# Indonesia's Nusantara capital relocation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/indonesias-nusantara-capital-relocation
> Updated: 2026-08-16T10:52:04.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 3.

Indonesia’s plans to move its capital from Jakarta to the purpose‑built city of Nusantara in East Kalimantan remain on schedule despite recent misinformation and growing environmental concerns. A late‑July fact‑check disproved a social‑media claim that President Prabowo Subianto opposed the move, confirming instead that his visit was to monitor progress and reaffirm the government’s target of operational readiness by 2028‑2029.

Reports highlight the accelerating subsidence of Jakarta, where parts of the north sink by up to 25 cm a year. This crisis is driven chiefly by excessive groundwater extraction, which destabilizes the clay‑sand layers beneath the city. Approximately 40% of the metropolis now sits below sea level, leaving coastal neighborhoods vulnerable to frequent flooding. Experts, including geologist Harry Andreas, suggest that even large sea walls may not solve the long‑term subsidence problem.

The sinking crisis reinforces the rationale for the $30 billion relocation project, which aims to ease Jakarta’s congestion and flood risk while creating a sustainable forest city. While construction began in 2022, state institutions have not yet relocated to the new site. The project's first phase is slated for completion by 2045, with a symbolic agency transfer originally scheduled for 17 August 2024.

## Claims

- The Greater Jakarta area has a population of nearly 42 million people. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Uncontrolled groundwater extraction is a significant cause of land subsidence in Jakarta. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Approximately 40% of Jakarta's metropolitan area is currently below sea level. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- In certain areas, the ground level is sinking by as much as 25 centimeters annually. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Indonesian government has launched a project to build a new capital, Nusantara, on Borneo. (single source)
- Construction on the new capital city began in 2022. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-16: Jakarta faces sinking crisis as 40% of city sits below sea level

Jakarta is sinking rapidly due to groundwater extraction and urbanization, with 40% of the city now below sea level. Indonesia is building a new capital, Nusantara, to address the crisis.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/jakarta-faces-sinking-crisis-as-40-of-city-sits-below-sea-level

### 2026-07-31: Jakarta sinking prompts Indonesia's $30 bn Nusantara new capital plan

Jakarta’s rapid subsidence from groundwater over‑use is driving Indonesia’s $30 bn plan to build a new capital, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan, with first phase due by 2045.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/jakarta-sinking-prompts-indonesias-30-bn-nusantara-new-capital-plan

### 2026-07-29: Indonesia’s New Capital IKN Remains on Track Amid False Prabowo Claim

Misinformation claiming Prabowo wants IKN as a TNI base is debunked; Indonesia proceeds with moving its capital to Nusantara, joining other nations planning new capitals.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/indonesias-new-capital-ikn-remains-on-track-amid-false-prabowo-claim

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Cite as: Indonesia's Nusantara capital relocation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/indonesias-nusantara-capital-relocation