Hindia Belanda

The Commonwealth of Hindia Belanda Persemakmuran Hindia Belanda Gemenebest Nederlands Indië
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Saya Pertahankan (Indonesian: I will uphold)
Capital and largest city	Jakarta
Official languages	Dutch, Indonesian and English
Recognised national languages	Various
Demonym(s)	Hindia Belandan, Indesvolker
Government	Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
• Monarch	Anne Charlotte of Hindia Belanda
• Governor-General	Maryam Rahmadisoerja
• Prime Minister	Antje Moeljani
Legislature	Staten-Generaal
• Upper house	Dewan Bangsawan
• Lower house	Dewan Deputi
Independence  from the Kingdom of Noordenstaat
• Colonial charter	3 February 1800
• Independence	12 August 1929
Population
• 2017 estimate	121,236,822
Gini (2016)	29.8 low
HDI (2017)	0.923 very high
Currency	Roepiah (HBR)
Time zone	UTC +7
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+31
Internet TLD	.hb

Hindia Belanda (Dutch: Netherlands-Indië, Indonesian: Hindia Belanda), officially the Commonwealth of Hindia Belanda, is an archipelagic country in Southern Sythith. It is (possibly?) the most populous country in the continent of Sythith. The national government and parliament are seated in Jakarta, the country's capital, largest city and main economic centre. The country consists of some 6,000 islands encompassing Java, Madura, Senjani, parts of Papua, parts of Sumatra, a small section of the Malay Peninsula and several other smaller islands and islets. The country occupies the entire Nusantara archipelago and shares a land border with Maqtajer in the northeast.

Inhabited by the seafaring Austronesian People for over 30,000 years, the Nusantara archipelago which constitutes modern-day Hindia Belanda saw the development of tribes into petty kingdoms, principalities and the Anjani Empire along with its tributary states. The archipelago has been one of the most important trade regions since the 7th century, when animist kingdoms began to trade with outside powers. Islam was introduced to Hindia Belanda by Shia Traders and partisans of the Shia Imams in the 10th century. It was not until the early 16th century that the archipelago started to experience foreign colonialism with the arrival of the Empire of Exponent on the island of Senjani and the establishment of their trading posts and forts. The Empire of Exponent brought Roman Catholicism to Hindia Belanda, although their presence being limited to small trading posts, forts and monasteries meant that their hold on these islands began to weaken with the arrival of the Noordenstaater Trading Company, which brought with them Protestantism.

Colonial Hindia Belanda was formed following the dissolution of the Noordenstaater Trading Company, when territories previously held by the trading company were nationalised and made part of a new crown colony. In 1927, native intellectuals began to demand full autonomy in a period known as the Struggle for Autonomy. During the struggle, the colonial society was polarised into two opposing factions: the Republicans, who demanded that Hindia Belanda became independent as a republic, and the Autonomists, who desired that the colony be given full independence whilst sharing the same monarchy. The movement was led by Soekarna, a republican b. Soekarna later became the first prime minister of Hindia Belanda. A war of independence nearly broke after continuous clashes between the two factions but was soon prevented by the signing of an emergency Royal Decree in 1928, issued by Queen TBD nik pls give me a name under heavy pressure from Autonomists and some Noordenstaater politicians. The decree became the blueprint for the Charter for the Commonwealth of Hindia Belanda, signed on 12 August 1929, a date which became Commonwealth Day. The Charter established the Commonwealth in its current form and is the basic guiding principle of national life. As a result of historical, political and cultural ties with Noordenstaat, Hindia Belanda enjoys close relations with the Lorecian Community.

Hindia Belandans generally enjoy a high standard of living and the country performs well in many comparisons of national performance, especially in education, healthcare, social welfare, civil liberties, prosperity and human development. A majority of Hindia Belandans are Muslims, followed by Christians and other religious communities. The government itself remains secular and does not concern itself with the religious life of its citizens. The Hindia Belandan currency is the Roepiah.

