Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

My name's Ms. Harrison and I'm so excited to be learning with you today.

Grab everything you might need for today's lesson and let's begin our learning.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to describe how population growth has affected the pattern of spatial growth and changing urban functions and land use in Jakarta.

Before we can begin this learning we need to define the keywords that we'll be using throughout today's lesson.

The key words are megacity, green space and kampungs.

Megacity, this is city with a population of over 10 million people.

Green space, this is open land with vegetation such as parks, gardens, forests, or wetlands.

Kampungs, these are informal settlements in Indonesia, homes ae self-built, crowded together and may lack access to sanitation and electricity.

Now that we've defined these keywords, we can begin our learning.

The first question we are going to explore in today's lesson is, how has population growth shaped Jakarta's size? Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and has experienced rapid population growth over the past few decades.

This had a huge impact on both the shape and size of the city.

In 2025, Jakarta's population reached around 11.

6 million people.

That's a massive number and it's important to remember that this figure only includes the city itself, not the entire surrounding metropolitan area, which is even larger.

As a population has grown, the city has expanded outwards.

This process is called urban sprawl, where the city spreads into rural areas to make space for new housing, roads and businesses.

High population growth has also led to more people living in informal settlements in areas close to the centre where land is limited.

So overall Jakarta's rapid growth has reshaped the city physically changing where people live, how the land is used and the challenges the city faces.

What might attract people to a megacity like Jakarta? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's hear some answers.

One student said, Jakarta offers more access to jobs, education and healthcare, which attracts lots of people from rural areas.

Is that right? Yes, they're correct.

I hope you came up with a similar answer.

What was the population of Jakarta in 2025? Pause the video here was to attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C, 11.

6 million.

Well done.

Jakarta's population growth hasn't just meant more people.

It's also caused the city to spread outward significantly.

This outward growth is known as urban sprawl.

Back in 1970, the city had a radius of about 28 kilometres, but by 2020 this expanded to a radius of around 50 kilometres.

That's nearly double the distance from the city centre showing just how far the urban area has stretched.

Jakarta's built up area, that's the area covered by buildings, roads, and other infrastructure grew by 19% during that time.

This expansion has pushed far beyond the city's original boundaries and now includes nearby suburban areas like Bekasi and Depok These suburbs have become part of what's called Jakarta's metropolitan area.

And they play a key role in housing the growing population, but this growth also creates challenges such as traffic congestion, pollution and pressure on public services.

What type of land was clear to make space for this? Pause the video here was do you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's hear some answers.

Izzy said, "Mostly rice fields and green spaces." And she's correct.

I hope you came up with a similar answer.

True or false? Jakarta's built up error shrunk between 2000 and 2020.

Pause the video here wants you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press play to continue.

Fantastic, the reason why the statement is false is because Jakarta built up area expanded by 19%.

The radius of the city group from 29 kilometres in 1970 to 50 kilometres in 2020.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

Unlike some of the other megacities around the world, Jakarta hasn't grown vertically, meaning you don't see as many high rise buildings or skyscrapers.

Instead, the city has mostly grown horizontally, spreading outwards through the process called urban sprawl, and there are a few reasons for this.

First, much of Jakarta is built on soft, unstable land, which makes building tall structures more difficult and more expensive.

Second, the city faces serious flood risks, especially during the raining season, and this makes vertical construction risky and less appealing.

Third land on the outskirts of the city is often easier and cheaper to build on.

And finally, there's a lack of strong planning rules and enforcement, which means developers can often build wherever it's easiest, even if it's not the most sustainable option.

So what might be a disadvantage of urban sprawl? Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic, one big problem is that urban sprawl can lead to increase traffic congestion.

As people have to travel longer distances to get to work or school.

It also puts more pressure on services like transport, water and energy systems and it can lead to the loss of valuable green spaces and farmland.

Sprawling cities also often struggle to provide public services like waste collection, healthcare and education across such a wide area.

Well done if you managing come up with some of similar answers.

Jakarta's vertical expansion has been? Pause the video here whilst you complete the sentence and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C, slower than outward growth.

Well done.

