Indonesia is an island nation located in the southeastern part of Asia with its capital in the city of Jakarta. Indonesia borders Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and East Timor, and has maritime borders with Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. The name of the state originates in the Latin language, in which this phrase means "Indian islands."
A country with many nations
Indonesia consists of a large number of islands, among which the largest are Borneo, Java, Sumatra. The Indonesian islands are washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Indonesia is the fourth country in the world in terms of population. On a territory slightly larger than 1 million square kilometers, more than 260 million people live. Among them, there are about 300 peoples and nationalities, therefore Indonesia is rightly called a multinational country. Among the indigenous peoples include the Papuans, Javanese, Madurians. Also, alien peoples from China and Europe live on the lands of Indonesia. Communicate people living here in Indonesian, or, as it is also called, the Malaysian language.
History of Indonesia
The history of Indonesia began back in the days of the Lower Paleolithic, when the first people settled on one of its islands. Historians know that in the 4th century the state of Kutai appeared here, which gradually expanded its borders and included more and more islands. The foot of a European man stepped here only at the beginning of the 16th century, when the Portuguese established the export of spices from here. In the XVIII century, the Portuguese were driven out by the Dutch, after the territory of Indonesia was occupied by Britain, but in the end they were returned to the control of the Netherlands. During World War II, Japanese troops captured the islands and remained here until 1945, when the opposition declared independence. Therefore, we can say that Indonesia has come a really long and thorny path from the status of a colony to an independent state.
Indonesia is now an economically developed country in its region, which has a huge impact on political events throughout southeastern Asia.
Indonesia Money: History and Origin
Back in the 9th century, the inhabitants of the islands began to learn monetary relations, so Indonesia's coins and money in general have come a long way. After the Dutch came to these territories, the Indonesian guilder was introduced - a variant of the currency of the Netherlands. Since Japanese comes to these lands, Japanese money also appeared here. Own currency appeared here only after the Second World War.
The first sample of Indonesian money was issued in 1946, but a few years later they were in circulation along with the guilder and Japanese rupee. Only in 1949, the Indonesian rupee (the name of this currency) was recognized as the official currency of the new independent state.
In 1965, the country experienced a sharp jump in inflation due to the precarious situation of the economy. There was an urgent need to denominate the currency, which happened in 1965. As a result, new Indonesia banknotes and coins were introduced, the rate of which was one thousand old rupees to one new. The crisis of the late 90s in Asia also pretty much “ruffled” the rupee, reducing its cost by 35%.
The name "rupee" comes from Sanskrit, where it means "silver." You can often hear the name perak from the locals, which in translation from local dialects also means "silver".
The first coins of Indonesia
For the first time, coins were issued in these territories in 1951 and 1952. It is noteworthy that the bills were printed a year earlier, immediately after the conclusion of a peace treaty with the Netherlands. Initially, metal was not used in the process of issuing money, since for an isolated government at that time a still unrecognized independent state it was too risky.
Hyperinflation in the 1950s and 1960s halted coin minting, and those that remained in circulation were practically depreciated. Coins again returned to circulation only in 1971, when the economic situation in the country more or less stabilized, and inflation declined. Coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 rupees were issued, and two years later - 100 rupees. Such in those days were the coins of Indonesia, a photo of which is presented below.
Unlike the Dutch guilder, which was usually minted from silver or gold, only inexpensive metals are used in the production of new coins in Indonesia.
Modern coins
Today, in Indonesia, you can find two types of coins: aluminum, bronze and nickel, issued between 1991 and 2010, and new coins of the 2016 model. The first group is represented by coins in denominations of 50, 100, 200 rupees. 1000 rupees and 500 coin in Indonesia are the largest. Being old-style money, they gradually go out of circulation.
The new coins depict the national heroes of the country. Coins of 100, 200, 500 Indonesian rupees have already been issued, which proudly replenished the ranks of coins of Indonesia. 1000 rupees is currently the largest coin in circulation.
The exchange rate of the Indonesian rupee to the ruble
The Indonesian rupee is not one of the most stable currencies in the world. Its exchange rate is constantly changing, because the high level of inflation does not allow to fully stabilize it. There is nothing surprising in the fact that in different countries the exchange rate of the rupee may vary.
In large Indonesian cities, you can pay with bank cards, so many visitors are not particularly interested in the current rate. However, places farther from the tourist centers require this knowledge. Tourists from Russia before traveling to the islands should in advance take an interest in the exchange rate of Indonesia coins. 1000 rupees, for example, at the moment you can buy for 4.6 Russian rubles. Exchange offices are at the airport, banks, hotels. In large cities, you can also find special exchange points. However, the most profitable, as a rule, is the rate at the bank.
Indonesia is a very interesting country with its amazing history, culture and way of life, the currency and the path of its formation in which was also unusual, long and thorny. Now the rupee exchange rate is not very stable, it is often changing, but in general the government of the country takes many measures in order to stabilize the economic situation and build a society with a high level of income.