Volcano in Indonesia

Indonesia has more than 400 volcanoes, including 128 active ones. The tallest, Kerinci on Sumatra, Rinjani on Lombok, and Semeru on Java, for example, reach more than 10,500 feet above sea level. The country covers one of the most volcanic and seismically active regions in the world. The volcanic ash yields extremely productive crops, which lures people to risk their lives farming in the shadows of these dangerous mountains. Thousands of farmers and their families have lost their lives as a result. These mysterious mountains now lure hikers and mountaineering clubs, which have sprung up in Jakarta, Bandung, and other cities. Adventure travelers from other countries also find these volcanoes worth the trip. The most popular ones to climb are:

♦ The twin volcanoes of Gede and Pangrango in West Java

♦ Semeru and Kelud in East Java

♦ Merapi in Central Java

♦ Rinjani on Lombok

On rare occasions, expeditions are made to the snow-covered summit of the Jayawijaya Range in Papua. Although it was not formed by volcanic activity, it is the highest point in Indonesia and one incredible adventure at sixteen thousand feet. Indonesia’s most famous volcano is Krakatau (known in the Western world as Krakatoa) in the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra. When it blew up in 1883, the explosion and its after-effects circled the world. This volcano and many others have killed more than 150,000 people in Indonesia over the last two hundred years.

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Minangkabau King Palace In Central Sumatra

Sumatra (SOO-mah-TRAH) straddles the equator. Numerous large reserves and preservation areas have been set aside, which makes the island ideal for ecotourism. It’s heavily forested and rich with rare wildlife, including tigers, elephants, orangutans, and rhinoceros.

The mountains in the west and the swampy plains in the east define Sumatra’s landscape. The backbone of the island is the volcanic Barisan Mountain chain, which runs the entire length of the island from north to south. The volcanic activity of this region produces fertile land and beautiful scenery, including the region around Lake Toba. It also contains rich deposits of coal and gold.

To the east, big rivers carry silt from the mountains to the vast lowlands and swamps. Even though the area is unsuitable for farming, it produces significant quantities of palm oil and petroleum. Most of Sumatra was covered by tropical rainforest prior to the development of natural resource industries. The jungles are home to species such as orangutans, tapirs, Sumatran tigers, elephants, and unique plants such as the rafflesia. Unfortunately, economic development and illegal logging threaten the habitat and existence of these rare creatures and others. Conservation areas have not been spared from destruction.

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