History of Indonesia in Timeline

Indonesia is a Southeast Asian and Oceanian country, the world's largest archipelago comprising over 17,000 islands. Spanning 1,904,569 square kilometers, it ranks as the 14th-largest country by area. Its major islands include Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. With over 280 million inhabitants, Indonesia is the world's fourth-most-populous nation and the largest Muslim-majority country. Java, the world's most populous island, is home to over half of Indonesia's population.

1900: Indonesia in Academic Circles

After 1900, the name Indonesia became more common in academic circles outside of the Netherlands, and native nationalist groups began to adopt it for political expression.

1913: Establishment of Indonesisch Pers-bureau

In 1913, Ki Hajar Dewantara, the first native scholar, established a press bureau in the Netherlands called Indonesisch Pers-bureau.

1930: Dutch and European-Descended Populations

In 1930, the Dutch and other European-descended populations in Indonesia numbered around 200,000.

August 1945: Proclamation of Indonesian Independence

In August 1945, just two days after Japan's surrender, Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta issued the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, becoming the first president and vice-president of the country.

1945: Official Status of Bahasa Indonesia

In 1945, following independence, Indonesian was granted official status under the name Bahasa Indonesia.

1945: Number of Provinces

In 1945, there were 8 provinces in Indonesia.

1945: Jewish Population Decline

Since independence in 1945, the number of Jews in Indonesia has dwindled.

1948: Coined Term

In 1948 the term "independent and active" (bebas aktif) foreign policy was coined by Mohammad Hatta

1949: Dutch Recognition of Indonesian Independence

In 1949, the Dutch recognised Indonesian independence at the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference following international pressure, marking the end of Indonesia's war of independence.

1949: Garuda Indonesia as National Flag Carrier

Since 1949, Garuda Indonesia has been the national flag carrier.

1950: Indonesia Joins the United Nations

In 1950, Indonesia became a member of the United Nations.

1950: Forest Cover Percentage

In 1950, Indonesia's forest cover was 87%.

1955: First General Election

In 1955, the first general election was held to elect members of the DPR and the Constitutional Assembly.

1957: Deployment to UN Peacekeeping Missions

Since 1957, Indonesia has deployed military and police personnel to United Nations peacekeeping missions, contributing to international peace and security.

1961: First Post-Colonial Census

Indonesia's first post-colonial census in 1961 recorded a population of 97 million.

1962: Start of Papua Conflict

The Papua conflict in Indonesia has been ongoing since 1962.

1965: Attempted Coup and Anti-Communist Purge

In 1965, an attempted coup led to a violent anti-communist purge led by the Army's Major General Suharto, resulting in the deaths of at least 500,000 people and imprisonment of around a million more.

1968: Suharto Becomes President

In 1968, Suharto became President of Indonesia and established a US-backed "New Order" administration.

1971: Ramsar Convention

Five wetlands of international importance were included under the 1971 Ramsar Convention.

1972: Volcanic Eruptions in Java

Between 1972 and 1991, Java experienced a total of 29 volcanic eruptions.

1975: Invasion of East Timor

In 1975, Indonesia invaded East Timor initiating a 25-year occupation.

1976: Launch of First Satellite

In 1976, Indonesia launched its first satellite (Palapa) with assistance from the United States, becoming the first developing country with a satellite system.

1991: Volcanic Eruptions in Java

Between 1972 and 1991, Java experienced a total of 29 volcanic eruptions.

1997: Asian Financial Crisis

In 1997, Indonesia was the country worst affected by the Asian financial crisis, leading to widespread discontent and the eventual end of Suharto's rule.

1998: Constitutional Amendments

Following the fall of the New Order in 1998, sweeping amendments to the Constitution of Indonesia restructured the state's executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

1998: Anti-Chinese Riots

In 1998, Indonesia experienced anti-Chinese riots, highlighting a history of racial discrimination and conflicts.

1998: Political Reforms Impacting TNI

In 1998, political reforms in Indonesia removed the Indonesian National Armed Forces' (TNI) formal legislative role.

1998: Strengthening Democracy

Since 1998, Indonesia has strengthened democracy by granting regional autonomy.

1998: Enhancement of DPR's Governance Functionality

Since 1998, reforms have significantly enhanced the DPR's governance functionality.

1999: East Timor Secedes

In 1999, East Timor seceded from Indonesia after a controversial 25-year occupation.

1999: GDP Growth

In 1999, Indonesia's GDP grew by only 0.8% during the Asian economic crisis.

1999: Multi-Party System

Since 1999, Indonesia has operated under a multi-party system.

2001: Implementation of Regional Autonomy

Since the implementation of regional autonomy in 2001, regencies and cities have become key administrative units responsible for most government services.

2004: First Presidential Election

At the national level, Indonesians did not elect a President until 2004.

