Nusantara

Nusantara, officially Nusantara Capital City (Indonesian: Ibu Kota Negara Nusantara, abbreviated IKN Nusantara), is a city under construction that, upon completion, is planned to be the capital city of Indonesia. It occupies land in the East Kalimantan regencies of Penajam North Paser (where the Main Governmental Zone is being built) and Kutai Kartanegara on the east coast of the island of Borneo. Nusantara is planned to be its own national capital region (Indonesian: daerah khusus ibu kota negara) at the provincial level, replacing Jakarta to save the city from overpopulation and land sinking. Nusantara is adjacent to the port city of Balikpapan, which serves as the main gateway to the new capital. After being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, construction of the city began in 2022, starting with land clearing and creating access roads. The project is estimated to be worth Rp 523 trillion (US$35 billion) and will be built in five phases lasting until 2045, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Indonesia. Phase 1, known as the "Main Governmental Area" zone, started in August 2022. Around 150,000 to 200,000 workers from around Indonesia participated in this project with an additional workforce around the Nusantara region to ensure the participation of local workers. By the end of Joko Widodo's presidency, many buildings had been completed such as the State Palace, ministry offices, residential buildings, monuments and parks, as well as projects outside the government budget such as hotels, hospitals, and PSSI training centre. On 17 August 2024, Indonesia officially celebrated its Independence Day for the first time in Nusantara. Nusantara has attracted tourism, with daily visitors ranging between 3,000 and 5,000. The project continued during the presidency of Prabowo Subianto, who has allocated Rp 48.8 trillion (US$2.98 billion) for Phase 2 and has decided to include...