When Did Indonesia Get Colonized?
Indonesia was not always an independent country. Like many other places in the world, it was colonized by European powers.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Indonesia, in the early 16th century. They were followed by the Dutch, who gradually gained control over the islands. The Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602, and it became the dominant power in the region.
The name Indonesia derives from two Greek words, “Indos” and “nesos”. “Indos” means “Indian” and “nesos” means “island”. So, Indonesia literally means “Indian Islands”.
The first recorded use of the name Indonesia was by the Dutch geographer, cartographer, and astronomer, Abraham Ortelius, in 1596. Ortelius was referring to the eastern islands of the Malay Archipelago, which he wrote were “discovered by the Portuguese” and were “known by the name of Indies”.