Government System

Indonesia was once ruled by Suharto, the second president of the country, for thirty-two years. Strict control over the islands made this an authoritorian country. However, they are currently a republic and working towards becoming a democracy. The presidents now have five year terms. The government is described as "presidential with parlimentary characteristics." They have executive, judicial, and legislative branches that work similarly to the United States government. The civil law system is based on the Roman-Dutch law system.

The national anthem - Indonesia Raya - was created back in 1928 during the Dutch Colonial time period. The man who wrote it is Wage Rudolf Soepratman who simply wanted unity for the country. It did not become the national anthem until 1949, four years after independence was gained. The national bird, Garuda Pancasila, which is only a mythical bird, is the base of the emblem of Indonesia. It has a shield with five symbols on it and an open scroll being held between his feet. The flag of Indonesia is a simple two rectangles; one of red and one of white. The red half stands for the country's courage and the white half represents their purity. The government hopes to acheive a sense of unity and pride in their nation.

Picture: The Garuda Pancasila, the national bird of Indonesia

http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/id).html

http://www.national-anthems.org/history.php