Modern political division

Indonesia is a unitary republic consisting of 27 provinces. The capital of Indonesia is Jakarta. The head of state, head of government and the chief military commander of Indonesia is the president. He executes full power and forms the government himself. The president and the vice-president are elected for a five-year term by the People’s Consultative Assembly which also determines the main government policies of the country. Another highest state institution is the People’s Representative Council (parliament) on which the legislative power is vested and whose members are members of the People’s Consultative Assembly.

Administratively, Indonesia is divided into 26 provinces (including three territories with a special status): special territory Aceh, Bali, Bengkulu, East Nusa Tenggara, East Java, East Kalimantan, special territory Jakarta, Jambi, special territory Yogyakarta, west Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra, West Java, West Kalimantan, Irian Jaya, Lampung, Maluku, Riau, North Sumatra, North Sulawesi, Central Java, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, South East Sulawesi, South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi. East Timor once used to be an Indonesian province, but at present it is an independent state.

The Indonesians have always shown interest in ceremonies and attributes of power. Their modern life is determined by the “three passions”: achara, upachara and bichara, which means “event, ceremony and performance”.

Sultan of Jogjakarta with wife. Indonesia, Jogjakarta. The Javanese. Early 20th cent.