> The island of Bali is part of which country?And the answer: Indonesia. Bali is an Indonesian island known for its natural beauty, from volcanicmountains, thick forests, and rice paddies to beaches and coral reefs. More thanfour million people live on Bali, which is the province of Indonesia with thelargest Hindu population.Image: GoogleMapsThough now known worldwide as a popular vacation destination,Bali has a long and colorful history dating back to the 7th century BCE.Hinduism spread and flourished in the islands at the time that Indian tradersarrived, as well as simultaneously beginning years of competing rule betweenIndonesia, India, Java, and European powers. In fact, it wasn't until 1960 thatan international airport opened on the main island and Bali began to gainrecognition for its independent cultural contributions. Since then, the islandshave grown to depend on tourism, with over 80% of its economy coming from theindustry.Photo credit: © CEphoto.Bali is an actively volcanic island, complete with twovolcanoes. Mount Agung and Mount Batur are responsible for several black sandbeaches and hold a special place in island culture. In fact, Mount Agung isconsidered the most sacred spot on the island. Gunung Agung, as it is known,last erupted in November 2018, and still makes its presence felt with occasionalexpulsions of gas and ash. The Balinese believe that Mount Agung is a replica ofMount Meru, the central axis of the universe. Standing at over 10,000 feet, itis the highest point on the island.Bali is also famous for its rich arts heritage. The island is filled with aplethora of traditional forms of dance and crafts found nowhere else in theworld. There are over 20,000 Hindu temples in Bali known as pura, each with aspecific function and rituality for the Balinese calendar year of 250 days.There are also specific ceremonies held for nearly every life occasion — birth,death, weddings, and other occasions enjoy special and unique celebration yearround. Learn more about the timeline and history of Bali here[https://bali.com/bali-travel-guide/culture-religion-traditions/balinese-history/].