Nusantara: Indonesia builds a new capital

Indonesia has a new capital city deep in the lush forests of Borneo. Nusantara will soon replace Jakarta, a city built by the Dutch in the 17th century with a population of over 30 million. The new capital could not be more different: it is planned as a forest city with 75 per cent of the land set aside to provide access for wildlife; pedestrian walkways to encourage walking; and a commitment to green energy and transport from the start.

Nusantara’ s architects and planners, all of them Indonesian, have set out a dream of a global city that over the next two decades will grow to house a population of four million. The ambition is a city that represents the diversity of Indonesia and balances economic development across the archipelago.

Purpose-built capitals have a poor record of achieving their ambitions. Nusantara could become a model for Indonesia and the region or, another utopian vision fallen flat. Will the remoteness of Nusantara cut Indonesians off from the leaders at a time when their quality of democracy is in decline? As the world’ s largest Muslim country and the third largest democracy, it is a question that matters beyond its shores.