Advantages of Indonesia

Indonesia, our beloved country, is actually well-known in the outside world. Unfortunately, people from Europe know Indonesia not because of its natural beauty and the friendliness of its people. According to a friend from one of the European countries, Europeans hear about Indonesia because of the eruption of Mount Merapi and the tsunami in Aceh, as well as a little about Bali. Despite this, Indonesia is a rich country with many potentials. Let's take a moment to discuss the advantages of our country and forget for a while about the issues and chaos currently happening in Indonesia. Here are 10 advantages of Indonesia. 

Indonesia has a friendly climate
Being located below the equator gives Indonesia the advantage of a friendly climate and weather. Indonesia has two dominant seasons, rainy and dry. Indonesia receives an average of 12 hours of sunlight during the day. This is very different from Europe, where in spring and summer, they have longer daylight hours, around 16 hours. Indonesia also has a decent average rainfall. Although sometimes the rain brings disasters, it can still be managed if we care for our environment. This is in stark contrast to the extreme weather in Europe and Australia, with extreme winters reaching as low as 4 degrees Celsius, resulting in at least 600 deaths in Eastern Europe. Or the scorching heat in Arab countries. The climate in Indonesia is very ideal, friendly, warm with sufficient humidity, a climate that is favored by tourists.

Indonesia is home to thousands of ethnic groups, making it the largest archipelagic country in the world. According to BPS data, there are 1,128 ethnic groups in Indonesia. The richness of these ethnic groups results in a wealth of traditional customs and cultural diversity, including unique foods, traditional clothing, regional songs, dances, and a variety of musical instruments. Some Indonesian cultural elements have been internationally recognized, such as batik, angklung, wayang kulit, keris, Bali's pendet dance, Aceh's saman dance, reog ponorogo, and the song "Rasa Sayange," among others. Some have even been acknowledged by UNESCO.

Angklung, for example, has gained global recognition and has been enthusiastically embraced, particularly in the United States. Daeng Udjo from Saung Angklung "Udjo" is an Indonesian who successfully introduced angklung on the international stage and set a Guinness World Records in Washington DC, USA, by playing angklung with 5,182 participants from various ethnicities and performing popular songs like "We Are the World" and "Take Me Home, Country Roads," receiving an incredibly warm reception. It is truly a source of pride to see Indonesian culture being embraced and appreciated worldwide. It's time for us to showcase our own culture, not just constantly adopt cultures from abroad.

Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world with a total area of 1,904,569 km2 consisting of thousands of islands. According to the survey conducted by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Indonesia has 13,000 islands from Sabang to Merauke. While some sources claim Indonesia has 17,504 islands, the Director General of Marine Coastal and Small Islands (KP3K), Sudirman Saad, stated that the total number of islands in Indonesia is only 13,000. The decrease in the number of islands owned by Indonesia is due to rising sea levels, global warming, or sand mining. The wealth of the islands in Indonesia is a vast natural resource that should be utilized to the fullest for the well-being and prosperity of the Indonesian people. Each island in Indonesia holds potential, natural resources ranging from various minerals contained within, rich flora and fauna, to ancient sites. An online tourism site abroad describes Indonesia as a beautiful archipelago with over 17,000 islands, of which only a third are inhabited. Your lifetime is not enough to visit each one.

Indonesia is renowned worldwide, especially among tourists, for its incredibly beautiful natural landscapes. Indonesia is blessed with various exotic views, from majestic mountains to breathtaking underwater scenery. There are thousands of tourist destinations in Indonesia that are favorites among travelers, ranging from mountain tourism, marine tourism, historical tourism, cultural tourism, adventure, and many more. One of Indonesia's prideful tourist destinations is Raja Ampat in West Papua, a cluster of islands that is truly magnificent. Raja Ampat is one of the top 10 diving sites in the world (according to Wikipedia). It has become a favorite destination for divers, offering the most complete underwater biodiversity in the world. Many new and unique species are found here, making it a research hotspot for experts. This is just one of the many natural beauties of Indonesia, with countless more waiting to be discovered, making us proud as Indonesian citizens.

Indonesia is blessed with fertile land and abundant natural resources. The land in Indonesia is so fertile that it has been recognized globally. Many countries, especially in Europe, have come to Indonesia to colonize, aiming to exploit its natural riches for their own gain. The rich soil here has attracted nations like the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Japan, all seeking to benefit from Indonesia's renowned spices and resources.