History

Main article: History of Hindia Belanda

Prehistory

Main article: Prehistoric Hindia Belanda

Megalithic cultures in Nias Island persisted until at least the 1920s. Pictured is the Darodaro people moving a megalith, circa 1915.

Human migration study conducted by various Hindia Belandan and foreign universities proved that Homo sapiens reached the archipelago by around 45,000 years ago, yet earlier modern hominids such as Homo erectus have settled most of the islands between 1.6 million to 1 million year ago and had gone extinct shortly after the arrival of Homo sapiens. Whilst the Hindia Belandan archipelago reached its present form in the pleistocene period, some parts of Sundaland remained connected to the Sythithian mainland which facilitated the migration of animals and hominids. The shallow Arafura sea also made human migration to Australia possible.

At the end of the last ice age 10,000 years ago, the surrounding land bridges became submerged as sea level rose creating the Java Sea, Malacca Strait and the South China Sea. It is at this period that civilisations in the Australasian region became isolated and contacts between one another dramatically decreased due to the changing geology of the region.

The earliest evidence of a human settlement in what is now Hindia Belanda was found in the foothills of Mount Senjani, Java in 1989. The artefacts, consisting several stone tools, clay potteries and daily utensils, were carbon-dated to at least 700 BCE. The excavation effort which was led by Raden Poerasedja who, at the time, presided over the Royal University of Jakarta as Chancellor, brought to light the previously missing link between largely nomadic cultures that dominated much of Java in the 8th century BCE to fully-fledged societies with permanent settlements that existed in the 2nd century CE.

It is difficult, however, to define the beginning of historic periods in Hindia Belanda as various cultures across the archipelago developed at a different rate. Most historians accept that one of the first cultures to have began their historic periods were mostly situated on the islands of Java and parts of eastern Borneo. Writing script was still unknown to some cultures which settled in the interiors of remote islands within the archipelago, whilst at the same time civilisations began to flourish in other parts of Hindia Belanda, with the advent of the Sundanese Salakanegaran Kingdom in circa 130 CE marking the start of historically recorded civilisation in the archipelago. Historians now accept that civilisation in what is now Hindia Belanda developed slowly but at a steady pace from 700 BCE until around 290 CE when petty animistic kingdoms started to make their appearance in Java and Sumatra, replacing nomadic cultures that had grown into villages and hamlets with complex societies.

Whilst most primitive tribes in Hindia Belanda that resisted outside influence have slowly embraced modern way of life, remnants of megalithic traditions can still be found today in parts of Nias island in the form of ceremonies and rituals. Some primitive societies still exist in small number, scattered across the archipelago and often situated in remote reaches of the island. These societies are protected by Hindia Belandan law from forcible relocation.

Politics

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Hindia Belanda

Sub-national monarchies

Under an arrangement reached between the Noordenstaater crown and the traditional monarchies that ruled the various states and petty kingdoms in Hindia Belanda, each native royal house was to be given five permanent seats in the newly-established Staten-Generaal of Hindia Belanda, which is the direct successor of the Raad van Indië. Native royal houses also enjoy immediacy over the ceremonial governance of their respective territories. Most public petitions started by a resident of a traditional territory over which a native royal house is considered to be its traditional ruler must be addressed to the same native royal house in the Dewan Bangsawan, instead of to its MP in the Dewan Deputi.

Economy

Hindia Belanda has a mixed economy, with both the private and public sector playing a significant role. It is considered a prosperous capitalist welfare state and social democracy with certain key economic sectors owned and managed by the state. The country enjoys great wealth and ranks among the world’s wealthiest countries. Healthcare is universal in Hindia Belanda and citizens over the age of 16 pay an annual flat charge of 384 Roepiahs. Parents, regardless of gender, enjoy 45 weeks of paid parental leave. The industrial sector is the largest contributor to Hindia Belanda's economy, followed by services and agriculture. Private sector is greatly encouraged, though also heavily controlled by strict regulations to eliminate monopolies. The country has extensive natural resources including crude oil, gas, gold, copper and diamond. Hindia Belanda is the second largest palm oil exporter, after the Republic of Malaya. Hindia Belanda is home to numerous multinational companies, the largest of them in terms of revenue are Halvestör, Indischefood, Pengasingan Financial, Varnadin Pharmaceuticals, Mercuria HB and the Des Indes Group. Some other notable companies include Air Nederlands-Indië, Nusantara Armaments and Bali Confectionaries.

