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Indonesia Provinces by Population

Indonesia is divided into provinces with widely different population sizes. The largest concentrations of people are found on Java, where several of the country’s most populous provinces are located. West Java, East Java, Central Java, and North Sumatra are among the largest provinces by population.

According to the provincial census data compiled by City Population from Indonesia’s Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS), Indonesia had a population of 270,203,917 in the 2020 census. The same source provides historical provincial population figures from the 1990, 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2020 census or intercensal years.

Largest Provinces in Indonesia by Population

West Java

West Java is the most populous province in Indonesia according to the 2020 census, with 48,274,162 people. It is located on the western part of Java and includes a large number of densely populated urban and industrial areas.

The province surrounds the Jakarta metropolitan area and contains major cities such as Bandung, Bekasi, Bogor, Depok, and other rapidly growing urban centers.

West Java’s large population is associated with its extensive urbanization, industrial development, transportation networks, and proximity to Jakarta.

East Java

East Java ranked second with a population of 40,665,696 in the 2020 census.

The province occupies the eastern portion of Java and includes major urban centers such as Surabaya, Malang, Kediri, and other important cities.

Surabaya is the provincial capital and one of Indonesia’s largest cities. East Java also contains extensive agricultural areas and important manufacturing, commercial, and transportation activities.

Central Java

Central Java had 36,516,035 people in the 2020 census, making it Indonesia’s third-largest province by population.

The province is located between West Java and East Java. Semarang serves as its capital, while cities such as Surakarta and other urban centers contribute to its large population.

Central Java combines densely populated urban areas with agricultural regions and has long been one of the country’s major population centers.

North Sumatra

North Sumatra ranked fourth with 14,799,361 people.

Its capital, Medan, is one of Indonesia’s largest metropolitan centers and an important commercial hub in Sumatra.

The province contains extensive agricultural regions as well as major cities and transportation networks connecting northern Sumatra with other parts of Indonesia.

Banten

Banten had a population of 11,904,562 in the 2020 census.

Located on the western end of Java, Banten benefits from its proximity to Jakarta and its strategic position near the Sunda Strait.

The province contains major urban and industrial areas, including Tangerang and other rapidly developing communities.

Jakarta

Jakarta, listed separately as a provincial-level capital district in the source, had 10,562,088 people in the 2020 census.

Jakarta is Indonesia’s largest political, financial, commercial, and metropolitan center. Its high population density reflects decades of urban growth and economic development.

Provinces With More Than 10 Million People

Only six provincial-level areas in the supplied 2020 dataset had populations exceeding 10 million:

These six areas together account for a substantial share of Indonesia’s national population, with four of them located on Java.

Provinces With More Than 5 Million People

Several additional provinces had populations between five and ten million:

• South Sulawesi — 9,073,509

• Lampung — 9,007,848

• South Sumatra — 8,467,432

• Riau — 6,394,087

• West Sumatra — 5,534,472

• West Kalimantan — 5,414,390

• East Nusa Tenggara — 5,325,566

• West Nusa Tenggara — 5,320,092

• Aceh — 5,274,871

These provinces demonstrate that large population centers are not limited to Java. Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and the Lesser Sunda Islands also contain major population concentrations.

Smallest Provinces by Population

North Kalimantan had the smallest population among the provinces listed in the source’s 2020 census data, with 701,814 people.

Other provinces and provincial-level areas with relatively small populations included North Maluku, Gorontalo, West Papua, and Maluku.

The order above should be interpreted according to the population figures themselves; West Papua, for example, had 1,134,068 people and therefore ranks below West Sulawesi and Bangka Belitung when sorted strictly by population.

Population of Indonesia’s Provinces by Region

Indonesia’s population is distributed across several major island groups and geographic regions.

Java

Java contains the country’s largest population concentrations. The major provincial-level areas on Java in the source include West Java, Central Java, East Java, Banten, Jakarta, and Yogyakarta.

The island’s combination of fertile agricultural land, major cities, industrial centers, universities, transportation networks, and economic opportunities has contributed to its exceptionally high population density.

Sumatra

Sumatra is home to several populous provinces, including North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Lampung, Riau, West Sumatra, Aceh, Jambi, Bengkulu, and the Riau Islands.

North Sumatra is the largest population center on the island, followed by several provinces with populations exceeding five million.

Kalimantan

Indonesia’s portion of Borneo contains West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan.

West Kalimantan was the most populous of these provinces in the 2020 census, while North Kalimantan had the smallest population.

Sulawesi

Sulawesi contains several provinces with significant populations, including South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, and Gorontalo.

South Sulawesi was the largest population center on the island, with more than nine million residents in the 2020 census.

Lesser Sunda Islands

The main provinces represented in this group include Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara.

