About Indonesia

Spread across a chain of thousands of islands between Asia and Australia, Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago and has the largest Muslim population. It is bordered by Malaysia (on Borneo), Papua New Guinea (on the island of New Guinea), Timor-Leste (East Timor) on the island of Timor. Indonesia shares maritime borders with Australia, India, Palau, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.   

The country consists of numerous islands—between 13,000 and more than 17,000—depending on what you define as an island. The largest islands are Sumatra, Java (with more than half of the country's population), Borneo (known as "Kalimantan" in Indonesia), Sulawesi, and New Guinea.  

Ethnically, Indonesia is highly diverse with more than 300 local languages. Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is the national language. It evolved from a literary style of Malay language that was used in the royal houses of the Riau-Jambi area of eastern Sumatra, but it also has much in common with other Malay dialects that have long served as regional lingua francas. 

Malang is one of the most scenic and picturesque towns in East Java. According to a 2013 census, 836,373 people reside within the city bounds. Located between two massive mountain ranges, Malang offers a cool, comfortable climate, and many historic temples and monuments are located within a short drive. Mount Semeru is the highest mountain in East Java while Mount Bromo (Gunung Bromo), an active volcano and major tourist attraction, lies to the east of the city.  

The city has a pleasant mild climate with a temperature range of 20-29°C (64-85°F). It offers an interesting diversity of educational opportunities within a rich historical and cultural heritage. Malang is also known as a university city, as it has a strong reputation throughout Indonesia as a center for higher education and learning. There are about 80 higher education institutions (universities and colleges) located in the city.