Short facts about the geography of Indonesia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total:  1,919,440 sq km land:  1,826,440 sq km water:  93,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total:  2,602 km border countries:  Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km

Coastline:

54,716 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:  Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use:

arable land:  10% permanent crops:  7% permanent pastures:  7% forests and woodland:  62% other:  14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

45,970 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Source: World Factbook