2004: Indian Ocean Earthquake

In 2004, the Indian Ocean earthquake caused catastrophic disasters in Indonesia.

2004: Economic Recovery

Recovery began in the early 2000s, with growth rates between 4% and 6% since 2004 due to prudent banking regulations.

2005: Political Settlement in Aceh

In 2005, a political settlement was achieved to a separatist insurgency in Aceh.

2005: End of Aceh Separatist Movement

In 2005, the separatist movement in Aceh, Indonesia, ended peacefully.

2007: Strong Economic Performance

Since 2007, Indonesia's economy has performed strongly, although corruption remains an issue.

2008: Weathering the Financial Crisis

In 2008, strong domestic consumption helped Indonesia weather the global financial crisis.

2009: Initiative of Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Under former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's 2009 initiative, a previous target of reaching 20 million hectares for marine protected areas by 2020 was set.

2010: Population Growth Rate

Between 2010 and 2020, Indonesia's population grew at a rate of 1.25%.

2012: Marine Protected Areas

As of 2012, Indonesia has over 100 marine protected areas spanning 15.7 million hectares.

2013: Constitutional Court Ruling

In 2013, the Constitutional Court ruled that legislative and presidential elections would be held simultaneously, starting in 2019.

2015: Local Elections

Beginning with the 2015 local elections, elections for governors and mayors have occurred on the same date.

2018: Sulawesi Earthquake

In 2018, the Sulawesi earthquake caused catastrophic disasters in Indonesia.

2019: Simultaneous Elections

In 2013, the Constitutional Court ruled that legislative and presidential elections would be held simultaneously, starting in 2019.

2019: Establishment of Foreign Aid Agency

In 2019, Indonesia established its own foreign aid agency, transitioning from being solely a recipient of humanitarian and development aid.

2020: Target for Marine Protected Areas

A previous target of reaching 20 million hectares for marine protected areas by 2020 was set under former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's 2009 initiative.

2020: Population Census

According to the 2020 census, Indonesia had a population of 270.2 million, making it the world's fourth most populous country.

2020: Government Spending on Research and Development

In 2020, government spending on research and development in Indonesia was relatively low at 0.28% of GDP.

2021: Services Dominate Employment

In 2021, services dominated Indonesia's economy in terms of employment, accounting for 49.2% of the workforce.

2022: Road Network Extent

As of 2022, Indonesia's road network spanned 548,097 kilometers, including Transjakarta, the world's longest bus rapid transit system.

2022: Alignment with Global Biodiversity Framework

In 2022, Indonesia aimed to align its strategy with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

2022: Forest Cover Percentage

In 2022, Indonesia's forest cover declined to 48%.

2022: Installed Power Generation Capacity

In 2022, Indonesia's total installed power generation capacity was approximately 83.8 gigawatts, primarily from coal (61%).

2022: Establishment of Southwest Papua

In 2022, Southwest Papua was established as the most recent province in Indonesia, bringing the total to 38.

2022: Services and Industry Dominate GDP

In 2022, services and industry each accounted for roughly 41% of Indonesia's GDP.

2023: Muslim Population

As of 2023, 87.1% of the population (248 million Indonesians) are Muslims, making Indonesia the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.

2023: Protected Land Designation

As of 2023, Indonesia has designated 21.3% of its land as protected areas.

2023: Inauguration of First High-Speed Rail

In 2023, Indonesia inaugurated its first high-speed rail (Whoosh), connecting Jakarta and Bandung in collaboration with China.

2023: Energy Production and Consumption

In 2023, Indonesia produced 5,500 terawatt-hours of energy and consumed 3,081 terawatt-hours.

2023: Defense Spending

In 2023, Indonesia's defence spending was 0.7% of its GDP, accompanied by controversies surrounding military-owned commercial ventures.

2023: Tourism Contributions

In 2023, tourism contributed US$14 billion to Indonesia's GDP and drew 11.6 million international visitors.

2024: Median Age

As of 2024, Indonesia has a median age of 31.5 years.

2024: Number of Satellites Launched

As of 2024, Indonesia has launched 19 satellites for communication and other purposes.

2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2024, Indonesia was ranked 54th among 133 countries on the Global Innovation Index.

2024: Nominal GDP and Ranking

In 2024, Indonesia's nominal GDP was US$1.402 trillion, ranking 16th globally.

2024: Passenger Traffic at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport

In 2024, Soekarno–Hatta International Airport served 54 million passengers.

2024: Recent Elections

The most recent elections in 2024 brought eight political parties to the DPR.

2025: Energy Plan Announcement

In the latest energy plan, in early 2025, the government aims for a 71-gigawatt expansion in power capacity by 2034, with a focus on renewables.

2034: Power Capacity Expansion Target

By 2034, the government aims for a 71-gigawatt expansion in power capacity, with a focus on renewables, according to the latest energy plan announced in early 2025.