Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia)

Indonesia Republic of Indonesia
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	101st best
Capital	Jakarta
Land Area	1 811 570km21
Location	Asia
Population	267.7m2
Life Expectancy	67.57yrs (2017)3
GNI	$11 466 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	ID, IDN, 3605
Internet Domain	.id6
Currency	Rupiah (IDR)7
Telephone	+628

1. Overview
2. Indonesia National and Social Development
3. Indonesia's Demographics and Migration
4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Indonesia's Health
   1. Health Datasets
   2. Children's Health Datasets
6. Indonesia's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Indonesia's Modernity and Learning
   1. Modernity Datasets
   2. Education Datasets
   3. Technology and Information Datasets
8. Indonesia's Culture, Peace and Inequality
   1. National Culture Datasets
   2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets
   3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#australia #germany #indonesia #islam #japan #malaysia #netherlands #papua_new_guinea #UK

“The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence shortly before Japan's surrender, but it required four years of sometimes brutal fighting, intermittent negotiations, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. A period of sometimes unruly parliamentary democracy ended in 1957 when President SOEKARNO declared martial law and instituted "Guided Democracy." After an abortive coup in 1965 by alleged Communist sympathizers, SOEKARNO was removed from power. From 1966 until 1988, President SUHARTO ruled Indonesia with his "New Order" Government. After rioting toppled Suharto in 1998, free and fair legislative elections took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's third most populous democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and the world's largest Muslim-majority nation. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms, stemming corruption, reforming the criminal justice system, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, addressing climate change, and controlling infectious diseases, particularly those of global and regional importance. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in Aceh in December 2006.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

Indonesia owns half of the large island, New Guinea.

The island of New Guinea is divided almost equally into two halves. The Eatern half is called Papua New Guinea, which has been an independent state since 1975, before which it was owned by Australia, Germany and the UK. The Western half is part of Indonesia. Humans have lived on the island of New Guinea for 40,000 years, whereupon they started cultivating and exploiting plants like yams and taro₁₀. "Indonesia continues to face low intensity armed resistance in Papua by the separatist Free Papua Movement"₉.

“From the western tip of Sumatra to the eastern edge of Papua, Indonesia offers endless exploration and infinite diversity. This unique land may well be the last great adventure on Earth. Indonesia defines adventure: the only limitation is how many of its 17,000 islands you can reach before your visa expires. Following the equator, Indonesia stretches between Malaysia and Australia in one long intoxicating sweep. The nation´s natural diversity is staggering, alluring and inspiring, from the snow-capped peaks in Papua, sandalwood forests in Sumba, dense jungle in Borneo and impossibly green rice paddies in Bali and Java. Indonesian reefs are a diver´s fantasy while the surf breaks above are the best anywhere.

But even as the diversity on land and sea run like a traveller´s fantasy playlist, it´s the mash-up of people and cultures that´s the most appealing. Bali justifiably leads off, but there are also Papua´s stone-age folk, the many cultures of Flores, the artisans of Java, mall-rats of Jakarta and much more. Whether it´s a dreamy remote beach, an orang-utan encounter or a Bali all-nighter, Indonesia scores.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₁

2. Indonesia National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better Value12
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
111	Samoa	0.707
112=	Gabon	0.706
112=	Lebanon	0.706
114	Indonesia	0.705
115	Vietnam	0.703
116	Philippines	0.699
117	Botswana	0.693
118=	Bolivia	0.692
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $12
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
101	St Vincent & Grenadines	$11 961
102	Egypt	$11 732
103	Dominica	$11 488
104	Indonesia	$11 466
105	Algeria	$10 800
106	Mongolia	$10 588
107	Ecuador	$10 312
108	Tunisia	$10 258
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index13
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank13
1	Denmark	27.2
2	Norway	29.2
3	Sweden	30.2
	...
98	Bahrain	89.7
99	Bolivia	89.8
100	Grenada	90.0
101	Indonesia	90.2
102	S. Africa	90.3
103	Qatar	90.7
104	Jordan	91.1
105	Paraguay	91.3
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	89.2
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Indonesia's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Indonesia's population is predicted to rise to 279.66 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 2.15. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₄. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₅

