Indonesia: over 700 dialects, volcanoes and no surnames

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

In any travel guide, you can find a lot of bright, attractive facts about the country. But locals sometimes consider something else more important. This article is what you need to know about Indonesia.

Indonesia is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Any kind of recreation is available here: beach, historical excursions, observation of flora and fauna on hikes. At the same time, visa formalities are minimal.

The most common mistake tourists make is not knowing that Bali is part of Indonesia. The question "What is the distance from Bali to Indonesia?" a Balinese will most likely evoke a condescending smile. But there are other facts that Indonesians note as important to them and not always obvious to visitors.

• Indonesia is an archipelago, that is, a group of islands, the most famous of which are Bali, Java, Sumatra, Bintan, Batam, Sulawesi, Kalimantan.
• The probability of natural disasters is very high here: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. In 1883, one of the deadliest eruptions in human history occurred - the Krakatoa volcano, when more than 36,000 people died.
• East Java is home to the world's largest acid lake - Kawah Ijen, which attracts a lot of tourists and photographers due to the fact that, when ignited, it begins to glow blue.

• In terms of the number of biological species, Indonesia ranks second after Brazil, and in terms of the number of endemic species (living only in this area) - second after Australia.
• There are over 700 dialects in the country, and only a quarter of the population are native speakers of the Indonesian language, which has been the official language since 1945.
• You shouldn't start talking about business at lunch - it is considered rude. But to the question "How are you?" you can safely answer in detail - for Indonesians this is not just a formality, they are really interested in your life.

• Despite the fact that Indonesia is home to the most Muslims in the world, the state is secular. 5 religions are officially recognized: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism and Buddhism. And the number of unofficial beliefs is uncountable.
• Names can consist of just one word: the identity card will contain something like Suryadi and no surnames or patronymics.
• There are no speed limits on the roads in Indonesia: during the day it is quite possible to drive at a speed of 120 km / h, and at night - all 150 km / h. Another thing is that there are often traffic jams in large cities. Therefore, appointments should be made about half an hour earlier, as late for 30-40 minutes is the norm.