Indonesia Celebrates Independence in Its Controversial New Capital for the First Time

Indonesia’s remarkable plan to reinvent not just a capital city but itself as a nation took another step forward over the weekend when the formal celebration of Indonesia’s independence took place in Nusantara, on the Indonesian side of Borneo Island. But the project, still in its first year, is already facing significant issues, including little interest so far from foreign investors, missed deadlines, disputes over land ownership, and claims of environmental degradation. The current capital, Jakarta, is home to 10 million people but is also the world’s fastest-sinking city. It sits on swampland and is bisected by 13 rivers, and frequent flooding is also a significant issue. Modelling by the Bandung Institute of Technology suggests that, by 2050, about 95 percent of North Jakarta will be submerged....