The correct answer is Jakarta. Indonesia's government announced plans several years ago to build an entirely new planned capital named Nusantara in East Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, primarily to relieve Jakarta of overcrowding, severe traffic congestion, chronic flooding, and the risk of land subsidence, since large parts of Jakarta are sinking below sea level. Construction of Nusantara began, and the government hoped to relocate the seat of government there in stages. However, in 2026 Indonesia's Constitutional Court confirmed that Jakarta continues to hold the legal status of the country's capital, and downgraded Nusantara's status to that of a 'political capital' pending further legislative action to formally change the constitutional designation. This ruling matters for exam purposes because it clarifies that, as of 2026, Jakarta remains the correct and legally recognized capital of Indonesia, even though Nusantara is being developed and partially functions as an administrative hub. Nusantara is incorrect because it has not yet acquired full constitutional capital status. Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city and a major port on Java, has never served as the national capital. Bandung, sometimes called the 'Paris of Java,' is known for hosting the 1955 Asian-African Conference but is likewise not a capital city. A common exam trap is assuming that because construction of Nusantara began and received heavy media coverage, it has already become Indonesia's capital — this is factually premature until the legal transition is fully completed. Students should remember the sequence: Jakarta remains capital in law → Nusantara is under construction as the intended future capital → the Constitutional Court's 2026 ruling reaffirmed Jakarta's status. Revision takeaway: Jakarta = current legal capital of Indonesia; Nusantara = planned future capital, not yet formalized.
