Ethnic groups in Indonesia

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There are over 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia.

The largest ethnic group in Indonesia is the Javanese who make up 41% of the total population. The Javanese are concentrated on the island of Java but millions have migrated to other islands throughout the archipelago.[1] The Sundanese, Malay, and Madurese are the next largest groups in the country.[1] Many ethnic groups, particularly in Kalimantan and Papua, have only hundreds of members. Most of the local languages belong to Austronesian linguistic family, although a significant number, particularly in Papua, speak Papuan languages. The Chinese Indonesian population makes up a little less than 1% of the total Indonesian population according to the 2000 census.[1] Some estimates, however, put the number of ethnic Chinese at roughly 8 million[citation needed], claiming a large undercount due to widespread reluctance to self-identify as Chinese}. Some of these Indonesians of Chinese descent speak various Chinese dialects, most notably Hokkien and Hakka.

The proportional populations of Indonesian ethnic groups according to the (2000 census) is as follows:

Ethnic groups Population (millions) Percentage Main Regions
Javanese 86.012 41.7 East Java, Central Java, Lampung
Sundanese 31.765 15.4 West Java
Chinese 7.776 3.7 Jakarta, West Kalimantan, North Sumatra
Malay 7.013 3.4 Sumatra eastern coast, West Kalimantan
Madurese 6.807 3.3 Madura island
Batak 6.188 3.0 North Sumatra
Minangkabau 5.569 2.7 Central Sumatra
Betawi 5.157 2.5 Jakarta
Buginese 5.157 2.5 South Sulawesi
Bantenese 4.331 2.1 Banten
Banjarese 3.506 1.7 South Kalimantan
Balinese 3.094 1.5 Bali island
Sasak 2.681 1.3 Lombok island
Makassarese 2.063 1.0 South Sulawesi
Cirebon 1.856 0.9 West Java

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[edit] Smaller groups

The regions of Indonesia have some of their indigenous ethnic groups. Due to migration within Indonesia (as part of government transmigration programs or otherwise), there are significant populations of ethic groups who reside outside of their traditional regions.

[edit] Colonial era groups

Additionally, there are other smaller groups reminiscent of Indonesian demographic dynamics from colonial era, such as Arab Indonesian, Indian Indonesian, and Eurasian Indonesian.

The latter group diminished as an ethnic group since major emigration from Indonesia after the World War II.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Indonesia's Population: Ethnicity and Religion in a Changing Political Landscape. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. 2003. 

[edit] External links