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
6	Brazil	209.5m
7	Nigeria	195.9m
8	Bangladesh	161.4m
9	Russia	145.7m
10	Japan	127.2m
11	Mexico	126.2m
12	Ethiopia	109.2m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
132	Laos	68.1
133	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	67.7
134	Sao Tome & Principe	67.6
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best16
Pos.		202216
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
17	Cape Verde	1.88
18	Argentina	1.88
19	Myanmar	2.13
20	Indonesia	2.15
21	Greenland	1.84
22	Gibraltar	1.84
23	Peru	2.16
24	Venezuela	2.19
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better17
Pos.		2016 Per 10017
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
83=	Uzbekistan	11.9
83=	Tonga	11.9
85	Kyrgyzstan	12.1
86	Indonesia	12.4
87=	Myanmar	12.5
87=	India	12.5
89	Bolivia	12.7
90	Nicaragua	13.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants18
Pos.		2017 %18
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
188	N. Korea	0.2%
189	Sri Lanka	0.2%
190	Myanmar	0.1%
191	Madagascar	0.1%
192	Indonesia	0.1%
193	Cuba	0.1%
194	Vietnam	0.1%
195	China	0.1%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants19
Pos.		2010 %19
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
171	UAE	1.2%
172	Mongolia	1.2%
173	Kenya	1.1%
174	Indonesia	1.1%
175	Myanmar	1.0%
176	Solomon Islands	1.0%
177	India	0.9%
178	Papua New Guinea	0.9%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#antisemitism #buddhism #christianity #confucianism #equality #freedom #gender_equality #hinduism #human_rights #Indonesia #indonesia_antisemitism #islam #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)20
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank20
1	Sweden	7.5
2	Netherlands	8.6
3	Denmark	9.0
	...
109	Madagascar	100.2
110	Armenia	100.8
111	Tonga	101.0
112	Indonesia	101.5
113	Gabon	101.8
114	Mali	102.1
	Asia Avg	110.11
	World Avg	90.04
q=198.

Indonesia is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Indonesia does better than average when it comes to its average Freedom in the World rating. However Indonesia performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average in terms of its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₁, combatting modern slavery₂₂, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₃, opposing gender inequality₂₄, supporting press freedom₂₅ (still good for Asia), LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₆ and in freethought₂₇. And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 in the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₂₈ (amongst the worst in Asia) and in its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₉. The United Nations made 58 recommendations on improvements that Indonesia could make, but they were rejected wholesale₃₀. Indonesia does not accept the concept of freedom of religion. The state only permits six religions: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Confucianism - there is no legal way to be non-religious₃₁. The country's blasphemy law makes it illegal to promote other faiths. In 2017, President Jokowi decreed the amendment of a law, enabling the government to fast-track the banning of groups it doesn't like₃₀.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in Indonesia

5. Indonesia's Health

#health

Compared to Asia (2025)32
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank32
1	Japan	40.8
2	Singapore	43.3
3	S. Korea	53.7
	...
31	Palestine	97.8
32	Azerbaijan	101.6
33	Kyrgyzstan	101.7
34	Indonesia	101.8
35	Mongolia	103.6
36	Jordan	103.7
37	Philippines	104.0
38	Bangladesh	105.4
39	Tajikistan	109.8
	Asia Avg	90.68
q=50.

Health (2025)32
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank32
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	40.8
	...
114	Peru	101.4
115	Azerbaijan	101.6
116	Kyrgyzstan	101.7
117	Indonesia	101.8
118	Tonga	102.1
119	Kosovo	102.3
120	Niue	102.3
121	Guyana	102.9
	World Avg	97.39
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₃. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₃.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₃, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₃₃.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#2010s #alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #indonesia #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #suicide

Indonesia does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Indonesia comes in the best 20 in the prevalence of overweight adults₃₄ and in its suicide rate₃₅. It does better than average in its fertility rate₁₆, its alcohol consumption rate₃₆ and in its adolescent birth rate₃₇ (but bad for Asia). Indonesia does not succeed in everything, however. Indonesia does worse than average in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₈, childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₉, its average life expectancy₁₂, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₄₀ and in delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₄₁. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in its smoking rate₄₂. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Indonesia improved by +7.3yrs in the 30 years from 1990, on par with the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Indonesia's peak fertility rate was 5.62 in 1965.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
132	Laos	68.1
133	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	67.7
134	Sao Tome & Principe	67.6
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better36
Pos.		2016 Per Capita36
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
20=	Jordan	0.7
20=	Senegal	0.7
22=	Oman	0.8
22=	Indonesia	0.8
22=	Azerbaijan	0.8
25=	Algeria	0.9
25=	Malaysia	0.9
25=	Comoros	0.9
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best16
Pos.		202216
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
17	Cape Verde	1.88
18	Argentina	1.88
19	Myanmar	2.13
20	Indonesia	2.15
21	Greenland	1.84
22	Gibraltar	1.84
23	Peru	2.16
24	Venezuela	2.19
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better42
Pos.		Smoking in the 2020s %42
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
155	Andorra	36.2%
156	Solomon Islands	36.9%
157	Croatia	37.0%
158	Indonesia	38.2%
159	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	38.8%
160	Bulgaria	39.5%
161	Serbia	39.6%
162	Papua New Guinea	39.7%
	Asia Avg	22.8%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Indonesia sits amongst only 10 countries in the world that saw its smoking rate increase over the 2010s, compared to the previous decade.

