Urbanization Unveiled: A Tale of Indonesia's Evolving Landscape
Angga Yudhiyansyah
The world is rapidly urbanizing. According to the World Bank In 2010, over half of the world's population resided in urban regions, with that number continuing to climb. Indonesia is one of the many nations where urbanization has taken root. In fact, half of Indonesia's population lived in urban areas by 2010, a trend that continues to accelerate at a rapid pace. Among these urban areas is the bustling capital of Jakarta, where almost 10 million of the nation's 273 million inhabitants call home. As Indonesia's urbanization story unfolds, it raises questions about the future of its rural areas and the impact of this shift on Indonesian society as a whole.
source: World Bank 2023
Indonesia's urban population is expected to reach 56% by 2020, up from just 14% in 1960. More than 70% of the population is anticipated to reside in cities by 2045. Government expenditure on urban planning and infrastructure, however, has lagged behind, leading to a number of issues such as overcrowding, a lack of affordable housing, inefficient waste management, water contamination, traffic, and more.
Urban-Rural Population
Until the 1980s, both Indonesia's urban and rural populations increased gradually, with the rural population far outnumbering the urban. After 40 years of strong growth, urban population reached the majority for the first time in 2011, preceded and followed by a minor but continuous decline in the rural population. This tendency is expected to continue in the next decades.
source: World Bank 2023
Urban Aglomerations and Cities with the Largest Population
Indonesia has several large and rapidly growing cities, including Jakarta (the capital), Surabaya, Bandung, and Medan. This part tells the trend of the top 10 growing cities of Indonesia as the target of urbanization. This has created overcrowding in some provinces especially in the Java island.
source: World Bank 2023
From Disproportionate Population Density to Unequal Access to Urban Amenities and Facilties
Another challenge is the high population density, which puts more pressure on existing infrastructure. From 2000 to 2010, the urban population density in Indonesia increased from 7,400 to 9,400 people per square kilometer, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the region. Moreover, only 48% of households have access to safe water, and sewerage coverage exists in only 11 out of the country's 98 cities.