Milestone·Modern
Indonesia Proclaims Independence
- Date
- 17 August 1945 CE1364 AH81 years ago
- Place
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- People
- Sukarno, Mohammad Hatta
Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta read the proclamation on behalf of the new republic. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any country, and Islamic organizations took part in the independence movement. Full recognition of Indonesian sovereignty followed after a conflict with the Dutch that ended in 1949.
Why it matters
The proclamation began the Republic of Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority country in the world.