Indonesia, an enchanting archipelago in Southeast Asia, is a nation of remarkable diversity and cultural richness. With over 17,000 islands, it is the world’s largest island country, renowned for its natural beauty, vibrant traditions, and profound cultural heritage. With over 270 million people, it is the fourth most populous country globally, presenting a fascinating tapestry of ethnicities, languages, and customs. This blog delves into some intriguing aspects of Indonesia, highlighting its linguistic diversity, ethnic mosaic, indigenous scripts, and the generous spirit of its people.
Indonesian Language (Bahasa Indonesia)
Indonesia is the second most linguistically diverse country in the world, with over 700 regional languages spoken. This linguistic richness was globally recognized when NASA launched a satellite in 1977 carrying a golden record with greetings in 55 languages, including Indonesian. On November 20, 2023, Indonesian was recognized as an official UNESCO language, making it the 10th language to receive such acknowledgment. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) promotes a multilingual internet, crucial for countries like Indonesia, where Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) and Universal Acceptance (UA) ensure global accessibility.
Ethnic Diversity
According to 2010 data from Statistics Indonesia, the country is home to over 1,340 ethnic groups. The Javanese are the largest ethnic group, followed by Sudanese, Malay, Batak and Madurese. However, the nation’s beauty lies in its mosaic of distinct cultures and communities.
Indigenous Scripts
Indonesia’s literary and cultural heritage is preserved through its 12 traditional scripts: Javanese, Balinese, Old Sundanese, Bugis (Lontara), Rejang, Lampung, Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, Mandailing, and Kerinci (Rencong or Incung). Pengelola Nama Domain Internet Indonesia (PANDI) collaborates with UNESCO and over 30 cultural institutions to standardize and digitally promote these scripts. They have organized over 40 activities to promote these scripts and worked with the National Standardization Agency (BSN) to establish SNI FONT and KEYBOARD standards. PANDI has improved the status of Indonesian scripts in UNICODE from Limited Use to Recommended and is developing a Label Generation Rules (LGR) proposal for the second-level domain (SLD).
World’s Most Generous Country
For six consecutive years, Indonesia has topped the World Giving Index (WGI) released by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). In 2023, Indonesia scored 68 points, reaffirming its position as the world’s most generous nation. This recognition highlights the spirit of generosity and community deeply embedded in Indonesian culture.
Indonesia’s rich linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity, along with its commitment to preserving heritage and promoting inclusivity, makes it a truly unique and inspiring nation. We hope you’ll find time after the APAC DNS Forum to explore this beautiful country.