Indonesia - Geography, History, and More

Indonesia - Geography, History, and More Population: 240,271,522 (July 2009 estimate)Capital: JakartaMajor Cities: Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, SemarangArea: 735,358 square miles (1,904,569 sq km)Bordering Countries: Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Papua New GuineaCoastline: 33,998 miles (54,716 km)Highest Point: Puncak Jaya at 16,502 feet (5,030 m)Indonesia is the worlds largest archipelago with 13,677 islands (6,000 of which are inhabited). Indonesia has a long history of political and economic instability and has only recently begun to grow more secure in those areas. Today Indonesia is a growing tourist hotspot because of its tropical landscape in places such as Bali.Indonesias HistoryIndonesia has a long history that began with organized civilizations on the islands of Java and Sumatra. From the 7th to the 14th century, Srivijaya, a Buddhist Kingdom grew on Sumatra and at its peak it spread from West Java to the Malay Peninsula. By the 14th century, eastern Java saw the rise of the Hindu Kingdom Majapahit and its chief minister fr om 1331 to 1364, Gadjah Mada, was able to gain control of much of what is present-day Indonesia. Islam however, arrived in Indonesia in the 12th century and by the end of the 16th century, it replaced Hinduisim as the dominant religion in Java and Sumatra.In the early 1600s, the Dutch began growing large settlements on Indonesias islands and by 1602, they were in control of much of the country (except East Timor which belonged to Portugal). The Dutch then ruled Indonesia for 300 years as the Netherlands East Indies.By the early 20th century, Indonesia began a movement for independence which grew particularly large between World Wars I and II and Japan occupied Indonesia during WWII. Following Japans surrender to the Allies during the war though, a small group of Indonesians proclaimed independence for Indonesia. On August 17, 1945 this group established the Republic of Indonesia.In 1949, the new Republic of Indonesia adopted a constitution that established a parliamentary system of government. It was unsuccessful though because the executive branch of Indonesias government was to be chosen by parliament itself which was divided among various political parties. In the years following its independence, Indonesia struggled to govern itself and there were several unsuccessful rebellions beginning in 1958. In 1959, President Soekarno re-established a provisional constitution that had been written in 1945 to provide broad presidential powers and take power from the parliament. This act led to an authoritarian government termed Guided Democracy from 1959 to 1965.In the late 1960s, President Soekarno transferred his political power to General Suharto who eventually became Indonesias president in 1967. The new President Suharto established what he called the New Order to rehabilitate Indonesias economy. President Suharto controlled the country until he resigned in 1998 after years of continued civil unrest.Indonesias third president, President Habibie, then took power in 1999 and began rehabilitating Indonesias economy and restructuring the government. Since then, Indonesia has held several successful elections, its economy is growing and the count ry is becoming more stable. Government of IndonesiaToday, Indonesia is a republic with a single legislative body that is made up of the House of Representatives. The House is split into an upper body, called the Peoples Consultative Assembly, and lower bodies called the Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat and the House of Regional Representatives. The executive branch is comprised of the chief of state and the head of government- both of which are filled by the president.Indonesia is divided into 30 provinces, two special regions and one special capital city.Economics and Land Use in IndonesiaIndonesias economy is centered on agriculture and industry. The main agricultural products of Indonesia are rice, cassava, peanuts, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra, poultry, beef, pork and eggs. Indonesias largest industrial products include petroleum and natural gas, plywood, rubber, textiles and cement. Tourism is also a growing sector of Indonesias economy.Geography and Climate of IndonesiaThe topography of Indonesias islands varies but it consists mainly of coastal lowlands. Some of Indonesias larger islands (Sumatra and Java for example) have large interior mountains. Because the 13,677 islands that make up Indonesia are located on the two continental shelves, many of these mountains are volcanic and there are several crater lakes on the islands. Java for example has 50 active volcanoes.Because of its location, natural disasters, especially earthquakes, are common in Indonesia. On December 26, 2004 for example, a 9.1 to 9.3 magnitude earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean which triggered a large tsunami that devastated many Indonesian islands (images).Indonesias climate is tropical with hot and humid weather in lower elevations. In the highlands of Indonesias islands, temperatures are more moderate. Indonesia also has a wet season that lasts from December to March.Indonesia Facts Indonesia is the worlds fourth most populous country (behind China, India and the United States)Indonesia is the worlds largest Muslim countryLife expectancy in Indonesia is 69.6 yearsBahasa Indonesia is the countrys official language but English, Dutch and other native languages are spoken as well To learn more about Indonesia visit the Geography and maps section of this website. References Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, March 5). CIA - The World Factbook Indonesia. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html Infoplease. (n.d.). Indonesia: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com. Retrieved from infoplease.com/ipa/A0107634.html United States Department of State. (2010, January). Indonesia (01/10). Retrieved from state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2748.htm

College Recommendation Letter Dos and Donts

College Recommendation Letter Dos and Donts Recommendation letters  provide college  admission committees  with information that may or may not be found in your application, including academic and  work achievements,  character references, and personal details that set you apart from other applicants. Essentially, a recommendation letter is a  personal reference  that explains why the school should recognize you, your achievements, and your character. Good vs. Bad Recommendation Letters A good recommendation letter is a must for any school application. During admissions, most colleges and universities- whether theyre reviewing the applications of undergraduate or graduate students- expect to see at least one, and often two or three, recommendation letters for each applicant. Just as a  good recommendation letter  can be an asset, a  bad recommendation letter  can be a hindrance. Bad letters dont do anything to supplement your application, and they may even make the difference between a well-rounded application and one that doesnt quite stand out among the droves of people who are applying to the same school. Recommendation Letter Dos Here are some dos to keep in mind when securing your recommendation letters: Do choose someone who likes you and knows you well enough to write you a strong recommendation.Do get recommendations from employers, professors, school administrators, and anyone else who is familiar with your work ethic.Do ask for the recommendation in person rather than sending an email (unless this is not possible).Do tell the letter writer why you need the recommendation letter. You dont want to end up with a work reference rather than an academic reference.Do mention specific things that you would like to see included. If you want the letter to focus on your extensive leadership experience, you should say so.Do proofread the letter; you dont want to submit a reference that is riddled with spelling or punctuation errors.  Do send a thank you note afterward. This is a nice, thoughtful, and classy touch and will be remembered by your recommender.Do keep multiple copies of the letter. You may need to use it again in the future, and you dont want to rely on your recommender to kee p a copy. Recommendation Letter Donts There are also some big mistakes you should try to avoid when securing your recommendation letters: Dont wait until the last minute. It takes time for a recommender to craft a strong letter.  Secure letters of recommendation as soon as possible.Dont ask someone to lie; you should aim for a truthful reference.Dont ever forge signatures. Your recommendation letter must be genuine.Dont choose someone only because of their title. Its more important to pick a recommender who knows you and your work well.Dont choose someone who is a poor writer. Letter writing is a lost art; not everyone is good at expressing themselves in the written word.Dont hesitate to get as many recommendation letters as possible. Choose the ones that show you in the best light.Dont be surprised if the person you are asking for a recommendation letter asks you to write a letter that they will later modify and sign. This is a common practice.Dont forget to say please and thank you. No one is entitled to a letter of recommendation; if you receive one, you should be grateful.