Jakarta is the economic, politic and cultural center of the Southeast Asian country Indonesia between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is not a new discovery, but, nonetheless, worth repeating since the government is discussing the relocation of its sinking and largest city of Indonesia – the capital of Indonesia – again. There is no need to explain in detail why it’s not an easy decision to move the fourth most populated city in the world with more than 10 million inhabitants. However, it’s urgent – and becoming increasingly relevant and important every day. It is time to act!
Jakarta is predicted to be unliveable by 2050
Everyone who has been in the north of Jakarta, probably noticed that the water is pressing into the city. This problem has not been caused solely by a rising sea level. Since 1970, Jakarta sunk around 4 meters. And the city continues to sink every year due to the enormous and increasing groundwater requirements from households and industry. The daily need for groundwater of this high populated metropolis results in a declining groundwater level, which, in turn, leads to sagging earth masses.
Sinking 17 cm (6.7 inches) Every Year
But as Indonesia can call itself the world’s largest island country with an area of more than 1.9 million square kilometers – consisting of more than seventeen thousand islands – apparently there are some reliable alternative locations to the fastest sinking capital in the world, Jakarta.