Paper 3: Geographical Exploration

Resource booklet (written for this paper; data are illustrative): Indonesia — growth, hazards and a new capital. Indonesia is an emerging country of over 17,000 islands and about 280 million people. Jakarta, the capital, has over 10 million people; parts of the city are sinking up to 25 cm a year because groundwater is over-pumped, and around 40% of the city lies below sea level. The government is building a new capital, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, at an estimated cost of US$32 billion. Supporters say it will reduce pressure on Jakarta and spread development beyond Java. Critics say it will clear rainforest that is home to orangutans and to Indigenous communities. Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has around 130 active volcanoes. GNI per head has risen from about US$1,000 in 2003 to about US$4,600 in 2022; around 9% of the population live below the national poverty line. Using the resource, give two reasons why Jakarta faces a flooding problem.

Calculate the percentage increase in Indonesia's GNI per head between 2003 and 2022.

Explain why Indonesia experiences frequent tectonic hazards.

Suggest why development in Indonesia is uneven between islands.

Identify two threats to the rainforest in East Kalimantan.

Explain how building Nusantara could affect Indigenous communities.

Explain how Indonesia's rainforest provides goods and services.

Explain how urbanisation in Jakarta has contributed to land subsidence.

Explain the challenges of living in a megacity such as Jakarta.

Explain how Indonesia could reduce the impacts of tectonic hazards.

Indonesia's government is choosing how to spend its development budget. Option 1: complete Nusantara as planned. Option 2: invest in Jakarta (sea wall, piped water to end groundwater pumping, public transport) and pause Nusantara. Option 3: fund small-scale projects across the outer islands (schools, clinics, solar mini-grids). Choose the option you think is most sustainable. Justify your decision using the resource and your own knowledge. [18 marks + 3 SPaG]