The Eastern Islands of Indonesia: An Overview of Development Needs and Potential

Abstract

The Eastern region of Indonesia covers a land area that represents more than 68 per cent of the country, but includes only 20 per cent of the national population. The Eastern region exhibits enormous diversity in climate, soils, topography, vegetation, resource potential, population density, culture, and indigenous languages, to the extent that it is extremely difficult to make meaningful generalizations. Moreover, in a study such as this, it is impossible to cover comprehensively all sectors and issues in a geographical area so vast. This study thus should be considered only as a preliminary assessment, and its conclusions tentative. The Eastern region of Indonesia has enormous resource potential in its forests, hydrocarbon and mineral resources, and fishing grounds. However, the nature of much of this potential |*>scs the problem of exploitation in a manner that is sustainable and that minimizes resource depletion. Translating a commitment to sustainability into practical reality is frustrated by the country’s demographic imbalances and the acute population pressures of certain areas, the size and geographical dispersion of its forests, the need to search for additional agricultural land, the continuing quest for increased output and non-oil productive options, the desire to raise incomes, and the need to reduce poverty. Accommodating these pressures and overcoming the problems faced by the Government in controlling resource exploitation constitutes the main developmental challenge of the region, rather than increasing regional output per se.