Prabowo: Indonesia's Demographic Dividend Could Make Our Market as Large as Europe

Jakarta — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto says the Indonesian market could be much larger than Europe, thanks to a large population supported by a demographic dividend. ‘We have a demographic dividend that supports domestic consumption and a large domestic market. Our market could be as big as Europe, and our natural resources are abundant,’ Prabowo said during a Plenary Session of the House of Representatives at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. According to Prabowo, Indonesia also has many highly valuable commodities. ‘Our nickel, copper, palm oil, rare earths, and vast marine wealth are just some examples,’ he said. ‘Our land and water are vast. Every night tens of thousands of foreign-flagged ships take our wealth illegally and unlawfully. We must enforce our sovereignty in our own seas,’ he added. Indonesia’s demographic structure shows significant changes in recent years. The 2025 Inter-Census Population Survey (SUPAS) recorded Indonesia’s population at 284.67 million, with growth slowing. Amid the slowdown, the population is dominated by younger age groups, especially Gen Z and millennials, who form the backbone of the productive national population. This dominance of the productive age indicates Indonesia is still in the demographic dividend phase, with a working-age population far larger than the non-working-age population.