If you identified that correctly.

As Jakarta's city has become overcrowded, much of the new growth has spread into suburbs and nearby towns, but different parts of the city have grown in different ways.

In West Jakarta, the land is in short supply, so housing tends to be very dense.

Many people live in kampungs which are informal settlements with tightly packed housing and limited infrastructure.

In contrast, south Jakarta has a lower population density.

It's known for wealthier neighbourhoods and gated communities where people have larger homes and more space.

In North Jakarta, the population is very high density, especially around the Tanjung Priok port.

PRI port a key area for trade and shipping.

This attracts many workers and leads to crowded housing.

Central Jakarta is mainly focused from businesses and government.

It has lots of offices, shopping centres and administrative buildings, so fewer people live there compared to other areas.

So while the city has grown, it hasn't grown in the same way everywhere.

It depends on land availability, income levels and what the areas used for.

How might population pressure cause Jakarta to expand outwards? Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's hear some answers.

Aisha said, "As more people move to Jakarta, the city centre probably got overcrowded and expensive, so housing and shops often start spreading where land is cheaper, is that right?" Yes, Aisha is correct.

And Andeep said, "Since there is not enough room in central Jakarta and they don't have high rise apartment blocks, then perhaps houses spread out along roads and railways?" And he's also correct.

Well done.

If you came up with similar answers.

One of the key reasons Jakarta has expanded so far outwards is because of better transport.

Let's look at how it links to urban sprawl.

New transport routes like commuter trains and major roads now connect out towns directly to central Jakarta.

And this makes it much easier for people to live far away and still travelling to the city for work or school.

In the suburbs, land is cheaper so people can afford bigger homes or better living conditions by living 30 to 40 kilometres away from the city centre.

As a result, many people commute daily from towns like Bekasi which are shown on the map.

These towns have become popular places to live even though they're far from the central business areas.

So why do so many people live so far away from the city centre? Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

There are a few main reasons.

Housing is in the city centre is often too expensive or too crowded.

Suburban areas offer more space, lower costs, and often at better quality of life.

And with improved transport, people can still easily reach the city for work, even if it means a longer daily commute.

So in short, people are trading off distance for affordability and space, which drives the spread of Jakarta outwards.

How has improved transport contributed to urban sprawl in Jakarta? Pause the video here was to attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C.

It has allowed more people to commute longer distances.

Well done on this task.

True or false? Jakarta's city centre is crowded, so new development has expanded into outer suburbs in nearby towns.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is true.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause here and press play to continue.

Excellent, the reason why the statement is true is because Central Jakarta is focused on business, not housing, so there is little room for people to live.

West Jakarta is already crowded with dense kampungs and North Jakarta is full around the port.

That is why new growth has spread to Eastern and South Jakarta where there is more space.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

you've done brilliantly.

Alex has written an answer to why is Jakarta expanding outward.

I would like you to correct his mistakes.

Pause the video here was to attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

Let's check our answers.

Alex said, "Jakarta has grown taller." You might have said Jakarta has expanded horizontally, not vertically, and the city's radius grew from 28 kilometres to 50 kilometres between 1970 and 2020.

Alex said, "Built loads of flats in South Jakarta 'cause it's where most people work." You might have said Central Jakarta is the business district, not south.

South Jakarta has low density, wealthy gated communities.

Alex said, "The city has not changed much." You might have said Jakarta's changed significantly.

The built up area increased by 19% between 2000 and 2020.

Alex said, "People are moving to farmland in the city because this land is cheaper than the centre." You might have said rice fields have been cleared on the edges of Jakarta, not the centre to build housing and industrial estates.

Alex said, "It didn't include a link to transport or commuting." You might have said improvements in transport links have enabled people to commute from areas like Bogor and Bekasi, supporting sprawl.

Well done on this task, you've done brilliantly and I hope you managed to include some of those points in your answer.

We're now going to explore our second question of today's lesson.

How has growth changed land use and functions? As Jakarta has grown rapidly so has the demand for land.

One major impact of this has been the conversion of rural land, especially farmland into urban areas like housing, roads and industry.

