Capital of Indonesia

National Monument, the symbol of independence, at the center of Merdeka Square, Jakarta

The capital of Indonesia, officially the capital of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Ibukota Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia), is Jakarta,[1] one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Southeast Asia. However, since the enactment of the Special Region of Jakarta Act, Jakarta has lost its de jure status as capital of Indonesia,[2][3] and is currently in a transitional period due to the relocation of the capital to Nusantara.[4]

Jakarta, previously known as Batavia, was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies. In the early 20th century, the Dutch East Indies government attempted to relocate the capital from Batavia to Bandung.[5] During Indonesia's struggle for independence, the Indonesian government moved the capital to Yogyakarta and then to Bukittinggi, where it remained for a short time until the restoration of control to Jakarta.[6] In 2019, during his annual state of the union address at the parliament, President Joko Widodo announced a plan to relocate the capital to Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.[7] As part of the plan, part of Kutai Kartanegara Regency and Penajam North Paser Regency in East Kalimantan will be carved out to create a new province-level planned city, and the capital will be relocated to a more central location within Indonesia. On 17 January 2022, the name was revealed to be Nusantara.[8]

The plan is part of a strategy to reduce developmental inequality between Java and other islands in the Indonesian archipelago and to reduce Jakarta's burden as Indonesia's primary hub.[9][10][11] In August 2019, the government announced that while the capital will be moved, $40 billion will be spent on saving Jakarta from sinking in the next decade.[12]

On 5 June 2024, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said construction of the first phase of Nusantara was 80% complete and he would have an office there once clean water became available. The new capital is planned to be about twice the size of New York City. Officials say it will be a futuristic green city centered around forests and parks that utilize renewable energy sources and smart waste management.[13]

  1. ^ "Data" (PDF). www.dpr.go.id. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 August 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  2. ^ Mufarida, Binti (27 April 2024). "Presiden Jokowi Teken UU DKJ, Jakarta Tak Lagi Jadi Ibu Kota Negara". Okezone Nasional (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  3. ^ Mufarida, Binti (27 April 2024). "Jokowi Teken UU DKJ, Jakarta Tak Lagi Ibu Kota Negara". IDXchannel.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  4. ^ Mufarida, Binti (27 April 2024). "Jokowi Teken UU DKJ, Jakarta Segera Lepas Status Ibu Kota". iNews.ID (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  5. ^ Dino Fanara (2006). Angel of the East Indies: Biography of the Van Dooremolen Family. iUniverse. p. 55. ISBN 9780595860449.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kahin1999 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Jokowi formally proposes relocating Indonesian capital to Kalimantan". New Straits Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Head Of Bappenas Suharso: Name Of The Capital City Of The Archipelago". VOI - Waktunya Merevolusi Pemberitaan. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  9. ^ Kate Lyons (27 August 2019). "Why is Indonesia moving its capital city? Everything you need to know". The Guardian.
  10. ^ "Jokowi Proposes to Relocate Capital to Kalimantan Island". Tempo. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Indonesia picks Borneo island as site of new capital". BBC.
  12. ^ "Indonesia pledges $40 billion to modernise Jakarta ahead of new..." Reuters. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Indonesia's leader says 1st phase of new capital is 80% complete and he'll have an office there soon". AP News. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.