Geography of Indonesia

The country of Indonesia is the largest island nation when the total area of its land mass is summed up. With over 17,500 islands, the country spans across several seas and between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, starting in the West with the island of Sumatra all the way to Irian Jaya to the East. A large section of Borneo Island is governed by Indonesia and larger islands of Java, Bali, and Sulawesi contribute to its area.

Given the breadth of its area, the type of landscapes it comprises is also vast. Indonesia’s ecosystems range from tropical jungle to rice paddies and terraced hillsides, to savannah grasslands and volcanic mountain ranges and black sand beaches. The environment creates habitat for an abundance of flora and fauna, including the rare Sumatran tiger and elephant, the Javan rhino, and the Komodo Dragon. Indonesia is most notably popular for its pristine beaches and well preserved marine life. The coral species here are vast and the visibility of many islands and their shallow coral systems is often clear year-round.