was it under any colonial rule?
Yes. Dutch Rule
Indonesia
In 1602, the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and became the dominant European power for almost 200 years. The VOC was dissolved in 1800 following bankruptcy, and the Netherlands established the Dutch East Indies as a nationalised colony.

For most of the colonial period, Dutch control over the archipelago was tenuous. Dutch forces were engaged continuously in quelling rebellions both on and off Java. 
we would expect what with low pressure in the northern hemisphere Large polar cyclones what is this aforesaid area? It is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. what is this last mentioned thing? It is a specific case of a planetary equator. It is about long, of which 78.8% lies across water and 21.3% over land. where did it take its name from? From medieval Latin word "aequator" where is its exact location? It is not truly fixed; the true equatorial plane is perpendicular to the Earth's rotation axis, which drifts about during a year. what are some places and countries is crosses? Indonesia where is this place? It is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian and Pacific oceans
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Indonesia [SEP] Colonial era
The influence of local leaders such as Prince Diponegoro in central Java, Imam Bonjol in central Sumatra, Pattimura in Maluku, and bloody 30-year war in Aceh weakened the Dutch and tied up the colonial military forces. Only in the early 20th century did their dominance extend to what was to become Indonesia's current boundaries. The Japanese invasion and subsequent occupation during World War II ended Dutch rule and encouraged the previously suppressed independence movement. Two days after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta, influential nationalist leaders, proclaimed Indonesian independence and were appointed president and vice-president respectively.