Mosque in Malang, Jawa Timur
Courtesy Hermine L. Dreyfuss

A Hindu temple near Ubud, Bali
Courtesy Hermine L. Dreyfuss

Religion in Indonesia was a complex and volatile issue in the early 1990s, one not easily analyzed in terms of social class, region, or ethnic group. Although Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions influenced many aspects of life, the government generally discouraged religious groups from playing a political role. The state guaranteed tolerance for certain religions (agama) regarded as monotheistic by the government, including Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, but only as long as these creeds remained outside of politics.

Data as of November 1992