Between 1980 and 2002, around 25% of land in and around Jakarta changed from rural use to urban use.

We can see this clearly in satellite images.

In 1976, most of the area around Jakarta is still red showing rural or farmland areas.

By 1989, you can see much more green, showing the cities expanding and urban areas spreading.

In 2004, the green area has grown even more, replacing even more red farmland with urban development.

This is a classic example of urban sprawl where cities spread outward into the countryside to meet the demands of a growing population.

A question you might have is, would this change affect flooding and food supply in Jakarta? And the answer is yes.

Replacing farmland with urban surfaces like concrete reduces natural drainage.

This means rainwater can't soak into the ground leading to increased surface runoff and a high risk of flooding, especially in low lying flood prone city like Jakarta.

At the same time, converting farmland to urban areas means there is less land to grow food locally.

This can reduce the city's food supply, increase dependence on imports and make food more expensive or less accessible for some people.

As Jakarta's population keeps growing, the city needs more space not just for people to live, but also for shops, roads, and workspaces.

That's why much of the new development is happening in the suburbs, especially in Western and East Jakarta.

In West Jakarta, the urban areas increased by around 22%.

A lot of this land has been used for homes, shops, and roads.

In East Jakarta, the growth is even greater.

With 30% increase in urban areas, the land is now being used for homes and industry.

As businesses and factories move out of the crowded city centre.

This shift shows how Jakarta has continued to expand outward turning what used to be rural or empty land into urban space to support its growing population and economy.

Why do you think more land in the suburbs is being used? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, more land in the suburbs is being used because the city centre is already full and overcrowded with little space left to build.

Land in the suburbs is cheaper, making it more affordable for housing and business development.

Transport links have improved, making it easy for people to commute from outer areas.

Developers and industries prefer suburbs because they can build on larger buildings and roads more easily.

There is also less government control in suburban areas, so building is often quicker and easier.

All of these reasons contribute to the spread of urban sprawl around Jakarta.

What is the difference between the land use changes in East Jakarta and West Jakarta between 2000 and 2020? Pause the video here was to attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C.

East Jakarta grew by 30% and added more homes and industry.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

As land in Jakarta becomes more expensive, especially in the city centre, developers are finding new ways to make space by reclaiming land from the sea.

Let's look at the data first.

In central Jakarta, land prices have increased from 500 pound per square metre in 2000, to 3,250 pounds by 2025, that's a massive 550% increase.

Even in outer Jakarta, prices have risen sharply from 150 pounds to 1,600 pounds per square metre over the same period.

Because of this, developers are turning to reclaimed land.

Land created by filling in parts of the sea to build luxury homes, shopping malls, offices, and even private schools.

One example is P1K2, a large modern waterfront development built on reclaimed gland in Jakarta's Bay.

The satellite images show how land was created between 2019 and 2025 and it's now filled with villas and commercial buildings.

and this trend shows how Jakarta is adapting to limited space and rising land values by literally creating new land to expand.

True or false, P1K2 is a luxury housing development built in central Jakarta in 2020 on old farmland.

Pause the video here whilst to attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is false.

I would like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press play to continue.

Fantastic, the reason why it's false is because P1K2 is a new luxury development built in 2023 on reclaimed land in Jakarta's Bay.

Instead of reusing farmland or inner city space, it shows how Jakarta is expanding into new areas to meet growing demand for high-end homes, malls and private schools.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly, you've done brilliantly.

As Jakarta continues to grow and the land becomes more expensive, housing prices are rising sharply and this makes it very difficult for poorer communities to afford formal housing in planned areas.

As a result, many people are forced to live in kampungs.

These are informal settlements.

Kampungs often lack access to clean water and proper sanitation.

Are built without official permission or planning.

Are located in dangerous areas such as river banks or low lying land that are prone to flooding.

Although kampungs offer a place to live close to work, they're usually overcrowded, have poor infrastructure and are high risk during natural disasters like floods.

This shows how rapid urban growth can lead to deep inequalities in housing and living conditions within the city.

What happens to poor communities when the land kampungs are built on become valuable? Well, let's take a look.

