Distribution
Christianity, although a minority religion in Indonesia, is not evenly spread throughout the archipelago. The island of Sumatra is in most areas almost entirely Muslim, with the exception of the Batak peoples of North Sumatra, who are largely Protestant. The provinces of Java range from 5% Christian up to 12% in the capital Jakarta. In Kalimantan, there are substantial (25-35%) Christian populations (mostly Dayak people) in West, Central and East Kalimantan provinces, while in South Kalimantan the seafaring Banjar people are Muslims, and there is only a small (1-2%) Christian population.
Bali is 92% Hindu, with a few Muslim areas in eastern Bali, neighbouring West Nusa Tenggara province (the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa), which is 96% Muslim, with a minority Balinese Hindu population. In East Nusa Tenggara (dominated by the islands of Flores and Sumba, along with West Timor), over 90% of the population is Christian, with Flores almost entirely Catholic, with a greater dominance of Protestantism in Alor Island, West Timor and Sumba.
In North Sulawesi 65% of the population is Protestant (mostly Minahasa people, over 90% Protestant), with a 7% Catholic minority and most of the rest Muslims. Other provinces of Sulawesi are predominantly Muslim, but in smaller areas there are Christian majorities, notably Tana Toraja West Sulawesi, where 80% are Christian, plus parts of Central Sulawesi. Maluku is split 50/50 between Christian Protestants and Muslims. North Maluku has a 3 to 1 split between Muslims and Christians. Papua province and West Papua province both have Christian majorities.
Chinese Indonesians, in particular, have increasingly embraced Christianity. The 2000 census indicated that 35% of Chinese Indonesians designated themselves as Christian. However, the Chinese Indonesian population in general was probably undercounted. The percentage of Chinese Indonesians who belong to Christian churches continues to increase and may exceed 70 percent.
Read more about this topic: Christianity In Indonesia
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