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Asia
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika – unity in diversity: this motto, which comes from the Sanskrit, has adorned the national emblem of the Republic of Indonesia ever since the country proclaimed its independence in 1945. The 225 million inhabitants of this island state belong to roughly 300 different ethnic groups and speak over 200 languages and dialects. Despite this diversity of peoples, the majority of Indonesians have a strong sense of national identity. Consisting of more than 17,000 islands, of which a good 6,000 are inhabited, the country boasts the world's fourth-biggest population and is home to the largest Islamic community on Earth. Around 5,000 kilometres separate the western and eastern extremities of Indonesia, which is approximately the same distance as between Gibraltar and Moscow. Indonesia's rainforests are considered to be the most biodiverse on Earth.
After gaining independence, the country enjoyed an economic upturn, but its past has been marred by repeated instances of serious internal conflict. And Indonesia's most recent history has also been marked by hostilities: there was fighting between Christians and Muslims in the Molucca Islands in 1999, a devastating attack by Islamic terrorists on Bali in 2002, and the imposition of martial law in the breakaway province of Aceh on Sumatra in 2003.
The Asian financial crisis in 1997 also affected Indonesia particularly seriously. General Suharto, the then dictator, was forced to step down after serious social unrest. However, there then followed a largely peaceful change in the country’s political course. The country has since made marked progress on the difficult road to democratisation. Although the economic situation has improved, it has still not been possible to fully regain the pre-1997 level. Indonesia’s economy is heavily dependent on exports. In the wake of the current global economic and financial crisis, however, demand for the country’s export commodities has declined sharply, so that 2009 is likely to see a dip in economic growth.
Indonesian-German cooperation
Relations between Indonesia and Germany are good. There has been development cooperation between Germany and Indonesia since 1958. Its aim is to take into account Indonesia’s regional and global importance. For example, the country is an important partner in terms of global efforts to protect the climate: on the one hand, it is has the world’s second largest area of tropical rain forest; on the other hand, because of illegal logging and slash-and-burn cultivation, it is the world’s third largest emitter of carbon dioxide. Therefore, it is in Germany's interest to engage with Indonesia on these issues; accordingly, climate protection is one of the priority areas of bilateral Indonesian-German development cooperation. Germany also supports Indonesia’s efforts to promote good governance and decentralisation as well as private enterprise.
German development cooperation with Indonesia is evolving into a strategic partnership, so as to give due recognition to Indonesia’s position as what the German government’s eponymous strategy describes as an anchor country.
German Embassy

German Embassy in Indonesia
Jalan M. H. Thamrin 1
10310 Jakarta
Indonesia
Phone: +62 / 21 / 39 85 50 00
Fax: +62 / 21 / 390 17 57






