August 17: Independence Day in Indonesia
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Indonesia.
Map by Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock.com.
History Note
Indonesia is an island country located between Southeast Asia and Australia. It consists of some 17,000 islands, though only about 900 are permanently inhabited.
People living on the islands of Indonesia were separated into many regional kingdoms over the centuries. In ancient times, they engaged in trade with people as far away as Africa and China. The Hindu and Buddhist religions spread across the islands and greatly influenced the architecture and culture. Islam came in the 13th century and eventually became the dominant religion there.
European traders arrived in the 1500s. The Dutch became most influential. The Dutch East India Company exercised control from 1602 to 1799, when Indonesia became a formal Dutch colony. After Japanese occupation during World War II, Indonesian leaders declared independence on August 17, 1945.
The Netherlands tried to repress the independence movement with military action. This was unpopular with other countries in the United Nations, and international support for Indonesian independence grew. Indonesia finally secured independence in 1949.
Indonesia has a population of 280 million people. The people, coming from a variety of ethnic groups, speak more than 700 languages. Bahasa Indonesia is the official language. About 87% of the people identify as Muslim, 10% as Christian, and others as Hindu, Buddhist, or Confucian.
Jakarta, the former capital of Indonesia on the island of Java, has been sinking several inches a year. On August 17, 2024, the country officially designated Nusantara on the island of Borneo as the new capital. That city is still under construction.
Indonesians celebrate Independence Day with a variety of games, including sack races and tug of war. This photo shows lomba makan kerupuk, the cracker eating contest. Participants attempt to be the first one to eat a cracker tied on a string. The crackers remind Indonesians today of the struggles and privation of Indonesian soldiers during the war for independence. Photo by Dimas Fikri Aliyana / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This video from 2022 shows Indonesians celebrating Independence Day with various traditional games.
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