Before and after satellite photos show a new city emerging in an area of the jungle.
These jungles located in eastern Borneo have changed rapidly in the last two years as construction of Indonesia's new capital city, called Nusantara, continues. The satellite images shared by the NASA Earth Observatory show how the jungle has developed since 2022.
In a photo dated April 26, 2022, there is nothing more than a green landscape in the jungle, which is near Balikpapan Bay in Eastern Kalimantan.
In a photo dated February 19 this year, however, a city has emerged out from the greenery.
Indonesia's decision to build an entirely new capital city is down to several problems facing the current capital, Jakarta, according to government officials.
There are 30 million people now living in the capital, and all suffer from frequent flooding, air pollution, a shortage of drinking water, and traffic, the NASA Earth Observatory reported.
There are also concerns over how quickly Jakarta is sinking. The excessive population of the capital, as well as an excess of urban development in the area, have meant that the soil of the city cannot cope. This is causing it to sink further down. The area is also very prone to earthquakes, as it sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire. These can subsequently cause soil compaction, which worsens the issue.
Groundwater withdrawals have also contributed to its rapid sinking of about 6 inches per year, according to the NASA Earth Observatory. In fact, 40 percent of the city is now below sea level, making the need for a new city urgent.
The construction of this new city began in July 2022.
In photos dated this year, a network of roads can be seen carved into the existing forest, the NASA Earth Observatory reports. Government buildings are also being constructed. It is expected that 500,000 people will make up the initial population when the city is finished, according to the website dedicated to the project.
The region is currently home to many forest and palm plantations, which has caused some concern among animal welfare groups. Some are concerned that the construction of the city will greatly disrupt the forests and the wildlife that live there, such as monkeys and Irrawaddy dolphins, which live in the coastal waters around the area.
However, current project plans state the area will be sustainable and powered with renewable energy. Plans also claim that 75 percent of the city will be forested.
Although these images show a drastic difference in the land, the city is not even close to being finished. Government officials expect it to take until 2045 to finish.
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Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
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