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Indonesia Independence Day 2015

Always celebrated on August 17, this is Indonesia's national holiday and marks Indonesia's declaration of independence from the Netherlands in 1945.
History of the holiday

Indonesia had been a Dutch colony for over 300 years when a group of revolutionaries declared independence on August 17, 1945.

It took Indonesians four years of diplomacy and armed struggle before their independence was formally granted by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands.

Despite the granting of independence in 1945, it wasn't until 2005, that the Netherlands declared that they had decided to accept the date of 17 August 1945 as the date of Indonesia’s independence.

Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands. It is the world's fourth most populous country.
How is it celebrated?

This national holiday is celebrated throughout Indonesia with parades, community gatherings, athletic events involving adults and children such as sack races, and a multitude of cultural and performing arts festivals.

Traditions also include eating Indonesian crackers (known as 'krupuk') or fruit hanging on a string and climbing a pinang tree to reach for a prize.