Geography of Indonesia and Australia
Indonesia and Australia are nations located southeast of Asia, separated by the Timor Sea and the Java Trench. Both have undergone challenges in economy, government, and demography that are both similar and quite different from the other. Indonesia is "the world's most expansive archipelagic (fragmented) state" (Blij 503) with multiple heritages and cultures. Australia has been slowly declining over the past century and continues to economically disintegrate. According to records kept on the economy, government, and demography, both Australia and Indonesia are continuing to be recognized as similar and distinct in their own right. The 275 million people of Indonesia are spread across the 13,000 islands it encompasses. It holds position as the fourth most populated nation in the world, containing a diversity of people including Javanese, Sudanese, Malays, and Balinese and other smaller groups which make up fifty-five percent of the population. Four of its largest islands are known as the Greater Sunda Islands. Jawa has the smallest area but is largest in population density (with about 120 million), Sumatera is in the west across from Malaysia, Kalimantan (which share
Unity has been the most up front concept that the leaders of Indonesia have tried to solve politically. The government went so far as to relocate its people from Jawa to the less populated islands in order to spread out the numbers and de-centralize the island nation. The concept of unity is difficult because of the type of land Indonesia is spread across. With the oceans and mountains and dense forests, the people are very segregated. With over 300 discrete ethnic clusters and approximately 250 languages, there continues to be no defined national social boundaries. Therefor, the nation motto, "Unity in Diversity" is very appropriate. Australia was recently described as a "NDC", or Newly Declining Country. This means that it is a seller of raw materials, not finished ones. It is a supplier of meat, livestock, and wheat on an undependable market. The nation has gone deeply into debt. Near the turn of the century, the nations GNP was approximated as the first in the world, and as of 1995, they have fallen to the twenty-second spot. With world trade having fallen in the last four decades by more than half, this nation that depends on exports is falling economically. Japan is its greatest trading partner, with its need for the excess food, metals, and minerals. Australia needs the cheap manufactured goods provided by Japan. However, Australia continues to have tariffs against imported goods, and Asian countries maintain strong tariff barriers against foods and minerals imported. Plus, the Asian marketers are more interested in the cheap labor and high demands found in nations such as Indonesia. As a result, it is difficult for Australia to open its economy and lower the tariffs
Some common words found in the essay are:
PRODUCTION Indonesia, Australia Indonesia, Pacific Rims, Declining Country, ECONOMY Unity, Borneo Sulawesi, Murray River, Java Trench, LAND STRUCTURE, Plus Asian, australia indonesia, economy government, economy government demography, government demography, continuing recognized similar, cheap labor, according records, indonesia continuing, demography australia, australia indonesia continuing, continuing recognized, similar distinct own, kept economy, indonesia continuing recognized, similar distinct,
Approximate Word count = 1148
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
