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It is
the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous
Muslim-majority nation; however, no reference is made to Islam
in the Indonesian constitution. Indonesia is a republic, with
an elected legislature and president. The nation's capital
city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua
New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries
include Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and the Indian
territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Across
its many islands, Indonesia consists of distinct ethnic, linguistic,
and religious groups. The Javanese are the largest and most
politically dominant ethnic group. As a unitary state and
a nation, Indonesia has developed a shared identity defined
by a national language, ethnic diversity, religious pluralism
within a majority Muslim population, and a history of colonialism
and rebellion against it.
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