Jakarta Faces Highest Inequality in Indonesia, Governor Warns of Growing Wealth Gap
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Despite improvements in key economic indicators, Jakarta continues to grapple with the highest level of income inequality in Indonesia, a situation Governor Pramono Anung describes as a “serious” challenge. Recent data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) confirms a widening gap between the city’s wealthiest and poorest residents, despite progress in areas like economic growth and unemployment.
Governor Pramono Anung first addressed the issue on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Jakarta City Hall, emphasizing the difficulty of lowering the Gini Ratio – a statistical measure of income distribution. “In the leadership that I lead, especially matters related to maintaining the principle that Jakarta’s problems, one of which is serious is the issue of the Gini Ratio or poverty,” he stated. He reiterated his concern on Sunday, December 13, 2025, acknowledging that the disparity remains stubbornly high.
Economic Progress Masks Deepening Inequality
The Governor noted that indicators such as economic growth, inflation, poverty rates, and unemployment have all shown positive trends. However, these improvements have not translated into a more equitable distribution of wealth. “Because almost all indications, whether it is economic growth, inflation, poverty, then also unemployment, have improved, but not the Gini Ratio,” he explained.
This disconnect, according to Pramono Anung, suggests a concentration of wealth within Jakarta. “Why? This means that there are a lot of rich people in Jakarta,” he said, expressing his hope that the issue can be addressed during his tenure. He emphasized his commitment to reducing the Gini Ratio, stating he consistently raises the issue at various events.
Jakarta’s Gini Ratio Tops the Nation
The BPS data, accessed via their official website bps.go.di, reveals a Gini Ratio of 0.441 for DKI Jakarta as of March 2025 – the highest among all 38 Indonesian provinces. This figure underscores the severity of the wealth gap within the capital city.
The Gini Ratio operates on a scale of 0 to 1, with 0 representing perfect equality and 1 indicating extreme inequality. A higher ratio signifies that a larger proportion of income is concentrated in the hands of a smaller segment of the population.
Here’s a comparison of the urban Gini Ratio across several Indonesian provinces as of March 2025:
- DKI Jakarta: 0.441
- DIYogyakarta: 0.434
- West Sulawesi: 0.434
- West Java: 0.426
- Bengkulu: 0.424
- West Nusa Tenggara: 0.397
- Central Java: 0.390
- Gorontalo: 0.389
- Kep. Riau: 0.383
- East Java: 0.383
- South Sulawesi: 0.373
- South Sumatra: 0.370
- Southeast Sulawesi: 0.359
- Bali: 0.352
- West Kalimantan: 0.348
- Riau: 0.345
- North Sulawesi: 0.343
- North Maluku: 0.340
- Bantam: 0.335
- Aceh: 0.329
- Jambi: 0.328
- South Papua: 0.326
- North Sumatra: 0.324
- Lampung: 0.319
- East Kalimantan: 0.316
- Papua: 0.314
- Central Kalimantan: 0.310
- West Sumatra: 0.307
- Central Sulawesi: 0.305
- South Kalimantan: 0.304
- Papua Mountains: 0.301
- East Nusa Tenggara: 0.280
- West Papua: 0.279
- Maluku: 0.276
- North Kalimantan: 0.262
- Southwest Papua: 0.251
- Kep. Bangka Belitung: 0.232
- Central Papua: 0.207
The stark contrast between Jakarta’s Gini Ratio and those of other provinces highlights the unique challenges facing the capital in achieving a more equitable society. Addressing this disparity will require comprehensive policies focused on wealth redistribution and economic empowerment for all residents.
