The administrative structure of Indonesia presently comprises thirty-eight (38) administrative divisions: 35 provinces (provinsi), two special regions (daerah istimewa) – Aceh and Yogyakarta, and one capital district (daerah khusus ibukota) – Jakarta.
Options and plans are now under consideration, dramatically altering how Bali and the Nusa Tenggara are administered and changing the number of provinces to 38.
Bali and Nusa Tenggara currently encompasses three provinces: Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara. Proposals have been put forth that, if officially ratified, would create four new provinces for the Republic, expanding the current three provinces to seven.
A moratorium on adding new provinces to the Indonesian Republic is now in force. Therefore, lifting the moratorium and changing the rules will be complicated.
Presuming the legal framework can be implemented, the nomination and selection of new Indonesian provinces will be carefully made.
Below are four regions proposed to be named as new Indonesian provinces in Nusa Tenggara and Bali.
1. Sumba Sabu Raijua Province
This proposed new province will embrace five regencies (kabupaten): Sumba Barat Daya, Sumba Barat, Sumba Tengah, Sumba Timur, and Saburai Jua.
Other possible additional regencies may be added from East Sumba, including Sumba Timur Jaya, Sumba Selatan, and Pahungalodu.
The proposed new province would embrace 924,950 people, according to the June 2023 population census. It has been tentatively suggested that the capital of the new province would be at Waingapu, East Sumba.
2. Province of Flores
This candidate to become a new Indonesian province covers nine regencies: Manggarai Barat, Manggarai, Manggarai Timur, Ngada, Nagekeo, Ende, Sika, Flores Timur, and Lembata. This province could potentially include the cities of Maumere and the Regency of Adonara.
The population of this new province is estimated at 2.27 million people.
The possible capital city of the new province is Maumere.
3. Province of Timor Barat (West Timor)
If accepted and ratified, the Province of Timor Barat will include the Regencies of Belu, Malaka, Timur Tengah Utara, Timur Tengah Selatan, and two new regencies – Amanatun and the City of Atambua. The new province would share a common foreign border with Timor Leste.
Timor Barat would host an estimated population of 1.17 million.
4. Province of Sumbawa
The Province of Sumbawa would include the Regencies of Sumbawa Barat, Dompu, Bima, and the City of Bima. The projected population for the new Province of Sumbawa is 1.63 million, and the provincial capital would be Bima.
If Indonesia’s list of provinces is expanded, Nusa Tenggara and Bali will undergo significant transformations and become home to seven provinces.
Before a new province can be formed, a financial and administrative audit must be undertaken to ensure the proposed administrative provinces are financially viable and sustainable.
Creating the proposed remapping of Indonesian provinces aims to accelerate economic development.
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Nusa Tenggara Barat on Wikipedia
East Nusa Tenggara on Wikipedia
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