As a tropical country, the world’s largest archipelago and located in the ring of fire, Indonesia has a diverse set of characteristics and landscapes. Savanna fields, peatlands, wetlands, highlands, karts and small islands form the character of a social, economic and environmental order that complements the treasures of each region and gives Indonesia the emerald of the equator moniker.

Spices are one of the natural wealth produced from Indonesia’s diverse landscapes. Since the 5th century AD, spices from the archipelago have been traded globally via the silk route to the incense route for hundreds of years. When the Ottoman Empire closed the land route for the spice trade to Europe in 1453 AD, overland trade via the silk route and the incense route switched to maritime routes. The demand for spices like pepper, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon prompted European exploration of the archipelago.