Suicide Rate in the 2010s Lower is better35
Pos.		Suicide Rate in the 2010s Per 100k35
1=	Jordan	1.00
1=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.00
1=	Antigua & Barbuda	1.00
	...
10	Jamaica	1.38
11	Kuwait	1.59
12	Peru	1.64
13	Indonesia	1.66
14	Brunei	1.78
15	Papua New Guinea	1.88
16	Oman	1.94
17	Azerbaijan	2.18
	Asia Avg	7.22
	World Avg	9.24
q=185. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better38
Pos.		2017 Rank38
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
81	Dominican Rep.	81
82	Zambia	82
83	Croatia	83
84	Indonesia	84
85	Bolivia	85
86	Kyrgyzstan	86
87	Moldova	87
88	Syria	88
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better34
Pos.		1976 %34
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
7	Laos	6.2
8=	Bhutan	6.3
8=	Afghanistan	6.3
10	Indonesia	6.6
11	Burkina Faso	6.8
12	Maldives	7.2
13=	Sri Lanka	7.5
13=	Ethiopia	7.5
	Asia Avg	23.1
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better43
Pos.		2022 %43
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
43	France	10.9%
44	Kenya	11.0%
45	Tanzania	11.4%
46	Indonesia	11.5%
47	Yemen	11.6%
48	Bhutan	12.0%
49	Ghana	12.1%
50	Zimbabwe	12.4%
	Asia Avg	21.1%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better37
Pos.		2022 Per 100037
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
90	Rwanda	32.2
91	Antigua & Barbuda	32.3
92	Myanmar	32.8
93	Indonesia	32.9
94	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	33.3
95	Kyrgyzstan	33.8
96	Vietnam	35.0
97	Uruguay	35.2
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better40
Pos.		Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Avg %40
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
166	Liberia	81.6
167	Bosnia & Herzegovina	81.4
168=	Philippines	81.3
168=	Indonesia	81.3
170	Argentina	79.4
171	Mali	79.3
172	Congo, (Brazzaville)	78.8
173	Honduras	77.9
	Asia Avg	90.6
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better41
Pos.		2015 Avg %41
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
166	Ivory Coast	76.9
167	Congo, DR	76.5
168	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	76.5
169	Indonesia	76.4
170	Mali	76.0
171	India	75.1
172	Ethiopia	73.9
173	Pakistan	73.0
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better39
Pos.		Infant Mortality (2020s) Per 100039
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
120	Sao Tome & Principe	25.19
121	Algeria	25.38
122	Tuvalu	26.76
123	Indonesia	28.24
124	Philippines	28.30
125	Dominica	28.88
126	Guatemala	29.19
127	Azerbaijan	29.20
	Asia Avg	23.58
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Indonesia's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #borneo #china #climate_change #deforestation #energy #environmentalism #food #indonesia #internationalism #meat #norway #over-exploitation #palm_oil #rubber #sumatra #sustainability #the_environment #timber #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)44
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank44
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
4	Philippines	49.6
5	Japan	57.4
6	Thailand	59.5
7	Vietnam	60.6
8	Indonesia	61.9
9	Jordan	63.1
10	Hong Kong	64.6
11	Cyprus	64.8
12	Bangladesh	69.7
13	Maldives	70.5
	Asia Avg	88.09
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)44
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank44
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
32	Greece	61.4
33	Tanzania	61.6
34	Ethiopia	61.7
35	Indonesia	61.9
36	Cameroon	62.6
37	Italy	63.1
38	Jordan	63.1
39	Ireland	63.1
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₅. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

When it comes to its responsibility towards the environment, Indonesia ranks 35th in the world. This rank is calculated from 21 data sets. Indonesia comes in the best 20 in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₆. It does better than average in terms of reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₇, energy to GDP efficiency₄₈ and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment. Indonesia still has work to do. Indonesia does worse than average in terms of its score on the Green Future Index₄₉, its environmental performance₅₀ and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₅₁.

