Consisting of more than 13,000 of islands, Indonesia is a country that is made up of many diversed cultures. Due to its welcoming nature toward Western values, most of these traditional cultures are often ignored although they are still preserved continuously.

The ancient kingdoms located in present day Indonesia had the most powerful and influential reign because of its strategic position - between two continents and two oceans. After the golden days of kingdoms waned decades later, the Europeans arrived. They soon realized Indonesia's strategic entity and started to colonize it, dominating its harbors and any means of trade. For 350 years Indonesia was controlled by the Dutch, 35 years by the Portugese, and 3.5 years by the Japanese. But on August 17, 1945, Indonesia finally gained its well-deserved independence. Indonesia's population has now grown over 200 million people and become a predominantly muslim country (Indonesia). It's a wonder, though, how Islam have grown so quick, especially since Buddhism and Hinduism are reflected in Indonesia's ancient architectures and Christianity had just recently been brought in by the Europeans. Maybe Islam is the fastest growing religion, after all.