Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands located in Southeast Asia. It has a population of over 238 million and was under Dutch colonial rule for 350 years before gaining independence after World War II. The diverse population shares a national identity defined by language, ethnicity, and majority Muslim religion. Key aspects of Indonesian culture include batik textiles, traffic in the capital Jakarta, herbal medicines, and cuisine influenced by global traders that features native spices. Popular Indonesian dishes like nasi goreng and sate are considered national dishes.