Environmental Performance Higher is better50
Pos.		201850
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
130	Kenya	47.3
131	Bhutan	47.2
132	Vietnam	47.0
133	Indonesia	46.9
134	Guinea	46.6
135	Mozambique	46.4
136	Uzbekistan	45.9
137	Chad	45.3
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better48
Pos.		2022 Avg48
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
35	Hong Kong	0.67
36	Puerto Rico	0.68
37	Angola	0.70
38	Indonesia	0.71
39	Swaziland	0.73
40	Guatemala	0.74
41	Togo	0.74
42	Romania	0.75
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		International Accords on the Environment Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
84	Togo	61%
85	Thailand	61%
86	Zambia	61%
87	Indonesia	61%
88	Maldives	61%
89	Bahamas	60%
90	Malawi	60%
91	Monaco	60%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better46
Pos.		2011 %46
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
13	Mexico	67.0%
14	Nicaragua	67.0%
15	El Salvador	66.8%
16	Indonesia	66.5%
17	Japan	64.7%
18	Panama	64.6%
19	Peru	63.9%
20	Chile	63.8%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better47
Pos.		2021 kg47
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
34	Algeria	17.9
35	Iraq	18.3
36	Zambia	18.3
37	Indonesia	18.6
38	Pakistan	18.6
39	Senegal	19.3
40	Sudan	19.9
41=	Myanmar	20.0
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

Green Future Index Higher is better49
Pos.		2023 Score49
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
46=	Mexico	4.5
47	Ukraine	4.4
48	Argentina	4.3
49	Indonesia	4.3
50	India	4.3
51	Nigeria	4.2
52	Ecuador	4.1
53=	Kazakhstan	4.1
	Asia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

7. Indonesia's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2025)58
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank58
1	S. Korea	23.5
2	Taiwan	25.4
3	Japan	27.4
	...
34	Oman	94.9
35	Sri Lanka	96.6
36	Mongolia	97.7
37	Indonesia	100.1
38	Maldives	107.2
39	Palestine	115.1
40	Syria	117.6
41	Iraq	121.2
42	Pakistan	122.6
	Asia Avg	86.04
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2025)58
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank58
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
122	St Vincent & Grenadines	98.7
123	St Lucia	98.9
124	Jamaica	99.7
125	Indonesia	100.1
126	Botswana	104.8
127	Kenya	107.0
128	Maldives	107.2
129	Djibouti	107.9
	World Avg	84.96
q=197.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Iceland and Denmark₅₉. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₉. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₆₀.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₆₁

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₉.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#intelligence #metric #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2962
2	Israel	4.1162
3	Japan	3.5862
	...
110	Peru	0.1063
111	Paraguay	0.0964
112=	Congo, DR	0.0865
112=	Indonesia	0.0866
114=	Saudi Arabia	0.0767
114=	Algeria	0.0763
114=	Cape Verde	0.0768
117=	Trinidad & Tobago	0.0564
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better38
Pos.		2017 Rank38
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
156	Tanzania	156
157	Equatorial Guinea	157
158	Guyana	158
159	Afghanistan	159
160	Indonesia	160
161	Bolivia	161
162	Iraq	162
163	Angola	163
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better69
Pos.		2025 %69
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
117=	Grenada	90
117=	Jamaica	90
117=	Kuwait	90
117=	Indonesia	90
117=	Jordan	90
117=	Ghana	90
117=	Kenya	90
117=	Equatorial Guinea	90
	Asia Avg	90
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Indonesia officially adopted metric in 1946₇₀. Progression:

• 1960 (50%): Metric official; traditional units widely used.
• 1970 (70%): Standardization expands in commerce/education.
• 1980 (85%): Metric dominant; informal traditional usage persists.
• 2000 (90%).
• 2025 (90%).

