
Islam, Indonesia’s main religion
According to surveys, eighty percent of Indonesians adhere to Islam, making Indonesia the world’s largest Muslim population.
In the past, Hinduism and Buddhism reigned in the archipelago until the arrival of Islam in Sumatra. From there it gradually spread to other islands. Hindu kings thought they would benefit from converting to Islam in order to integrate the maritime trade network which was controlled by Muslim merchants travelling through the Malacca straight and the silk road.