The Patterns of Indonesia's Urbanization, 1980-2007

Tommy Firman, Bandung Institute of Technology

This paper examines continuity and change in Indonesia's urbanization patterns over the period 1980-2007, using data mainly from the National Population Censuses 1980-2000 and from the Village Potential (PODES) 2006. Urbanization in Indonesia is still characterized by a heavy concentration of the urban population in a few big cities, most notably the Jakarta Metropolitan Region (Jabodetabek) and Greater Surabaya (Gerbangkertasusila). Urban spatial development in Java is shaping a corridor, which connect many of the large cities. The population on the fringes of large cities is growing rapidly, while in the inner cities it is increasing at a very low rate of growth. The small towns and intermediate cities on the outer islands, including Sumatera, Kalimantan Sulawesi and Papua, have a relatively higher population growth rate compared with those in Java, which might indicate that those towns and cities playing a more significant role in regional development.