Jakarta, July 2, 2010 (ANTARA) - Indonesia, the world`s largest archipelagic
state, is now estimated to have a total population of over 237 million,
according to latest data of the the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).
The data was collected from the just-concluded 2010 population census, which was carried out nation-wide in May 2010.
The latest population figure keeps Indonesia in the fourth rank of
the world`s most populous countries, after China (1,338,410,000), India
1,182,867,000, and the US (309,636,000), according to data from the
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
According to the UN figure, China`s population constitutes 19.59
percent of the world`s 6 billion population, India`s 17.32 percent,
the US`s 4.43 percent and Indonesia`s 3.43 percent.
Indonesia`s total area covers 1,904,569 sq km (or no. 16 in
width in the world), comprising 1,811,569 sq km of land area and
93,000 sq km or water area. The country has 17,508 islands of which
only 6,000 are inhabited. The nation`s five big islands are Papua,
Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Java.
Announcing the census` temporary findings, BPS Chairman Rusman
Heriawan confirmed here Thursday (July 1) that the census has covered
100 percent of the Indonesian population as well as foreign nationals
living in Indonesia.
He, however, admitted that there were some difficulties in
collecting data from apartment residents since not all of them,
especially those in Jakarta, were willing to receive census takers.
For their data, the census personnel partly asked information from the apartments` management officers.
The BPS on its website monitored recently said the just-ended
2010 census counted the members of 65 million households throughout the
country.
The census was carried out by about 600,000 field officers
recruited in the respective localities to ensure their familiarity with
the conditions of their working areas.
They recorded among other things information on individual
family members, the conditions of their housing facilities and
buildings, and the characteristics of households.
The census also aims at evaluating the achievements in efforts to realize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Based on the census, the BPS has recorded that the number of males in Indonesia`s population surpasses that of females.
"The balance is quite slim, but there are more men than women
in the country," the BPS chairman said without giving exact figures.
East Kalimantan Province has more males than females, he said.
Meanwhile, the contrary was found in West Sumatra Province which has
more women than men, he said, adding that apparently the province`s men
preferred to move to somewhere else to work.
Furthermore, the BPS revealed that about 64.23 percent of poor people in Indonesia were found in villages.
"In the March 2009 - March 2010 period the number of urban poor
declined by 810,000 to 11.1 million while those in villages declined by
690,000 to 19.93 million," BPS chief Rusman Heriwan said.
He said that in 2009, the number of poor people in Indonesia
was recorded at 32.53 million, most of whom, namely 63.38 percent, lived
in villages and 64.65 percent (32.53 million) earned a living in the
agricultural sector.
Rusman said that the problem with poor people was not merely
about their number or percentage but also how serious their poverty was.
Besides reducing the number of poor people, the government was
also trying to improve the nature and depth of their poverty, he said.
He said that in the March 2009 - March 2010 period, the depth
and nature of the poverty indice experienced a decline. The poverty
depth index dropped from 2.5 in March 2009 to 2.21 in March 2010. In the
meantime, the poverty nature index also dropped from 0.68 to 0.58 in
the same period, he said.
According to the BPS data, Indonesia`s population in 1971 was
119,208,229, in 1980 147,490,298, in 1990 179,378,946, in 1995
194,754,808, and in 2000 206,264,595.
The country`s population growth rate during the period of
1971-1980 was 2.31 percent. And thanks to the successful family planning
program, particularly in 1980-1990, the population growth rate declined
to 1.98 percent, and in 1990-2000 it went down further to 1.49
percent.
Of the total population in 2000, 121 million people or 60.1 percent
lived on Java Island, making it the country`s most crowded island with
an average density of 103 people per km2.
Jakarta, the capital city, which is located on western Java island, alone has about nine to ten million inhabitants.
Speaking at the opening of a Family Planning National Working
Meeting in February 2009, Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare
Aburizal Bakrie said the pace of population growth in Indonesia had
reached an alarming level.
The minister said if the government failed to do something about
the population growth rate, the country would face a runaway population
boom in the next 10 to 15 years.
Meanwhile, National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN)
chief Sugiri Sjarief admitted the past five years had seen a stagnation
in family planning programs.
Indonesia`s population will boom and reach 255 million in 2015
missing the target of 237.8 million if it grows at its present rate, a
family planning official said .
"If support to the family planning program remains as it is now, the
country`s population may swell to 330 million by 2050 or far beyond the
target of 255 million," the head of the National Family Planning
Coordinating Board (BKKBN), Dr Sugiri Syarief said on the sidelines of
the commemoration of World Contraception Day.
BKKBN Chief Sugiri Syarief said his office has set a target of achieving new 7.1 million Family Planning users this year.
Seen the economic perspectives, Vice President Boediono said early
this year that the family planning program plays an important role in
boosting national development and economic growth,
"The family planning program continues to play an important role in
preventing a population explosion," Boediono said when officially
opening the National Congress of Population Development and Family
Planning Program 2010.
If Indonesia failed in implementing the Family Planning program,
the country could face a population explosion which later would trigger
social problems, he said.
***3***
(t. F001/A/HAJM/16:20/a014)
(T.F001/A/F001/A/A014) 02-07-2010 17:38:46
Daerah : Jakarta (JKT)
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