Religiosity Lower is better71
Pos.		2018 %71
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
99	Afghanistan	92
100=	Burkina Faso	93
100=	Tanzania	93
100=	Indonesia	93
103=	Mali	94
103=	Pakistan	94
105=	Ethiopia	98
105=	Senegal	98
	Asia Avg	55.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ Higher is better72
Pos.		200672
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
64=	Bolivia	87
64=	Iraq	87
64=	Azerbaijan	87
64=	Indonesia	87
64=	Turkmenistan	87
64=	Uzbekistan	87
70=	Kuwait	86
70=	Philippines	86
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education #english #maths #science

Secondary Education Higher is better73
Pos.		201873
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
110	Kuwait	51.5%
111	Congo, DR	50.7%
112	Macedonia	49.8%
113	Indonesia	48.8%
114	Congo, (Brazzaville)	48.8%
115	Iraq	48.0%
116	Paraguay	47.8%
117	Nicaragua	47.5%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better74
Pos.		2021 Years74
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
88	Bulgaria	13.9
89	Bosnia & Herzegovina	13.8
90	Egypt	13.8
91	Indonesia	13.7
92	Swaziland	13.7
93	S. Africa	13.6
94	Macedonia	13.6
95	Azerbaijan	13.5
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better75
Pos.		2015 Score75
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
	...
59	Qatar	1222
60	Georgia	1216
61	Jordan	1197
62	Indonesia	1186
63	Brazil	1185
64	Peru	1182
65	Lebanon	1129
66	Tunisia	1114
	Asia Avg	1398
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#atheism #indonesia #islam #it_security #modernity #pakistan #politics #technology #the_internet

The IHEU's Freedom of Thought publication notes that in countries like Pakistan and Indonesia, where "organized atheism is impossible if not directly illegal", atheists frequently organize themselves online. This is because in these heavily Muslim countries, any deviance from Islam is grimly punishable. It is their only possible avenue of expression. But those "who have been caught criticizing religion online have been arrested and harrassed on seemingly spurious thought-crime type offences"₇₆. The Internet is itself a tool of human rights, even in the dark corners of the world where the vested interests of powerful religionists seek to restrict basic freedoms.

Internet Users (2020s) Higher is better
Pos.		Internet Users (2020s)
1=	Iceland	99%
1=	Kuwait	99%
1=	UAE	99%
	...
121	Ghana	68%
122	Bolivia	66%
123	St Lucia	65%
124	Indonesia	65%
125	Marshall Islands	63%
126	Djibouti	62%
127	El Salvador	62%
128	Namibia	61%
	Asia Avg	74.9%
	World Avg	67.8%
q=188. Also scored for 1990s-2020s.

Freedom On The Internet Lower is better77
Pos.		201277
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
	...
18	Kyrgyzstan	35
19	Mexico	37
20	India	39
21	Indonesia	42
22=	Libya	43
22=	Malaysia	43
24	Jordan	45
25=	Turkey	46
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security Lower is better78
Pos.		201378
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
43	Canada	0.96
44	Tajikistan	1.01
45	Brazil	1.02
46	Indonesia	1.05
47	British Virgin Islands	1.08
48	Mali	1.12
49	France	1.13
50	Italy	1.15
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better79
Pos.		2017 Ratio79
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
64	UAE	0.3
65	Seychelles	0.2
66	Puerto Rico	0.2
67	Indonesia	0.2
68	S. Africa	0.1
69	Jersey	0.1
70=	Sudan	0.1
70=	Ukraine	0.1
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better80
Pos.		202480
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
56	Oman	47.9%
57	Philippines	47.9%
58	Kazakhstan	47.6%
59	Indonesia	47.5%
60	India	47.0%
61	Costa Rica	46.9%
62	Albania	46.7%
63	Azerbaijan	46.0%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Indonesia's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#charitability #culture #equality #human_development #inequality #peace

Compared to Asia (2025)81
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank81
1	Singapore	16.8
2	Hong Kong	28.6
3	Japan	33.2
	...
18	Mongolia	74.6
19	Kazakhstan	76.2
20	China	79.6
21	Indonesia	79.7
22	Bahrain	80.5
23	Armenia	82.4
24	Philippines	84.5
25	Turkey	85.8
26	Georgia	86.9
	Asia Avg	84.07
q=50.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2025)81
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank81
1	Denmark	10.4
2	Netherlands	11.8
3	Finland	12.2
	...
75	Guatemala	79.0
76	Samoa	79.1
77	China	79.6
78	Indonesia	79.7
79=	St Lucia	80.1
79=	Kosovo	80.1
81	Bahrain	80.5
82	El Salvador	80.7
	World Avg	80.47
q=183.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 39 datasets, including multiple decades of data on resisting corruption, Creativity and Culture, overall happiness, Open Trading, Aid and Development, passport utility (so far), personal financial stability, World Giving Index, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, poverty (so far), life expectancy inequality, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#Asia #buddhism #charitability #charity #corruption #freedom #happiness #indonesia #internationalism #morals #Myanmar #politics #Thailand #Theravada_Buddhism

