Province

East Kalimantan

East Kalimantan, future center of governance

East Kalimantan, situated on the eastern coast of Borneo, is a province known for its diverse natural and cultural heritage. With a total area of 129,000 square kilometers, the province is home to a population of 4.91 million people as of 2023, with the majority identifying as Muslims.

Influenced by centuries of migration, trade, and indigenous customs, East Kalimantan is a cultural melting pot inhabited by numerous ethnic groups, each with its own language, customs, and rituals. Among these ethnic groups are the Daya, Kutai, and Bugis people. Notably, the Dayak people offer insights into Borneo’s ancient past through their traditional longhouses, wood carvings, and spiritual beliefs. Conversely, the Kutai people provide insights into the region's marine heritage, given their historical significance as one of Indonesia's oldest kingdoms. In addition, the province's cuisine, architecture, and cultural practices reflect centuries of cross-cultural interaction, influenced notably by Bugis traders and settlers.

East Kalimantan’s capital, Samarinda, is home to notable locations such as the Mulawarman Museum, which displays relics spanning the region’s prehistoric, colonial, and modern eras. Additionally, Tenggarong's Kutai Sultanate Palace, with its ancient relics and traditional architecture, provides a glimpse into the kingdom's royal past.

Apart from its cultural heritage, East Kalimantan is well-known for its natural diversity, encompassing vast rainforests, rivers, wetlands, and diverse fauna. The province is home to one of Indonesia's largest protected areas, the Kutai National Park, which harbors a variety of plant and animal species, including clouded leopards, sun bears, and orangutans. Moreover, East Kalimantan hosts the Mahakaman River, the province’s longest river, which serves as a vital resource for irrigation, transportation, and fishing, sustaining surrounding villages.

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Economic development

In terms of its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), East Kalimantan has been dependent on the mining sector, accounting for Rp 227 trillion (43.19 percent) in 2023 and Rp 235 trillion (53.18 percent) in 2022 of that respective year’s GRDP, followed by the processing industry sector with Rp 104 trillion (17.73 percent) in 2023 and Rp 99 trillion (15.04 percent) in 2022.

This positive economic growth is closely tied to the success of the provincial authority in attracting investments into the province, which amounted to Rp 71.89 trillion in 2023, surpassing the initial target of Rp 64.5 trillion. Out of this total figure, foreign investment contributed up to Rp 19.72 trillion (27.43 percent), while domestic investment reached Rp 52.17 trillion (72.57 percent).

Subsequently, the influx of investment in 2023 propelled the province into the top four provinces for domestic investment, following Jakarta, West Java, and East Java, while it ranked tenth in terms of foreign investment destinations.

Notably, East Kalimantan is home to the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), poised to become Indonesia’s new capital city. Currently undergoing development, the IKN has initiated various construction projects, thereby contributing to the province’s construction sector. One such project includes state-owned energy company PT Pertamina’s Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP). Additionally, the IKN’s development has contributed to the electricity and gas procurement sector, as well as the monetary and insurance services sector in East Kalimantan.

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Latest News

February 12, 2025

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated during a bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java Province on Feb. 12, 2025 that Türkiye wants Turkish infrastructure companies to be involved in the Nusantara Capital City development project.

"We are also committed to participating in the IKN project by involving our world-class construction companies," he said in a joint statement.

Indonesia and Türkiye have signed 12 cooperation agreements at the meeting in the fields of religion and education, energy and mineral resources, technology and higher education, health and medicine, defense industry, trade, investment, industrial cooperation committee, agriculture, television broadcasting institutions, radio broadcasting institutions, as well as news agency cooperation agreements.

Erdogan views the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in various fields as important to Türkiye. Meanwhile, Prabowo was honored to welcome Erdogan and his delegation because it coincided with the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-Türkiye diplomatic relations. Prabowo said Indonesia and Türkiye have a spiritual and emotional relationship that has existed for hundreds of years during the Ottoman Empire. 

"Today, President Erdogan and I are holding the first high level strategic [cooperation] council (HLSCC) meeting. This is the highest bilateral relationship mechanism between both countries," he said.

Prabowo said that Indonesia and Türkiye have agreed to increase trade between the two countries and accelerate the finalization of the Indonesia-Türkiye Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

In the meantime, the fate of IKN's development has been increasingly unclear after its budget was blocked amid state budget cuts. The issue arose after Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said that no budget had been realized for the new capital city project in 2025. He is currently overseeing the finalizing of the PU Ministry's budget, which was cut to Rp29.57 trillion due to efficiency instructions from Prabowo.

"The budget [for infrastructure] is all blocked," said Dody when met at the Republic of Indonesia Parliament Complex after a meeting with Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Commission V on Feb. 6, 2024. "The progress is to buy lunch for the Minister," he joked.

When contacted on Feb, 6, 2025, IKN Spokesperson Troy Pantouw tatedthat the construction of IKN will continue continuing. He said that the IKN Authority would continue to carry out construction according to Prabowo's direction.

"This (the issue of IKN being stopped by Prabowo) is not true. According to the President's direction, focus on completing the construction of legislative and judicial offices along with their supporting ecosystems," he said.

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