Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/861257
— I n d o n e s i a — – 17 – www.paradises.com The size of Indonesia is overwhelming and offers visitors a very individual experience. Whether you are shopping, visiting temples, enjoying the beaches and resorts in Bali, or venturing further to discover remote villages or the jungles of Borneo and Papua, visitors are sure to be amazed by Indonesia's diversity. Capital and major centres As the nation's centre of government, business and industry, the capital Jakarta is a modern society that reflects recent decades of remarkable economic growth. The megacity has a population of 10 million and is surrounded by the metropolitan area, Jabotabek, with a population of around 28 million. The island of Bali, a tropical paradise and tourism hot spot, lies off the eastern tip of Java. A rich culture, beautiful landscapes, coastline and rural villages keep visitors returning in droves. The islands of Lombok, Sumba, Flores and others form a chain all the way to the easternmost province, Papua. Sumatra, the world's sixth largest island, is located to the west of Jakarta. The equator divides it in two just north of Bukittinggi. The scenery in Sumatra is amazing, offering incredible mountains, rivers and almost 100 volcanoes, 15 of which are active. Kalimantan, the southern two-thirds of the island of Borneo, was once, and still is for the most part, a vast, jungle-covered wilderness. Boats and ferries are the main modes of transport, and the native Dayak tribe is a main attraction. The highland region of Sulawesi offers national parks, and a festive culture that includes the famed funeral festivals of Tana Toraja on the southwestern peninsula. Further east still, in the islands of Maluku previously known as the Moluccas, lie the fabled Spice Islands. Many of these areas are just a two-hour flight from Jakarta, and an extensive and convenient network of air services connects the major cities and towns. The people The fourth most populous nation in the world, Indonesia's estimated 257 million people speak more than 500 different languages and dialects, and range from city dwellers to sea gypsies. Sixty percent of the people inhabit a mere seven percent of Indonesia's land area on the island of Java, while most of the archipelago remains unexplored. Nature Indonesia has one of the world's richest natural environments, offering an incredible diversity of animal and plant life. While a number of species of fauna are familiar to both Asia and Australia, there are many indigenous species in Indonesia such as the orangutan apes of Sumatra and Kalimantan, the giant Komodo dragons, the only ones of their kind in the world still roaming free, the one-horned rhinoceros of Java, the wild banteng oxen, tigers, and many other species now protected in wildlife reserves. I N D O N E S I A