Indonesia

from Indonesia Oceanic Cetacean Program



Indonesia's 17,000 islands make up by far the largest and most varied archipelago on Earth and span over 5000 equatorial kilometres between Asia and Australia. Its total coastline extends over 80.000 km - close to one third of the Earth's circumreference at the equator! So it is with good reason that Indonesians think of their country as 'Tanah air kita' - Our land and water.

The Indonesian Archipelago consists of some of the largest islands in the world which rise up from deep oceanic trenches. Some contain dense jungle slopes and huge mountains - capped with ice and snow, despite their tropical coastlines!
Indonesian islands names conjure up images of exotic and unknown South East Asia destinations: Bali, Borneo and Komodo; Lombok and New Guinea; the Spice Islands of Halmahera, Sumatra and Sulawesi, also formerly known as Celebes. From freezing glaciers to coral reefs, the sheer diversity of island scenes and life defies the imagination.

"Some Indonesian islands contain dense jungle slopes and huge mountains - capped with ice and snow, despite their tropical coastlines!"

The enormous number of Indonesia's islands and their location in a tropical, equatorial climate has produced an unrivalled diversity of plant and animal life. With only 1% of the world's land area, Indonesia is home to over 10% of all mammal species, and 17 % of all birds. Indonesia is over 80% water. For marine creatures it is a vast melting pot, at the influence of both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The mingling of life from these two great oceans around thousands of islands has created the greatest diversity of marine life on Earth.

The ocean currents here are rich in nutrients. They're responsible for the world's most colourful and diverse coral reefs. So vast is the archipelago that some of the best reefs are barely known. There are over 500 species of coral, and 3000 species of fish as well as 30 species of whales and dolphins. The Sulawesi Sea is a highway for sperm whales, oceanic dolphins and other large marine life such as sea turtles and manta rays.


"For marine creatures Indonesia is a vast melting pot, at the influence of both the Pacific and Indian Oceans"

Indonesia is also the world's fourth largest country and home to a population of 195 million people - mainly moderate Muslim with substantial Christian, Hindu and Buddist minorities. Indigenous tribes still exist in the remote reaches of Indonesia, from Kalimantan to Irian Jaya. (Map of Reseach Areas).

This expanding population is largely dependent of the ocean's health for its own well being. The combination of huge population pressures on rich, productive marine resources illustates the need and urgency for sustainable, minimum impact practices amonst all nature-based industries operating in Indonesia.