List of writing systems of Indonesia

The following is a list of writing systems that are used in Indonesia. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Script	Parent Script Derivation	Type	Script Variant	Status^	ISO 15924	Main Language	Sample
Latin script	Greek (16th century)	Alphabet	-	Active	Latn	Indonesian, all regional languages	Bahasa Indonesia
Ulu script	Kawi-Brahmic (17th century)	Abugida	Ulu/Rencong	Active	-	Malay, Bengkulu, Kerinci, Lampung, Rejang, Serawai, etc.
			Rejang	Active	Rjng	Rejang
			Lembak	Active	-	Lembak
			Lintang	Active	-	Lintang
			Lebong	Active	-	Lebong
			Serawai	Active	-	Serawai
			Pasemah	Active	-	Pasemah
			Lampung	Active	-	Lampung, Komering
			Ogan	Active	-	Ogan
			Incung	Active	-	Kerinci
			Toba Incung	Extinct	-	Batak Toba
			Jangang-Jangang	Extinct	Maka	Makassar
Batak script	Kawi-Brahmic (14th century)	Abugida	Karo	Active	Batk	Batak Karo
			Mandailing	Active	Batk	Batak Angkola, Batak Mandailing
			Pakpak	Active	Batk	Batak Pakpak, Batak Dairi
			Simalungun	Active	Batk	Batak Simalungun
			Toba	Active	Batk	Batak Toba
Lontara script	Kawi-Brahmic (17th century)	Abugida	Lontara	Active	Bugi	Buginese, Makassar, Mandar, Luwu
			Satera Jontal	Active	-	Sumbawa
			Mbojo	Active	-	Bimanese
			Lota Ende	Active	-	Ende
			Bilang-Bilang	Extinct	-	Buginese
			Bada/Badaic	Extinct	-	Badaic
Sundanese script	Kawi-Brahmic (20th century)	Abugida	-	Active	Sund	Sundanese
Javanese script	Kawi-Brahmic (16th century)	Abugida	-	Active	Java	Javanese, Cirebonese, Osing
Balinese script	Kawi-Brahmic (11th century)	Abugida	Balinese	Active	Bali	Balinese
			Sasak	Active	Bali	Sasak
Jawi script	Arabic (9th century)	Abjad	Jawi	Active	Arab	Malay, Aceh, Minangkabau, Banjarese, Ternate, Tidore, etc.
			Pegon	Active	Arab	Madurese
			Buri Wolio	Active	Arab	Wolio
			Serang	Active	Arab	Buginese, Makassarese
Cia-Cia	Hangul (21st century)	Featural	-	Active	Hang	Cia-Cia
Hanzi	Regular	Logogram	Traditional	Foreign	Hani	Chinese
			Simplified	Foreign	Hani	Chinese
			Kanji	Foreign	Hani	Japanese
Kana	Kanji-Hanzi	Syllabary	Hiragana	Foreign	Hira	Japanese
			Katakana	Foreign	Kana	Japanese
Arabic	Nabataean-Aramaic	Abjad	Arabic	Foreign	Arab	Arabic
			Persian	Foreign	Arab	Persian
Devanagari	Gupta-Brahmic	Abugida	-	Foreign	Deva	Hindi, Sanskrit
Tamil	Pallava-Brahmic	Abugida	-	Foreign	Taml	Tamil
Cyrillic	Greek	Alphabet	-	Foreign	Cyrl	Russian, Ukrainian
Kawi	Pallava-Brahmic (8th century)	Abugida	-	Extinct	Kawi	Old Balinese, Old Javanese, Old Sundanese, Old Malay, Sanskrit, etc.
Buda/Gunung	Kawi-Brahmic (14th century)	Abugida	-	Extinct	-	Old Javanese, Old Sundanese
Old Sundanese	Kawi-Brahmic (14th century)	Abugida	-	Extinct	-	Sundanese
Kaganga	Kawi-Brahmic (17th century)	Abugida	-	Extinct	-	Rejang
Iban/Dunging	Unknown (20th century)	Semisyllabary	-	Controversial	-	Iban
Malesung	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Minahasan
Nggahi Mbojo	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Bimanese
Minang/Tamboalam	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Minangkabau
Mongondow/Basahan	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Mongondow
Suwawa	Unknown	Alphabet	-	Controversial	-	Suwawa
Tidung	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Tidung
Mentawai	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Mentawai
Gayo	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Gayo
Palembang	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Palembang
Kanung	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Unknown
Sangir	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Sangir
Cirebon	Unknown	Unknown	-	Controversial	-	Cirebonese
Alifuru	Unknown	Alphabet	-	Controversial	-	Bahasa tanah (Moluccan languages)

^Status:

Active: writing systems that are still in use, managed, and actively taught in schools in Indonesia.

Foreign: writing systems that are not managed by the government of Indonesia, mainly used by the descendants of the respective ethnicities or by foreigners residing in Indonesia.

Extinct: writing systems that are extinct, no longer used regularly, or only used in special occasions, like, funeral (tombstone), poetry, rituals, etc.

Controversial: writing systems that are controversial, require more research, or are debated as to whether they were ever used historically.

References

Notes

1. "Aksara di Nusantara". Aksara di Nusantara. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
2. "Aksara Nusantara | Wiki eduNitas, Kumpulan Ensiklopedia". edunitas.com (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
3. "Menulis Tradisi: Aksara". Menulis Tradisi. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
4. "ScriptSource - Writing systems, computers and people". www.scriptsource.org. Retrieved 2025-02-09.