Explore+Bali+(Book+3)

**Facts about Bali (Courtesy of the U.S. Department of State and the CIA )  ** Indonesia is an independent republic consisting of more than 17,500 islands spread over 3,400 miles along the Equator. The main islands are Java, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan (Borneo), Sulawesi (Celebes), Papua, Halmahera, and Seram. The capital city of Jakarta lies in the lowlands of West Java, the most populated island. The country has approximately 246,000,000 people and more than 300 ethnic groups.

Indonesia’s geographic location and topography make the country prone to natural disasters, especially seismic upheaval due to its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. Indonesia is a developing country with a growing economy and infrastructure shortcomings. Half of the population lives on under U.S. $2 per day. However, it has many tourist destinations associated with the country’s cultural diversity and natural resources.

Indonesia is now the world's third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and home to the world's largest Muslim population.