With the exception of East Timor, Indonesia was formerly the Dutch East Indies. The islands were occupied by the Japanese from 1942 until 1945. The Republic of Indonesia was declared independent by a group of nationalists on 17 August 1945. After 4 years of fighting, the Dutch ceded sovereignty on 27 December 1949. West Irian, on New Guinea, remained under Dutch control. This area was turned over to Indonesia by the UN in 1963.
Constitutionally, Indonesia is a presidential democracy. The president is chosen every 5 years by the 920-member People's Consultative Assembly. 460 members of this Assembly represent regional and functional groups, the other 460 being the members of the parliament, the House of People's Representatives.
Indonesia is divided into 27 provinces and 282 regions.
