Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo first touted the prospect of moving the country’s capital away from the packed streets of Jakarta in 2017. The search for a location began, with a site in East Kalimantan, part of Borneo, eventually being chosen.
The island of Borneo — which is also home to part of Malaysia and the entire state of Brunei — appealed for several reasons. The Kalimantan province has a total population of around 16.5 million, with just 3.8 million living in East Kalimantan. The location is also outside of the Ring of Fire, reducing the risk of disruption from earthquakes.
