Why Indonesia Is Building A Brand New Capital City (It's A Disaster!)

Summary

Indonesia is grappling with a sinking capital, Jakarta, due to overpopulation, poor infrastructure, and environmental challenges. In response, the country has embarked on a bold project to build a new capital, Nentara, in Borneo. Despite its promises of sustainability and centrality, the project faces logistical, environmental, and political hurdles, including deforestation and concerns about its exorbitant costs. While Jakarta remains the heart of Indonesia's economy and culture, the future of Nentara is uncertain, with doubts about its viability as a functional capital city. The project stands as a cautionary tale about the limits of symbolic geography.

Takeaways

• 😀 Indonesia is the fourth-largest country in the world, with its capital, Jakarta, being the second-largest metro region on Earth with over 32 million people.
• 🌍 Jakarta faces severe geographic challenges, including being built on a low-lying coastal plain prone to flooding, sinking, and climate change effects.
• 🌋 Indonesia's geography is dominated by volcanic activity, which has shaped both its landscape and its historical development.
• 🚶‍♂️ Jakarta's rapid population growth, driven by rural-to-urban migration, has put immense strain on its infrastructure and environment.
• 💧 Unregulated groundwater extraction in Jakarta has led to the city sinking at a rate of 10 to 20 cm per year, with projections indicating significant portions of the city could be underwater by 2050.
• 🌧 Jakarta faces yearly floods due to inadequate drainage, clogged canals, and worsening seasonal monsoons, further exacerbated by climate change.
• ⚡ Jakarta’s pollution, traffic, and overcrowding have made it one of the least livable capitals in the world, despite its importance as the political and economic heart of Indonesia.
• 🏙 In response to Jakarta’s challenges, the Indonesian government announced plans to build a new capital, Nentara, on the island of Borneo in 2019.
• 🌱 The new city, Nentara, is envisioned as a sustainable, green city powered by renewable energy, but its construction faces significant logistical, environmental, and social challenges.
• 💰 The cost of building Nentara has ballooned to over $30 billion, and despite plans to fund it through private investments, delays, and skepticism about its success persist.
• 🇮🇩 Despite the vision for Nentara, Jakarta remains the economic and cultural core of Indonesia, making the full relocation of government functions unlikely in the near future.

Q & A

Why is Jakarta facing a major crisis?

Jakarta is sinking due to its low-lying coastal position, with parts of the city sitting below sea level. Rapid urbanization, illegal groundwater drilling, inadequate drainage systems, and rising sea levels have exacerbated flooding and sinking issues, putting the city's future in jeopardy.

What are some geographical challenges that Indonesia faces?

Indonesia's geography is highly fragmented, consisting of over 17,000 islands. This creates challenges in governance, infrastructure, transportation, and national cohesion. The country also faces volcanic and seismic activities, as it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, and its tropical climate brings regular monsoons and flooding.

Why is Jakarta particularly vulnerable to flooding?

Jakarta's vulnerability to flooding is due to its low-lying, marshy coastal geography. The city's rapid urban growth has led to overcrowding, illegal groundwater drilling, and a poor drainage system, all of which contribute to frequent flooding, worsened by climate change and rising sea levels.

What are the environmental and social consequences of building a new capital in Borneo?

Building the new capital, Nentara, in Borneo has caused significant deforestation, threatening local wildlife and the habitat of endangered species like orangutans. Additionally, indigenous communities have expressed concerns about being displaced and excluded from decision-making processes. The move has also led to the importation of labor rather than employing locals, which raises questions about the project's social impact.

How much is the cost of building the new capital in Borneo, and what challenges does this pose?

The cost of building the new capital, Nentara, has ballooned to over $30 billion, with estimates likely to rise due to delays and inflation. The government has promised private investments, but many investors are hesitant due to the project's uncertain return. This, combined with missed deadlines and incomplete construction, raises doubts about the city's future viability.

What role does Jakarta currently play in Indonesia despite the plan to move the capital?

Jakarta remains the economic and cultural heart of Indonesia, housing millions of jobs, institutions, and infrastructure. While Nentara is being developed as the new government seat, Jakarta continues to function as the core for financial and industrial activities, and no concrete plans are in place to move these operations in the near future.

What makes Nentara's development similar to other capital relocations around the world?

Like other capital relocations, such as Brasilia in Brazil and Abuja in Nigeria, Nentara is part of a broader vision to symbolize modernization and national unity. However, the success of such projects has been mixed, with some capitals struggling with inequality, accessibility, and lack of organic growth.

What are the main criticisms of the Nentara project?

Critics argue that Nentara is a politically driven project that neglects local concerns, including environmental degradation and displacement of indigenous communities. The high cost and slow progress, combined with a lack of widespread investment and doubts about the city's future functionality, have led to skepticism about its long-term success.

What was the symbolic reason behind moving the capital from Jakarta to Nentara?

The move was intended to symbolize a more balanced and forward-looking Indonesia, reducing the dominance of Java and Jakarta, which has long been overcrowded and facing severe infrastructure and environmental problems. Nentara was designed to be a sustainable city with a focus on renewable energy and efficient urban planning.

What is the current status of Nentara as a capital city?

Nentara is still in its early stages of development. While some government functions have been moved to the city, Jakarta remains the primary location for most national and economic activities. The city's population is still under 500,000, far from the size required to function as a full-fledged capital.