1293

   The Majapahit Empire is founded in East Java; becomes the region's dominant Hindu-Buddhist power.

3. 1602

   The Dutch East India Company (VOC) is chartered, beginning centuries of Dutch commercial and colonial presence.

4. 1799

   The VOC is dissolved; its territories become the Dutch East Indies under direct Dutch government control.

5. 1942-1945

   Japan occupies the Dutch East Indies during World War II.

6. 1945

   Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaim independence on 17 August.

7. 1949

   The Netherlands formally recognises Indonesian sovereignty on 27 December after years of conflict and negotiation.

8. 1965-1967

   Suharto rises to power amid political upheaval, beginning the three-decade "New Order" era.

9. 1998

   Suharto resigns amid economic crisis and mass protests, opening the "Reformasi" era of democratic reform.

10. 2022

    Indonesia passes a law establishing Nusantara, in East Kalimantan, as a planned new national capital, with construction beginning soon after.

Top 10 things to know about Indonesia

1. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic nation, spanning more than 17,000 islands.
2. It is the fourth most populous country on Earth and the most populous Muslim-majority nation.
3. Indonesia sits across three time zones and stretches roughly the width of the continental United States.
4. Bahasa Indonesia, based on Malay, is the official language uniting hundreds of regional languages.
5. Borobudur, built in the 8th-9th century, is the world's largest Buddhist temple.
6. Indonesia has more active volcanoes than almost any other country, sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
7. Komodo dragons, the world's largest living lizards, are native only to a handful of Indonesian islands.
8. Indonesia was a founding member of ASEAN in 1967.
9. The country is one of the most biodiverse on Earth, home to orangutans, tigers, and thousands of endemic species.
10. Jakarta has long been the capital, while a new political capital, Nusantara, is under construction in East Kalimantan.

Famous people from Indonesia

Say it in Indonesia's language

Did you know?

• ★Indonesia spans over 17,000 islands, of which roughly 6,000 are inhabited.
• ★The Komodo dragon, found only on a few Indonesian islands, can grow up to 3 metres long.
• ★Indonesia's new capital project, Nusantara, is being built largely from scratch in the rainforest of East Kalimantan.

Indonesia culture

• Bahasa Indonesia unites the country, but the archipelago is home to over 700 living languages.
• Gamelan orchestras, made of gongs, metallophones, and drums, are central to Javanese and Balinese ceremony and performance.
• Batik, the traditional wax-resist dyed cloth, is recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• Nasi goreng (fried rice) and satay are among the most widely eaten dishes across the islands.

Why read Indonesia's books

From Pramoedya Ananta Toer's epic novels of colonial-era Java to Chairil Anwar's spare, urgent poetry, Indonesian literature carries the weight of empire, occupation, and a hard-won independence. Reading Indonesia's books opens a window onto one of the world's largest and most diverse nations.