In Jakarta, kampungs are often built without official permission.

Because of this, they're considered illegal and can be demolished if developers or the government want to use the land for new projects.

This happened in Kampung Bayum, which was located near the port.

In 2020, it was demolished to make space for the new Jakarta international stadium, which we can see clearly on the satellite images comparing 2019 and 2025.

Although residents were promised new housing, many are still waiting for it years later.

This highlights a major issue.

While development can bring new buildings and infrastructure, it can also displace poorer communities, often leaving them with uncertain futures.

The demolition of kampungs like Bayum, raises important questions about fairness, planning and housing rights in rapidly growing cities like Jakarta.

Lauren and Jacob are discussing why kampungs are demolished in Jakarta.

I would like you to decide who is correct.

Pause here and press play to continue.

Excellent.

Laura is correct.

I would like you to explain why.

Pause here and press play to continue.

Fantastic, the reason why Laura is right is because kampung residents are forced out as they have no legal rights to the land they have built on.

At kampung Bayum, homes are cleared for a stadium and many people are still waiting for promised replacement housing.

Well done if you explained that correctly, you've done brilliantly.

As Jakarta has continued to expand, one of the most serious consequences has been the loss of green space.

Between 2000 and 2020, the city lost an estimated 30% of its green areas, cleared to make way for new housing, industry and commercial developments.

Let's take a closer look at how this has affected different parts of the city.

In East Jakarta, productive farmland has been replaced with factories and major roads, especially in fast growing areas like Bekasi City, where 29.

3% of green space vanished.

In South Jakarta, open land has been swallowed up by exclusive gated communities contributing to 31.

7% reduction in green space.

An area once known for its leafy low-rise character.

The most dramatic changes taking place in West Jakarta, where traditional rice fields have been cleared to build shopping malls and housing estates.

This area has seen a staggering 39% loss of green space in just two decades.

This rapid transformation of the landscape is a clear sign of urban sprawl, but also brings serious challenges.

As green space disappears, so do vital natural functions like flood control, food production, and air purification.

Jakarta's growth has come at a cost, not just to the environment, but to the long-term sustainability of the city itself.

Between 2000 and 2002, which parts of Jakarta lost the most green space? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, the answer is B, West Jakarta.

Due to rice fields being replaced with malls and housing.

Well done if you answered that correctly.

As Jakarta keeps growing, keeping up with the demand for infrastructure and services has become a major challenge for the city.

Rapid urbanisation has led to several serious problems. Traffic jams are common due to the huge rise in cars and motorbike use, but limited road space, flooding continues to be a major risk especially during the raining season.

As drains are often blocked and green space areas that used to absorb water have been lost.

Air and water pollution have increased as more people and factories put pressure in the environment.

And access to sanitation and clean water is still limited in many areas, even though Jakarta is modernising in some places, the city's infrastructure can't always keep up with the pace of expansion.

Why might these problems be worse in poorer areas? Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, these problems are often worse in poor areas for several reasons.

Poorer neighbourhoods like kampung are often unplanned and informal, meaning they were built without proper roads, drainage systems or sanitation networks.

These areas are more likely to be built on low lying flood pone land 'cause it's cheaper and less desirable to developers.

Residents may not have the money or political influence to demand better services, so problems like blocked drains, waste buildup and polluted water often go unfixed.

There's often overcrowding, which puts even more pressure on the limited infrastructure that does exist.

In short, inequality in the city means that poorer areas are hit the hardest when services fall short.

As Jakarta continues to grow, the decision made today about land use will have a huge impact on what the city looks like in the future.

From where people live to how the environment is protected.

So what is being planned? The government and city planners are aiming to create more green spaces and parks and flood prone buffer zones.

There's also a push for a high rise apartment buildings to reduce urban sprawl and use land more efficiently.

New transport hubs are being developed to better connect suburbs with the city centre and reduce traffic congestion.

But Jakarta also faces serious future challenges such as sea level rise, which threatens to flood parts of the city, especially the north.

Number of kampungs increasing as affordable housing remains limited and has continued pressure on farmland, which is being lost in urban development, putting food supplies at risk.