East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara each had more than five million people in the 2020 census, while Bali had more than four million.

Maluku Islands

Maluku and North Maluku are two major provincial areas in eastern Indonesia.

Maluku had 1,848,923 people, while North Maluku had 1,282,937 in the 2020 census.

Papua Region

The source’s 2020 provincial table includes Papua and West Papua.

Papua had 4,303,707 people, while West Papua had 1,134,068. These figures reflect the provincial boundaries used in the source’s census series.

Indonesia Population by Province: Historical Comparison

City Population provides historical census figures that make it possible to compare population growth across Indonesian provinces.

Source: City Population, compiled from Badan Pusat Statistik, Republik Indonesia. The complete provincial source table contains the historical figures for all listed provinces.

Population Growth Across Indonesian Provinces

Indonesia’s provincial population patterns have changed considerably over the decades.

West Java experienced particularly strong population growth, increasing from 35.38 million in 1990 to more than 48.27 million in 2020.

East Java increased from approximately 32.50 million to 40.67 million over the same period, while Central Java rose from approximately 28.52 million to 36.52 million.

North Sumatra also experienced substantial growth, increasing from approximately 10.26 million in 1990 to 14.80 million in 2020.

The historical data also show that population growth has not been uniform across Indonesia. Some provinces have experienced faster increases because of urbanization, migration, economic development, natural population growth, and changes in administrative boundaries.

Most Populous Province in Indonesia

West Java was the most populous province in Indonesia in the 2020 census, with 48,274,162 people. It was followed by East Java with 40,665,696 and Central Java with 36,516,035.

Least Populous Province in Indonesia

North Kalimantan was the least populous province in the source’s 2020 census table, with 701,814 people. Its relatively small population contrasts sharply with the highly populated provinces of Java.

Indonesia’s National Population

The source lists Indonesia’s total population at 270,203,917 in the 2020 census.

The historical national figures shown by City Population are:

The 2015 figures are identified by the source as results of an intermediate census, while the 2020 figures are from the national census.

Important Note About Indonesian Provinces

Indonesia’s administrative structure has changed over time. Therefore, historical population comparisons must take provincial boundaries into account.

The City Population page used for this ranking presents the provincial structure and census figures available in its dataset. It also identifies the source of the population statistics as Badan Pusat Statistik, Republik Indonesia.

For SEO purposes, the 2020 census should therefore be identified clearly when using this table rather than presenting these figures as current population estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most populous province in Indonesia?

West Java is the most populous province in the 2020 census data, with 48,274,162 people.

Which is the second-most populous province in Indonesia?

East Java is the second-most populous province, with 40,665,696 people in the 2020 census.

Which province has the smallest population in Indonesia?

North Kalimantan has the smallest population in the supplied 2020 provincial census data, with 701,814 people.

What is the population of West Java?

West Java had a population of 48,274,162 in the 2020 census.

What is the population of East Java?

East Java had 40,665,696 people in the 2020 census.

What is the population of Central Java?

Central Java had 36,516,035 people in the 2020 census.

What is the population of Jakarta?

Jakarta had 10,562,088 people in the 2020 census data listed by City Population.

Which Indonesian province has more than 14 million people?

North Sumatra had 14,799,361 people in the 2020 census.

How many Indonesian provinces had more than 10 million people in the 2020 data?

Six provincial-level areas exceeded 10 million people: West Java, East Java, Central Java, North Sumatra, Banten, and Jakarta.

Which province has the largest population on Sumatra?

North Sumatra had the largest population among the Sumatra provinces in the 2020 census, with 14,799,361 people.

Which province has the largest population on Kalimantan?

West Kalimantan had the largest population among the Indonesian provinces on Kalimantan, with 5,414,390 people in 2020.

Which province has the largest population on Sulawesi?

South Sulawesi was the most populous province on Sulawesi, with 9,073,509 people.

What was Indonesia’s population in 2020?

Indonesia’s population was 270,203,917 in the 2020 census according to the City Population dataset.

Key Takeaways

• West Java was Indonesia’s most populous province in the 2020 census.
• East Java ranked second, followed by Central Java.
• North Sumatra was the fourth-largest provincial population.
• Jakarta had more than 10.5 million people in the 2020 census.
• South Sulawesi was the most populous province in Sulawesi.
• West Kalimantan was the most populous Indonesian province on Kalimantan.
• North Kalimantan had the smallest population in the supplied 2020 provincial dataset.
• Indonesia had 270,203,917 people in the 2020 census.
• City Population identifies Badan Pusat Statistik, Republik Indonesia, as the underlying source for the provincial population figures.

Sources

• City Population – Indonesia: Urban Population of Cities and Provinces
• Badan Pusat Statistik – Statistics Indonesia