Historically, Hindia Belanda has been a large producer of various agricultural products. Vast and fertile lands, together with progressive agricultural policies and the occasional protectionism have contributed to the success of Hindia Belanda as one of the world's leading agricultural producer. Rice, tea, tobacco, nutmeg, cinnamon and various other staple and cash crops are among the nation's agricultural exports. Its winemaking industry, introduced in the 1820s during the early years of the colony, is Southeast Asia's largest, second only to neighbouring Australia's winemaking industry and on a par with South Africa.

Tourism is a lucrative industry in the Commonwealth. Annually, the country sees over 23 million tourists of which at least 3 million stay for more than a month. Among the country's top destinations is Bali, whose provincial capital Denpasar and its neighbouring resort town of Bandar Kunti host at least 58,000 foreign tourists at any given day.

Taxation

The tax rate in Hindia Belanda changes on a yearly basis. Income tax is tiered and divided to several brackets according to one's income. The authority of the State to levy taxes is temporary and must be renewed annually. When the people are convinced that the tax rate exceeds by a great amount the national expenditures, a recalibration of the tax rate must be conducted.

Demographics

In 2015, population reached 121 million people and has been rising at a slow but steady rate ever since. The government-sponsored family planning programme launched in 1997 had successfully slowed the population increase, thanks in part to the distribution of free contraceptions to remote communities. It was surveyed in 2013 that Hindia Belandans living in urban areas are more disinclined to have more than two children. This contributed significantly to the overall slowing of population growth in the Commonwealth. Resident foreigners make up 2.6 million of the total population. Of these, about 51% come from the European Union, particularly from the Netherlands and the rest of the Low Countries. The other 39% come from the ASEAN area while the remaining 10% come from other parts of the world.

Ethnic groups

Hindia Belanda is a very ethnically diverse country; 180 different ethnic groups speaking hundreds of different languages and dialect call the country home. 81% of its population are considered ethnically native, while the rest are ethnically foreign. Javanese people make up the largest ethnic group in the country, while ethnic Malays and Sundanese are the two largest non-Javanese groups. Europeans, especially Dutch, comprise the country's largest ethnically foreign group, followed by Chinese and Arabs. Interracial marriage between Europeans and the native is commonplace.

Language

Hindia Belanda has three official languages: Dutch, Indonesian and English – about 89% of Hindia Belandans are fluent in all three. The country boasts over 500 languages spoken across the archipelago and for this reason, most Hindia Belandans are remarkably quadrilingual. Dutch and Indonesian are used interchangeably in everyday conversations while English is spoken on a lesser frequency. It is mandated by law for the Commonwealth government to communicate in all three official languages. Provincial authorities and communes have the freedom to communicate in their respective vernacular, with the caveat that they must provide a translation in the three official languages of Hindia Belanda.

The Dutch spoken in Hindia Belanda has slightly diverged from the standard Dutch spoken in mainland Netherlands. Many Malay words have been absorbed into the Hindia Belandan Standard Dutch, replacing their original.

Languages most spoken at home are the languages of whatever ethnic origins the family in question has. A family of mostly Dutch ethnicity would speak Dutch. The same goes to a family of other ethnicities. This is not always the case, however, as the country has been seeing increased use of the Indonesian language among all Hindia Belandans of every ethnicities, even at home. This is often due to the fact that the Hindia Belandan entertainment industry favours the use of the Indonesian language. All popular TV shows in Hindia Belanda are in the Indonesian language.