The choice made now will determine whether Jakarta becomes a more sustainable and inclusive city or one that struggles under the weight of its own growth.

What should Jakarta protect or build more in the future? Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, Jakarta should aim to protect and build a balance of both people focused and environmental focused infrastructure.

It should protect remaining green spaces and invest in creating new ones to help reduce flooding, lower pollution and improve quality of life.

The city also needs to build more affordable high rise buildings to give people and kampungs a safer, cleaner places to live without expanding into farmland.

And transport hubs should also continue to be developed to reduce traffic and connect more people to jobs and services.

Most importantly, Jakarta must plan with climate change and equality in mind, protecting both the environment and its most vulnerable communities.

True or false? Jakarta expansion and changing land use have improved public services like sanitation and pollution control.

Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press pay to continue.

Fantastic, the reason why it's false is because, as Jakarta expands, more land is used for housing, industry and roads, but infrastructure is not always kept up.

This has caused an increased problems like traffic congestion, poor sanitation, flooding, and pollution, especially in areas with rapid development or informal housing.

Well done If you explained that correctly, you've done brilliantly.

I would now like you to decide whether each of the statements below is true or false.

Pause the video here wants to attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, before we check our answers, I would like you to complete one more task.

I would like you to describe two ways that land use has changed in Jakarta between 2000 and 2020.

Explain how this has affected the environment or local communities.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

For the first task, I asked you to decide whether each of the statements was either true or false.

P1K2 was built on old farmland in South Jakarta.

It's false.

Green space in West Jakarta's decreased by over 30%, is true.

Kampung Bayum was replaced by Jakarta international stadium, is true.

Most new developments in East Jakarta are industrial, is true.

And better transport has caused more people to move to central Jakarta, is false.

Well done on this.

I hope you managed to answer those correctly.

For the second question, your answer might include some of the following points.

Between 2000 and 2020, land use in Jakarta changed significantly.

One major change was the loss of green space.

About 30% of Jakarta's green areas were cleared to make room for housing, industry and businesses.

In West Jakarta, rice fields were replaced with shopping malls and residential buildings.

While in East Jakarta, farmland was used for new roads and factories, especially around Bekasi City.

These changes have made serious effects.

Environmentally, the removal of green space has made flooding worse because natural land that absorbed rainfall was replaced with concrete.

This means that water runs off more quickly increasing the flood risk.

For local communities, especially poorer ones, the changes have been disruptive.

Kampungs, informal settlements have been demolished when land becomes valuable.

For example, Kampung Bayum was cleared in 2020 to build Jakarta International Stadium.

Although residents were promised new housing, many are still waiting and have been left without secure homes.

Well done on this task.

I hope you manage to include some of those points in your answer.

We've now come to the end of our learning on effects of population growth, on spatial growth functions and land use.

Before we end this lesson, let's summarise everything we've learn today.

Jakarta's rapidly growing population has caused the city to expand outwards leading to significant urban sprawl.

Between 2000 and 2020, the area covered by buildings and roads increased by 19%.

As more people moved into the suburbs.

This growth has been supported by new roads and railway lines, making it easy for people to commute from areas further away.

As a result, more housing, malls and offices have been built on the city's edge, but this expansion has put heavy pressure on transport networks, water supplies, and public services which often can't keep up.

The increasing demand for land has caused property prices to rise sharply, especially in central areas.

Many people can no longer afford formal housing and are being pushed into kampungs.

Informal settlements that often lack basic services like clean water, sanitation, and electricity.

These areas are usually built in flood prone or low lying zones, putting people at serious risk.

Jakarta's also lost over 30% of its green space in just two decades.

In West Jakarta, rice fields have been replaced by shopping malls and housing.

In the south, open land has been cleared for gated communities.

And in the east, farmland has made way for factories and roads.

This loss of green space increases the risks of flooding, pollution, and food shortages.

Jakarta's future depends on careful planning.

The city must balance the need for development with environmental protection and affordable housing, or the problems caused by rapid growth will only get worse.

Well done on today's lesson, you've done brilliantly.

And I look forward to landing with you again very soon.