Corruption Higher is better82
Pos.		2022 Points82
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
110=	Gambia	34.0
110=	Sierra Leone	34.0
110=	Malawi	34.0
110=	Indonesia	34.0
110=	Bosnia & Herzegovina	34.0
110=	Nepal	34.0
116=	Ukraine	33.0
116=	Mongolia	33.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

When the Corruption Perception Index was launched in 1995, Indonesia had the worst score of the 50-or-so countries for which they gathered data, although in later years as the Corruption Perception Index expanded to include more countries, Indonesia was revealed to be not quite as bad as some other African and Central American countries.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better38
Pos.		2017 Rank38
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
85	Morocco	85
86	Jamaica	86
87	Senegal	87
88	Indonesia	88
89	Cambodia	89
90	Peru	90
91	Jordan	91
92	Haiti	92
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Happiness Higher is better83
Pos.		2024 Score83
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
80	Moldova	5.8
81	Greece	5.8
82	Venezuela	5.7
83	Indonesia	5.6
84	Algeria	5.6
85	Bulgaria	5.6
86	Macedonia	5.5
87	Armenia	5.5
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better38
Pos.		2017 Rank38
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
130	Kenya	130
131	Kazakhstan	131
132	Bangladesh	132
133	Indonesia	133
134	Egypt	134
135	Uruguay	135
136	Namibia	136
137	Yemen	137
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better84
Pos.		Passport Reach (2020s) Q84
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
117	Swaziland	74.8
118	Malawi	73.8
119	Kenya	72.8
120	Indonesia	72.5
121	Tanzania	71.8
122=	Dominican Rep.	70.5
122=	Zambia	70.5
124	Tunisia	70.2
	Asia Avg	85.1
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Higher is better85
Pos.		Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Score85
1	Denmark	9.06
2	Switzerland	9.00
3	Finland	8.96
	...
60	Dominican Rep.	7.04
61	Peru	7.00
62	Kenya	6.97
63	Indonesia	6.96
64	Barbados	6.96
65	Trinidad & Tobago	6.95
66	Mongolia	6.93
67	Oman	6.91
	Asia Avg	6.41
	World Avg	6.46
q=165.

World Giving Index Higher is better86
Pos.		2022 %86
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
4	Australia	55.0
5	New Zealand	54.0
6	Myanmar	52.0
7=	Sierra Leone	51.0
7=	Canada	51.0
9	Zambia	50.0
10=	Ukraine	49.0
10=	Ireland	49.0
12=	Czechia	48.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

The region of south-east Asia hosts some of the kindest people in the world. Myanmar and Thailand often top the World Giving Index₈₇, which the Charities Aid Foundation attributes to the teachings and values of Theravada Buddhism₈₇. Likewise, in Indonesia, giving is strongly encouraged by the Islamic doctrine of zakat, causing that country to give to charity at three times the global average rate.

“Indonesia is ranked first in the CAF World Giving Index with a score of 69, up from 59 the last time a yearly Index was published in 2018, when it also ranked first in the Index. More than eight in 10 Indonesians donated money this year and the country´s rate of volunteering is more than three times the global average. [...]

Zakat is a traditional form of Islamic charity practised widely in Indonesia, the proceeds of which are redistributed to the needy. Reports suggest that Zakat payments globally were particularly high in 2020 as a response to the pandemic. In Indonesia, there were calls from Indonesian religious authorities for people to use such payments to help people in their communities who were experiencing hardships as a result of the economic slump caused by the pandemic.”