In addition to its fertile land, Indonesia boasts vast natural resources such as oil, ranking 21st worldwide in oil production, tin, natural gas ranking 11th in gas reserves, nickel, timber, bauxite, coal, gold, and silver. Indonesia's wealth of natural resources is abundant and holds great potential.

Indonesia also claims the world's largest expanse of ocean. With the longest coastline in the world, Indonesia's waters cover an area three times larger than its landmass, totaling 3,257,483 km2. Surrounded by the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Indonesia is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna found nowhere else.

Indonesia is home to various types of forests, including tropical rainforests, seasonal forests, mangroves, and savannas. Each forest in Indonesia holds unique potential not found in other countries. Indonesian rainforests serve as the world's lungs, supplying the most oxygen, timber, and genetic resources with its abundant biodiversity. Indonesia's forests are among the top three countries in terms of biodiversity, alongside Brazil's Amazon rainforest and the forests of Zaire. Indonesian forests boast endemic flora and fauna, with some protected by UNESCO. These include the Leuser National Park, the Bukit Barisan Mountains, and Mount Kerinci, covering 2.5 million hectares of tropical rainforest. The Ujung Kulon National Park, known for its one-horned rhinoceros, and the Wasur National Park with its beautiful savanna vegetation are also among the protected areas. Indonesian forest products yield premium goods like teakwood, rattan, rubber, and more.

Indonesia's population is indeed dense, but this is one of the advantages and benefits for Indonesia. With a large population of over 240 million people ranking 4th in the world, it is a huge asset for Indonesia. The large population produces many potential, intelligent individuals, and many are in their productive age, which is beneficial for the country. Unlike Japan, where the population is mainly elderly. Having a large population is a key factor in economic growth, with Indonesia's economy growing at around 6.7% while other economies like America, Europe, and Greece struggle with growth rates of no more than 1%. Indonesia, along with other Asian countries, is seen as the next economic superpower. Why is this happening? Because we have a strong market. Canada produces Blackberry phones and they sell like hotcakes in Indonesia. Many foreign companies are opening factories in Indonesia because of the skilled and affordable labor force, which is scarce in Europe and America. Indonesia's middle class can afford to buy the latest Japanese motorbikes, dine at franchise restaurants, do monthly shopping at Carefour, or shop for clothes at factory outlets. All of this contributes to the continuous growth of Indonesia's economy.

Indonesia also has a variety of natural resources. It has the largest natural gas reserves in the Asia-Pacific region with a volume of 222 trillion cubic feet, located in the Natuna Islands. There are also 66 trillion cubic feet of hydrocarbon gas reserves that can be mined. The Natuna Islands are also abundant in oil wells. However, it is unfortunate that a large portion of these resources is controlled by foreign companies like Exxon Mobil, Conoco Philips, and others. This is mainly due to the capital, expertise, and equipment supplied by these foreign companies, supported by favorable laws for foreign investment. Indonesia's weak oil and gas laws favor foreign companies financially rather than strategically. If the government were to prioritize strategic interests, natural resources would be controlled by the country for the prosperity of the people, as mandated by the constitution.

Indonesia "owns" the Freeport gold mine
The whole world knows that Indonesia has the third largest gold mine in the world located in the province of Papua near the highest mountain in Papua, Puncak Jaya. What kind of minerals are contained in Freeport? gold, copper, silver, There are two blocks in this mining area, Block A covering 24,700 hectares of production area and Block B covering 500,000 hectares of exploration area. For example, in 2006, Block A produced 610,800 tons of copper, 58,474,392 grams of gold, and 174,458,971 grams of silver. It can be imagined how rich Indonesia is if in one year, Indonesia's nature produces such incredible potential. However, it is regrettable that the gold mine is controlled by a subsidiary of Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc, a giant American company that produces gold and copper. All shares are owned by Freeport by 99% and Indonesia only has the remaining 1%. It is very ironic, as many foreign media outlets say it is disgusting to become rich by sacrificing local Papuan people. It is even reported that Uranium has now been found in the mining area, which violates agreements and work contracts and is considered a form of theft committed by Freeport, which has secretly mined uranium.