Nusantara Day

Nusantara is the Indonesian name of Maritime Southeast Asia (or parts of it). It is an Old Javanese term which literally means "outer islands". In Indonesia, it is generally taken to mean the Indonesian Archipelago. In the Malay world, the term has been adopted to mean the Malay Archipelago. Nusantara is a concept of unity in terms of territory, politics, socioculture, economy, law, security and defence, and national policy.

In 1999, President Abdurrahman designated 13 December as Nusantara Day, which was followed by the issuance of the Decision of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Number 126 of 2001 on Nusantara Day. The dynamics in the use of the term Nusantara have always been a fascinating subject of discussion, particularly related to the role of the people living in a territory with water area wider than its land area and united under one political system, socioculture, economy, law, security and defence, and national policy.