Nusantara, officially Nusantara Capital City (Indonesian: Ibu Kota Nusantara, abbreviated IKN), is a city under construction that, upon completion, is planned to be the capital city of Indonesia. It occupies land in the East Kalimantan regencies of Kutai Kartanegara and Penajam North Paser on the east coast of the island of Borneo. Nusantara is planned to be its own national capital region (Indonesian: daerah khusus ibu kota negara) at the provincial level, replacing Jakarta to save the city from overpopulation and land sinking. Nusantara is adjacent to the port city of Balikpapan, which serves as the main gateway to the new capital.
After being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction of the city began in 2022, starting with land clearing and creating access roads. The project is estimated to be worth Rp 523 trillion (US$35 billion) and will be built in five phases lasting until 2045, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Indonesia. Phase 1, known as the "Main Governmental Area" zone, started in August 2022. Around 150,000 to 200,000 workers from around Indonesia participated in this project with an additional workforce around the Nusantara region to ensure the participation of local workers.
