Sociable Earth As Dutch control expanded through the archipelago more and more land was taken from traditional leaders. In 1942 the Japanese Imperial army marched into Batavia, arresting Europeans and removing signs of Dutch rule. The Japanese were harsh masters, but also provided training and impetus for the declaration if an independent Indonesia in 1945. Almost 50,000 Indonesians were killed in the ensuing war and the UN stepped in in 1947 following a particularly bloody offensive by the Dutch. In February 1948 the Dutch broke the UN agreement and launched another full scale attack, turning global opinion. As a result it was forced to negotiate independence and the Indonesian flag was raised on 27th of December 1949. Almost 50 years later the Tsunami of 2004 ravaged 487 communities. The remarkable resilience and recovery since this natural disaster is indicative of the individual ingenuity and the communal efforts of the Indonesian people. Despite a tumultuous political history and natural disasters, Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia.
History
The predominant ethnic groups present in Indonesia today are Malays, Javanese, and Malayo-Polynesian. The religions of Hinduism and Buddhism were introduced to the islands as early as the 3rd century, through trade with China and India. It wasn’t until the eighth and ninth century, and the arrival of Muslim traders, that Islam took root among the archipelago, and reached its peak in the 15th century when the trading kingdom of Melaka embraced Islam. In the early 16th Century the Portuguese arrived, seeking to capture and dominate the valuable spice trade. Soon the Spanish, Dutch and English sent ships to the region in search of wealth, and the Dutch East India company (VOC) established a considerable presence, often through violent means. In the space of half a century the VOC went from being a trading company to a colonial master. In the 18th Century, the Dutch government took control and began its sugar and coffee cultivation (through indentured compulsory planting).