Indonesia's Development Index Improves, But West-East Divide Persists

The quality of human development in Indonesia continues to show a positive trend. In 2025, the Human Development Index (HDI) reached 75.90, an increase of 0.83 points from the previous year. This rise is driven by improvements in purchasing power as well as sustained enhancements in the education and health sectors. However, human development disparities in Indonesia remain evident when comparing Western Indonesia and Eastern Indonesia regions. While DKI Jakarta records an HDI of 85.05, placing it in the very high category, Papua Pegunungan still stands at 54.91. Human Development Index in Western Indonesia Provinces in Western Indonesia, encompassing Sumatra, Java, and Kalimantan, generally record high HDI levels. Even some areas have entered the very high category. DKI Jakarta leads with an HDI of 85.05, followed by DI Yogyakarta at 82.48 and Kepulauan Riau at 80.53. This condition reflects the accumulation of sustained human development investments, alongside the concentration of economic activities and high urbanisation levels in these regions. Additionally, on Java Island, nearly all provinces are in the 74-82 HDI range, indicating relatively consistent and even human development compared to other areas. Human Development Index in Eastern Indonesia In contrast to the west, Eastern Indonesia, covering Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua, still faces significant challenges. However, exceptions exist, such as Bali with an HDI of 79.37 and North Sulawesi at 76.32, which show fairly good performance. Overall, many provinces remain in the medium category, or even low. Provinces with low HDI are generally found in the new Autonomous Regions (DOB). This situation indicates the substantial challenges in improving human development in DOB areas. The sharpest gap is evident in Papua. Papua Pegunungan has an HDI of 54.19, Central Papua 60.64, and West Papua 68.48. The lag in Eastern Indonesia is heavily influenced by geographical factors, limited infrastructure, and minimal access to basic education and health services. Moreover, this disparity is also a result of development policies and investments that have historically been concentrated in the western regions.