Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago nation with over 245 million people. It has a diverse cuisine due to its thousands of islands, with influences from India, China, the Middle East, and Europe. Key staple foods include rice, tubers like cassava and sweet potato, and seafood since Indonesia is an archipelago. Popular dishes include nasi goreng, sate, and gado-gado. Meat consumption varies regionally depending on religious populations, with beef, goat and chicken commonly eaten. Spices are an important part of Indonesian cuisine due to its history as the Spice Islands.