The Building of Nusantara

After years of planning and construction, Indonesia’s new capital city is set to be inaugurated on August 17, despite the fact that the site remains an active construction zone. The new city of Nusantara, on the island of Borneo, will replace Jakarta as the national capital, moving the seat of government about 800 miles away. The decades-long project covering hundreds of square miles will cost about $33 billion, according to estimates by the administration of Indonesian President Joko Widodo. The stated reasons for the move include alleviating overcrowding in Jakarta and moving the capital to a more central location within the Indonesian archipelago. The project has experienced many problems, including difficulty securing funding and criticism from advocacy groups concerned about the enormous impact on Indigenous communities and the environment. Gathered below are recent images of the ongoing construction in Nusantara. See also “Egypt’s New Capital-City Megaproject” from 2023.

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