Religion

Main articles: Religion in Hindia Belanda, Twelver Shia Islam in Hindia Belanda, Islam in Hindia Belanda, Church of Hindia Belanda, Buddhism in Hindia Belanda, Judaism in Hindia Belanda, Balinese Hinduism in Hindia Belanda

Hindia Belanda is a secular state and, consequently, has no official state religion. Religion generally does not play a central role in the public life of Hindia Belandans. Most Hindia Belandans are Muslims, the largest group of which is Islam with 46% of the overall population, followed by Christianity with 37%, Buddhism with 3%, Judaism with 2 % and Hinduism with 1% of the total population.

Islam is further divided into groups, with the largest being Twelver Shia Islam with 32%, Sunni Islam with 12%, Sufism with 2% and Ibadi Islam with 1%.

Christianity is divided into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands East Indies with 30% and Roman Catholicism with 7%.

11% of the total population are non-religious – they are either agnostic or atheistic. This number has been on a steady rise for several years.

Education

Education in Hindia Belanda is mandatory for children between age 6 and age 18. It is divided over schools for different age groups, some of which are further divided into multiple streams for different educational needs. Primary education starts at age 6, although many children generally undertake one to two years of Kindergarten before entering primary school. Some legislators have recommended the government to implement a K-12 system similar to the United States and neighbouring Republic of Natuna, but the plan never achieved enough support in the Dewan Bangsawan (upper chamber of the Hindia Belandan parliament) Schools in Hindia Belanda are divided into public, religious-oriented and private schools – religious schools do not receive state funding. The school year runs from early September to mid July. Homeschooling exists within the Commonwealth, although the system is closely supervised by the government and follows very strict rules. Not every children is entitled to homeschooling as it is only granted for children with extreme needs such as those suffering from a disease or when attending a normal school would otherwise endanger their own safety. Children aged 6 to 18 must attend a school, whether public or private.

The country implements a National Core curriculum, which is taught in every public school. In Kindergarten, each individual school is allowed to implement their own teaching method, granted that it must follow the general goal of developing children to become responsible citizens, confident individuals, creative contributors and ardent learners.

Primary education

In lower elementary (Year 1 -3), the National Core curriculum includes the subjects of Indonesian Malay, Dutch, English, mathematics, geography, natural sciences, history, basic civics, arts, music and sports with increasing complexity as the student advances from one year to another.

In upper elementary (Year 4 -6), students begin to learn drama, epistemology and an elective course on a foreign language, in addition to the subjects that they have started from Year 1. Starting from Year 5, children studying at public schools also learn ‘Worldview Religion’ and ethics where they are exposed to the world’s major religions, their general belief system and rituals from a neutral and theoretical point of view. While the concept of Creationism is taught from a neutral point of view, public schools emphasise their teaching on the theory of Evolution. The subject of ethics sometimes do overlap with epistemology and the study of both subjects is often combined at some schools.

Secondary education

Upon completing elementary school, students are given the option to pick from three types of secondary school based on their educational need and future plan. The three types of secondary public schools are Practical School (PS), Advanced Vocational School (AVS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS or 3S).

Practical Schools combine vocational training with a small share of theoretical education; it is aimed for students who want to enter the job market directly upon graduation. PS graduates cannot apply for university directly and must attend additional six months of education at an Advanced Vocational School, before becoming eligible for an undergraduate course at a university.

Urbanisation

Hindia Belanda is comparatively more urbanised than neighbouring countries. 3 out of 5 Hindia Belandans live in urban areas. The Commonwealth has gone from a largely rural country to an urban one in just 50 years. Despite the aggressive urbanisation efforts, urban sprawls generally do not affect and alter Hindia Belandan landscape. Cities in Hindia Belanda form a dense network where large cities are often interconnected by a series of medium and small cities. Vegetation is abundant within cities and the country is generally considered to have one of the cleanest airs in the world. In recent years, however, there are growing concerns about land use in Hindia Belanda among environmentalists.

The metropolitan areas of Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Denpasar, Bandar Kunti and Jayapura are recognised for their great quality of life. Urbanisation has, in part, affected living cost in these areas which has risen significantly in the past two decades.