By 1602, the Dutch had established its presence here and remained in Indonesia for the next 300 years. They began as trader but it was not long before they were rulers. During World War II, the Dutch were forced to hand over the administration of the islands to the Japanese who changed its name from Batavia to Jakarta. It was during this time that Indonesian nationalism began to grow. When the Japanese withdrew from the islands in 1954, Indonesia declared its independence and Sukarno became its first president. There were however increasing problems between the governing body and the Communist Party of Indonesia, which finally exploded in 1965 with an unsuccessful coup attempt. Suharto took over the presidency and Indonesia had years of progress and development until the East Asian Financial Crisis had a terrible effect on the country in 1997. By this time there was already a rising resentment for Suharto who was accused of being corrupt and he was forced to resign. Under the Reformasi era, Indonesia introduced a wide range of political reforms and mandates but advancement of these policies has been slow. Nevertheless, Indonesia has placed itself on the international map and has established itself as a world class tourist destination. | 