Charities Aid Foundation (2021)

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better88
Pos.		2023 Score88
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
50	Uruguay	1.80
51	Ghana	1.80
52	Senegal	1.83
53	Indonesia	1.83
54	Argentina	1.84
55	Madagascar	1.85
56	Namibia	1.86
57	Moldova	1.87
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better38
Pos.		2017 Rank38
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
4	Egypt	4
5	Nigeria	5
6	Uruguay	6
7	Indonesia	7
8	Brunei	8
9	Moldova	9
10	Morocco	10
11	Oman	11
12	Tanzania	12
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better38
Pos.		2017 Rank38
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
59	Bangladesh	59
60	Seychelles	60
61	Philippines	61
62	Indonesia	62
63	Uganda	63
64	Moldova	64
65	Mozambique	65
66=	Burkina Faso	66
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better89
Pos.		2019 Score89
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
113	Chad	4.76
114	Russia	4.90
115	France	5.01
116	Indonesia	5.07
117	Nepal	5.09
118	Burundi	5.10
119	Palestine	5.18
120	Bangladesh	5.21
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Poverty (2020s) Lower is better90
Pos.		Poverty (2020s) %90
1	Malaysia	0.01%
2	Bhutan	0.01%
3	Cyprus	0.02%
	...
73	Bangladesh	5.91%
74	Ecuador	6.03%
75	Peru	6.27%
76	Indonesia	7.68%
77	Tajikistan	7.84%
78	Georgia	8.11%
79	Equatorial Guinea	8.79%
80	Guatemala	9.66%
	Asia Avg	3.54%
	World Avg	11.40%
q=106. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better91
Pos.		201991
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
106	Honduras	13.30
107	Paraguay	13.80
108=	Uzbekistan	13.90
108=	Indonesia	13.90
108=	Azerbaijan	13.90
111	Algeria	14.10
112	Vanuatu	14.40
113	Guatemala	14.60
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better92
Pos.		2023 %92
1	Slovakia	24.1%93
2	Slovenia	24.3%93
3	Belarus	24.4%94
	...
91=	Sierra Leone	35.7%95
91=	Mali	35.7%93
93=	Vietnam	36.1%96
93=	Indonesia	36.1%97
95	Senegal	36.2%93
96=	Lithuania	36.7%93
96=	Yemen	36.7%98
98	Mauritius	36.8%99
	Asia Avg	33.0%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better100
Pos.		2018 Severity100
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
33	Philippines	.024
34	Mexico	.025
35	S. Africa	.025
36	Indonesia	.028
37	Syria	.029
38	Tajikistan	.029
39	El Salvador	.032
40	Iraq	.033
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#afterlife #belief #buddhism #christianity #confucianism #god #heaven #hell #hinduism #indonesia #islam #judaism #religion #religion_in_indonesia #religiosity #secularisation #universalism

Religiosity (2018)71
Pos.		Lower is better %71
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
91=	Honduras	90
91=	Cameroon	90
91=	Rwanda	90
91=	Liberia	90
95=	Morocco	91
95=	Guinea-Bissau	91
95=	Philippines	91
95=	Zambia	91
99	Afghanistan	92
100=	Burkina Faso	93
100=	Tanzania	93
100=	Indonesia	93
103=	Mali	94
103=	Pakistan	94
105=	Ethiopia	98
105=	Senegal	98
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)101
Pos.		Higher is better %101
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
69=	Central African Rep.	2
69=	Tajikistan	2
69=	Turkmenistan	2
69=	Indonesia	2
73=	Paraguay	1
73=	Nicaragua	1
73=	Bolivia	1
73=	Colombia	1
73=	Costa Rica	1
73=	Honduras	1
73=	Brazil	1
73=	Ecuador	1
73=	S. Africa	1
73=	Venezuela	1
73=	Peru	1
73=	Guatemala	1
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₁₀₂:

	2010	2020
Muslim	87.5%	87%
Christian	9.88%	10.3%
Hindu	1.69%	1.58%
Buddhist	0.721%	0.678%
Other	<0.1%	0.419%
Unaffiliated	<0.1%	<0.1%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)₁₀₃.

The Afterlife: Ipsos-NA in 2011 gathered some statistics on Indonesia₁₀₄. Despite the large numbers of Muslims, not many have traditional beliefs in the afterlife - just 62%. Some people don't know what to believe (4%). Some believe that upon death, you simply cease to exist (2%). Also, 1% specifically believe in heaven but not in hell (which is nice - making them possible "universalists"). 6% believe in reincarnation.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: Indonesia does not accept the concept of freedom of religion. The state only permits six religions: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Confucianism₃₁ (with some exceptions for some 'native' beliefs). The country's terrible blasphemy law makes it illegal to promote other faiths. Non-religious folk are also forced into picking one of those religions on official forms - but, lying is itself illegal₃₁. Therefore, there is no legal way to be non-religious in Indonesia.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?
• Human Rights and Freedom in Indonesia: 4.3. Freedom of Thought