Banjar

Banjar – A small city with long-term prospects

Located on the border of West Java and Central Java, Banjar has undergone several status changes before becoming an independent city. Prior to the nation's independence, it served as a district capital from 1937 to 1940. Later, from 1941 to 1992, it functioned as the capital of a "Kewedanaan" (an administrative level below a regency but above a district). Due to developments in the province and regency, Banjar became an administrative city from 1992 until February 2003, before finally attaining independence. This transformation was largely driven by geographic, demographic, and social conditions that necessitated changes in the city’s status.

Despite its modest size, with a city territory of 131.97 square kilometers and a population of roughly 207,000 as of 2023, Banjar harbors serious ambitions of becoming an agropolitan area with a prosperous community, a clean environment, and corruption-free governance. The city’s current 2024-2026 plan aims to establish it as the province's safest city.

Banjar boasts its own tourism destinations. A must-visit site is the lakeside Situ Mustika area, nestled in a charming location amid a lush teak forest near the foot of Mt. Babakan. The lake features an island in its center, accessible to travelers via a suspension bridge.

Pajemban Valley, located approximately 4.5 kilometers from Banjar, offers panoramic green vistas from elevated vantage points. The city also features its own eco-park and a tranquil jogging area within Situ Leutik tourism park. For those inclined towards more physical activities, Mandalare Hanging Rock offers challenging mountain bike courses.

At the West Java Investment Summit (WJIS) 2023, local authorities underscored the city's commitment to welcoming investors, citing the city's collaboration with West Java on 11 different WJIS projects worth an estimated Rp 70 trillion for the entire province. Star hotels and trade center developments are among the lucrative investment opportunities that the city offers.

Banjar's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2023 reached Rp 5.25 trillion, an increase of Rp 317.27 billion compared to Rp 4.93 trillion in 2022. Based on the 2010 constant price, the GRDP also increased from Rp 3.52 trillion in 2022 to Rp 3.68 trillion in 2023. This represents an economic growth of 4.63 percent. Sectors contributing to the GRDP in 2023 were dominated by wholesale and retail trade, car and motorbike repairs at 25.04 percent, followed by agriculture, forestry, and fisheries at 13.29 percent, processing industry at 10.17 percent, and construction at 10.16 percent.