Photo of people walking through a flooded street

Residents wade through floodwaters in Muara Baru, one of Jakarta’s most vulnerable coastal neighborhoods.

Donal Husni/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

STANDARDS

Common Core: RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.2, RH.6-8.4, RH.6-8.7, WHST.6-8.4, RI.6-8.1,RI.6-8.2, RI.6-8.4, RI.6-8.7, W.6-8.4, SL.6-8.1

NCSS: Time, Continuity, and Change • People, Places, and Environments • Power, Authority, and Governance • Production, Distribution, and Consumption

GEOGRAPHY

This City Is Sinking

Indonesia’s booming capital of Jakarta is losing ground, causing near-constant flooding as a result. The government has a plan to save the city—by leaving it for a new capital.

April 2023

By Brooke Ross

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

When floodwaters surge through Jakarta, Indonesia, people are often left with several feet of water in their homes. Like many residents, Saifullah sends his family to higher ground. Then he sets to work draining his house using a bucket.

“It’s a normal thing here,” Saifullah, who goes by one name, told reporters. “But this is our home.”

Saifullah is one of about 10.5 million residents of Jakarta, Indonesia’s bustling capital. The megacity on the island of Java is home to some of Indonesia’s largest businesses and has about as many skyscrapers as Chicago, Illinois.

Flooding has long been an issue in Jakarta. Thirteen rivers run through the Southeast Asian city, and they often overflow, particularly during Indonesia’s rainy season. Rising sea levels caused by climate change also pose a threat.

But the city has an even more pressing problem: It is sinking.

“It’s a normal thing here,” Saifullah told reporters. He goes by one name. “But this is our home.”

Saifullah is one of about 10.5 million residents of Jakarta, Indonesia’s bustling capital. The megacity is on the island of Java. It is home to some of Indonesia’s largest businesses. It has about as many skyscrapers as Chicago, Illinois.

Flooding has long been an issue in Jakarta. Thirteen rivers run through the Southeast Asian city. They often overflow, especially during Indonesia’s rainy season. Rising sea levels caused by climate change also pose a threat.

But the city has an even more pressing problem: It is sinking.

City in Crisis

As Jakarta’s population has boomed, its public water system has not been able to keep up. That has led to the main reason Jakarta is sinking: groundwater extraction. Today only about 30 percent of the city gets its water from government pipes. Millions of residents are left to pump their own water by drilling holes into the earth.

“Everyone’s digging their own well to get water from the ground,” says Edvin Aldrian, a scientist based in the city.

The over-pumping has caused the soil to compact and collapse over time. As a result, parts of Jakarta are sinking at a rate of 2 or more inches a year. That is a life-threatening emergency made worse by sea level rise and frequent flooding. Experts warn that a quarter of Jakarta could be underwater by 2050.

Jakarta’s population has boomed. And its public water system has not been able to keep up. That has led to the main reason Jakarta is sinking: groundwater extraction. Today only about 30 percent of the city gets its water from government pipes. Millions of residents are left to pump their own water by drilling holes into the earth.

“Everyone’s digging their own well to get water from the ground,” says Edvin Aldrian. He is a scientist based in the city.

The over-pumping has caused the soil to compact and collapse over time. As a result, parts of Jakarta are sinking at a rate of 2 or more inches a year. That is a life-threatening emergency. And it is made worse by sea level rise and frequent flooding. Experts warn that a quarter of Jakarta could be underwater by 2050.

A New Capital

Officials say the key to saving Jakarta is to resettle millions of its residents, starting with the country’s government. Reducing the population, they say, would help ease the strain on the capital’s resources.

They’re building a new capital city, called Nusantara. The site is located deep in the rainforest of the nearby island of Borneo. Critics of the plan say building the city will require cutting down vast sections of rainforest that help protect the planet from climate change.

Officials say the key to saving Jakarta is to resettle millions of its residents. This would start with the country’s government. Reducing the population, they say, would help ease the strain on the capital’s resources.

They are building a new capital city. It is called Nusantara. The site is located deep in the rainforest of the nearby island of Borneo. Critics of the plan say building the city will require cutting down vast sections of rainforest. Rainforests help protect the planet from climate change.

Still, construction of the city began this past summer. Crews are building basic infrastructure, including roads and schools. The government hopes to start moving its employees there as early as next year.

Nusantara is expected to be complete by 2045. Officials plan to have created millions of jobs there by then. Opportunities for work could convince many of Jakarta’s residents to move, they say.

Relocating a country’s capital has been done before. In 1960, Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to the new city of Brasília. Still, the process can be slow and costly. Building Nusantara is projected to total $34 billion. Plus, experts say, there is no guarantee it will help save the current capital.

“Maybe this will solve Jakarta’s problems,” Aldrian says. “Or maybe it’s only escaping from the problem.”

Nusantara is expected to be complete by 2045. Officials plan to have created millions of jobs there by then. They say opportunities for work could convince many of Jakarta’s residents to move.

Relocating a country’s capital has been done before. In 1960, Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to the new city of Brasília. But the process can be slow and costly. Building Nusantara is projected to total $34 billion. Plus, experts say, there is no guarantee it will help save the current capital.

“Maybe this will solve Jakarta’s problems,” Aldrian says. “Or maybe it’s only escaping from the problem.”

Hope for Jakarta?

In the meantime, Indonesia’s government says it’s looking into ways to supply piped water to all of Jakarta by 2030. There’s also a project underway to extend a coastal wall that protects at-risk neighborhoods from rising sea levels.

Many people in Jakarta are hopeful that such efforts will make a difference. Some, like Aldrian, have no plans to leave.

“I will stay in Jakarta,” he says. “I was born here.”

In the meantime, Indonesia’s government says it is looking into ways to supply piped water to all of Jakarta by 2030. There is also a project underway to extend a coastal wall that protects at-risk neighborhoods from rising sea levels.

Many people in Jakarta hope that such efforts will make a difference. Some, like Aldrian, have no plans to leave.

“I will stay in Jakarta,” he says. “I was born here.”

UNDERSTANDING

Scale Maps

The maps below show the islands of Indonesia at two different scales. The main map is a small-scale map. The landmasses on it appear small because the map is zoomed out to show a large area of Earth. Small-scale maps are useful for showing huge regions, such as many countries or entire continents.

The inset map is a large-scale map. It is zoomed in on Indonesia. Large-scale maps are useful for showing an area in more detail, including towns or even streets and parks.

Identifying Indonesia

Indonesia is an island chain known as an archipelago. More than 17,000 islands make up the Southeast Asian country. These maps show Indonesia at two different scales. Use them and the Understanding Scale Maps sidebar to answer the questions.