The Republic of Indonesia is situated in south-east Asia. It has more than 17 000 islands. More than half of the population lives on the island of Java. Jakarta, the capital is situated on this island. The country has borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia. Indonesia’s largest island, Borneo, has two other countries situated on it. Malaysia uses 26% in the north, and the state of Brunei uses 1% of the area within Malaysia.
In 1800, Indonesia became a colony of the Netherlands (called Dutch East Indies). This was ended by Japan during the 2nd World War. When Japan surrendered in 1945, Indonesia became independent. Like many other countries in the world, the move from colonial rule (by the Dutch) to independence has cost millions of lives in civil wars. Corruption, social unrest and a poor economy have slowed development. In addition, the presence of many active volcanoes has added to the economic instability due to the eruption of many of them, including many Tsunami’s (caused by underground volcanoes). Tourism is a good source of foreign exchange, however this has been severely damaged as a source of income since the bombings in Kuta in 2002 which killed over 200 people. As a result of this incident, many countries issued travel warnings to their citizens.
The first stamp of the Dutch East Indies (Netherlands East Indies) was issued in 1864. It was printed in the Netherlands and has a picture of King Willem III of the Netherlands. The Republic of Indonesia issued its first stamps after independence.
Click here to see stamps of Netherlands Indies
Dutch Administration
1949
Various Scenes Series (New Currency)
SG # 555
Used (Hinged)
SG # 556
Used (Hinged)
SG # 557
Used (Hinged)
SG # 560
Used
SG # 563
Used
SG # 566
Used (Hinged)
SG # 567
Used (Hinged)
SG # 568
Used
United States of Indonesia
1950
Stamps of 1949 (Overprinted RIS)
SG # 584
Used (Hinged)
SG # 585
Used (Hinged)
1951
Various Pictures Series
SG # 613
Used
SG # 615
Used (Hinged)
SG # 616
Used
SG # 618
Used
SG # 619
Used
SG # 622
Used
SG # 623
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 624
Used (Hinged)
SG # 625
Unused
SG # 627
Used (Hinged)
SG # 630
Used (Hinged)
SG # 631
Used
SG # 633
Unused (NH)
SG # 635
Used (Hinged)
SG # 636
Used (Hinged)
SG # 637
Used (Hinged)
SG # 638
Used (Hinged)
SG # 639
Unused (NH)
SG # 640
Unused (Hinged)
1955
Indonesian Elections
SG # 702
Used (Hinged)
1956
Various Scenes Series
SG # 714
Unused (NH)
SG # 715
Used (Hinged)
SG # 719
Used (Hinged)
1959
11th Colombo Plan Conference Series (Djakarta)
SG # 814
Unused (Hinged)
Caves in Yogyakarta region
SG # 815
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 816
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 817
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 818
Unused (Hinged)
1960
Agricultural Products Series
SG # 831
Used (Hinged)
SG # 833
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 836
Used
1961
Thomas Cup, World Badminton Championship Series
SG # 865
Used (Hinged)
1962
Ramayana Dancers Series
SG # 898
Used (Hinged)
Construction of Istiqlal Mosque Series
SG # 901
Unused
4th Asian Games, Djakarta Series
SG # 904
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 908
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 909
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 910
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 911
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 921
Used (Hinged)
1964
President Sukarno Series
SG # 988
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 992
Used (Hinged)
Transport Series
SG # 1005
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1006
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1007
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1008
Unused (Hinged)
1965
10th Anniversary of the 1st Afro-Asian Conference in Bandung
SG # 1031
Unused (Hinged)
President Sukarno Series (Inscribed CONEFO)
SG # 1035
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1036
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1040
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1041
Unused (NH)
SG # 1042
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1043
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1047
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1048
Unused (Hinged)
President Sukarno Series (Revalued Currency, inscribed 1965 Sen)
SG # 1070
Used (Hinged)
1966
President Sukarno Series (Revalued Currency, inscribed 1966 or 1967)
SG # 1081
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1084
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1085
Unused (NH)
SG # 1088
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1089
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1091
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1094
Unused (Hinged)
Maritime Day Series
SG # 1117
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1118
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1121
Unused (Hinged)
SG # 1123
Unused (Hinged)
1969
50th Anniversary of League of Red Cross Societies Series
SG # 1231
Used (Hinged)
Five-Year Development Plan Series
SG # 1238
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1242
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1244
Used (Hinged)
1972
Space Exploration Series
SG # 1305
Used
1974
President Suharto Series
SG # 1377
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1380
Used (Hinged)
1980
President Suharto Series
SG # 1581a
Used
SG # 1583
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1585
Used
SG # 1585b
Used (Hinged)
SG # 1586c
Used
1982
President Suharto Series
SG # 1678
Used (Hinged)
1984
Forestry Series
SG # 1740
Unused (NH)
1986
4th Five-Year Plan Series
SG # 1811
Used (Hinged)
1993
4th Five-Year Plan Series
SG # 2080
Used (Hinged)
SG # 2081
Used (Hinged)
1994
6th Five Year Plan Series
SG # 2127
Used (Hinged)
SG # 2129
Used
SG # 2129
Used (NH)
1996
Greetings Stamps Series (Inscribed Selamat Hari Raya – Happy Holiday)
SG # 2222
Used
1997
National Foster Parents Movement Series
SG # 2369
Used