and
offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand.

Industries: based on exploitation of natural resources, particularly
fish, minerals, oil and gas, fishing, sand and gravel

@Indian Ocean:Transportation

Ports: Bombay (India), Calcutta (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
(South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Madras (India), Melbourne
(Australia), Richard's Bay (South Africa)

@Indian Ocean:Communications

Telephone system:
international: submarine cables from India to United Arab Emirates and
Malaysia, and from Sri Lanka to Djibouti and Indonesia

________________________________________________________________________

INDONESIA

@Indonesia:Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and
the Pacific Ocean

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area:
total area: 1,919,440 sq km
land area: 1,826,440 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total 2,602 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea
820 km

Coastline: 54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor
Province) disputed with Portugal and not recognized by the UN; two
islands in dispute with Malaysia

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
mountains

Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber,
bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 3%
meadows and pastures: 7%
forest and woodland: 67%
other: 15%

Irrigated land: 75,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes,
sewage; air pollution in urban areas
natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, and tsunamis
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Marine Life
Conservation, Tropical Timber 94

Note: archipelago of 13,500 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles
Equator; strategic location ast