Type of government: republic
Capital: Jakarta
Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Bengkulu, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Lampung, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Timor Timur, Yogyakarta*
Independence: 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27
December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the
Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945)
Constitution: August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons
regardless of age
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Gen. (Ret.)
SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968) and Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try
SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993) were elected for five-year terms by
the People's Consultative Assembly
cabinet: Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR): elections
last held 8 June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - GOLKAR
68%, PPP 17%, PDI 15%; seats - (500 total, 400 elected, 100 military
representatives appointed) GOLKAR 282, PPP 62, PDI 56
note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
Rakyat or MPR) includes the DPR plus 500 indirectly elected members
who meet every five years to elect the president and vice president
and, theoretically, to determine national policy