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Indonesia lies in Southeast Asia and is made up of more than 13,660 islands. Along the length of the island chain are volcanic mountains, dense jungles, and beaches of black sand, mountain lakes, waterfalls and rivers.
The country became independent in 1949, after 350 years of Dutch colonial rule. Bahasa Indonesian is the official language, and it is estimated that there are over 336 distinct ethnic groups, each with their own languages and dialects. More than half the population works in agriculture.
The financial crisis that hit Indonesia in the late 1990s sharply increased the proportion of the population living in poverty: in 1997 the government estimated this to be 50% of the population, compared to 18% the previous year. The country has a huge foreign debt and the government struggles to make much-needed investments in health, education, infrastructure and economic development.
Some of the reasons why Plan works in Indonesia
- 28% of children under five are underweight due to poor nutrition
- Half of all children do not attend secondary school
- 1.4 million people, mainly women and children, have been displaced by conflict and violence
- 22% of the population does not have access to adequate drinking water
- Almost half the rural population does not have access to adequate sanitation facilities
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