What is the capital of Indonesia?
Jakarta lies on the northwest coast of Java at the mouth of the Ciliwung river; much of the low-lying city is prone to flooding and is subsiding as groundwater is extracted.
Jakarta is the capital and seat of government of Indonesia, a role it has held since 1945. Indonesia itself has an estimated population of 285,721,236 (2025).
Jakarta is also the largest city in Indonesia, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Jakarta at a glance
| City population | 11,010,514 (2025) |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan area | 41,900,000 (2025 estimate) |
| Country | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
| Capital since | 1945 |
| Largest city in Indonesia | Jakarta |
| Time zone | UTC+07:00 (WIB) |
| Currency | Indonesian rupiah (IDR) |
About Jakarta
Jakarta has been the capital of Indonesia since 1945, Jakarta has been Indonesia's capital since independence, though under a 2022 law the country is relocating its capital to a new planned city, Nusantara, in Kalimantan; Jakarta remains the capital until the transfer is formalised.
Jakarta is Indonesia's largest city, and Greater Jakarta is one of the most populous urban regions in the world.
Its vulnerability to flooding and rapid land subsidence is one of the reasons Indonesia is building the new capital, Nusantara, on the island of Borneo.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Jakarta.
Frequently asked questions
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Indonesia on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.