Indonesia Has the Second Highest Rate of Urban Slum Population Growth in Southeast Asia

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) reported that in 2018, 30.6% of Indonesia's urban population lived in slums, informal settlements, or inadequate housing. This proportion increased by 7.6 percentage points from 23% in 2010.

This increase was the second highest in Southeast Asia. Myanmar experienced the highest increase, with 56.1% of its urban population residing in slums in 2020, a 15.1 percentage point increase from 41% in 2010. The Philippines saw a 2 percentage point increase, from 40.9% in 2010 to 42.9% in 2018.

Other countries experienced decreases between 2010 and 2018. Vietnam saw the largest decrease, 21.4 percentage points, from 35.2% in 2010 to 13.8%. Laos followed with the next highest decrease of 10.3 percentage points to 21.1%, and Cambodia with a 10 percentage point decrease to 45.1%.

Urban slums are a problem in many cities worldwide. The Directorate General of Cipta Karya, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, explains that if the growth of slum settlements is left unchecked, the quality of life for the poor will remain low.

For example, this situation can lead to fires, crime, disruption of social norms, irregular land use, and frequent flooding, ultimately resulting in further environmental degradation.