Indonesia constitutes the fourth biggest
country regarding its population number. Big the population causes various
problems in the national development. These problems may be either quantitative
or qualitative. The quantitative problems are seen in the big number and growth
of the population growth, the uneven population density and distribution, and
the expansive population composition. These qualitative problems are seen in the
poor health and education of the population.
Big population actually forms a
basic asset in the national development if supported by adequate human
resources. In Indonesia,
most of the human resources are not adequate; therefore, the fields of
education and health need to be improved. Based on these, all of you have to
study hard, be willing to work hard, be honest, and exercise regularly so that
you can be qualified individuals. If you
are qualified, the available natural resources in Indonesia can be wisely managed by
ourselves to improve the people’s prosperity in general.
A. POPULATION PROBLEMS
Why does the population in Indonesia
always change from time to time? This is
due to births, deaths and people’s migration. If the birth-rate is bigger than
the number of death-rate, the population will increase. What if the number of
the birth-rate is smaller than the death-rate? Migration will also affect
population in an area. If the number of people entering an area is bigger than
those leaving it, the number of people in the area will increase. If the number
of people leaving an area is bigger than those coming in it, the population of
the area will of course decrease. Population problems are not only related to
the problems of population growth, but also the problems of the population density
and distribution, composition and quality.
1. Population
Growth
The population in Indonesia
increases from year to year. Take a look
at the increasing number of population in Indonesia from 1961 to 2009 in the
following table.
Table 2.1
The Population Growth in Indonesia
1961 –
2009
Year
|
Number
(Thousand)
|
Growth
(%)
|
1961
|
97,010
|
2.13
|
1971
|
119,183
|
2.08
|
1980
|
147,490
|
2.32
|
1990
|
178,631
|
1.98
|
2000
|
203,456
|
1.70
|
2007
|
231,627
|
1.2
|
2009
|
243,300
|
1.5
|
Source: BPS and ESCAP Population Data Sheet, 2007-2009
In Table 2.1, it is clear that the population
in Indonesia
keeps increasing from year to year. In 1961 the population in Indonesia was 97,010 millions, whereas
in 2009 it reached 243,3 millions. Thus, within 48 years the population
increased as many as 146 millions. The rate of the population growth before 1990 was still high (> 2%), while after 1990 the decrease
was up to < 2%. Nowadays the population growth is about1.5%. The population
growth in Indonesia
is classified as moderate. The population
growth in the developed countries is < 1% and that of some underdeveloped
countries is > 2%.
Why does the population in Indonesia
keep increasing? Do you know how to count the population of a certain country? The population growth can be divided into natural and total
ones. The natural population growth only
accounts for the number of births and
deaths, while the total population growth accounts for the number of births,
deaths, immigration, and emigration.
a. 
Natural Population Growth
Natural Population Growth
|
Pc = the population calculated
P0 = the population early in
the year of calculation
B = the number of births
D = the number of deaths
b. Total Population
Growth
|
Pc = the population
calculated
P0
= the population early in the year of calculation
B
= the number of births
D = the number of
deaths
I = the number of immigration
E = the
number of emigration
When you pay attention to the
calculation of the total population number, it is clear that the population
growth is affected by births, deaths, emigration, and immigration factors. The factors increasing the population are
births, and immigration, whereas those decreasing the population are deaths and
emigration. The influence of emigration and immigration on the population
growth in Indonesia
is very little. The main influencing
factor is the number of births which is bigger than the number of deaths.
a. Birth-Rate
Birth rate is the rate of the
increasing number of children in a certain period. In 2009
the birth rate was 21. It means that in every 1,000 people there were 21 babies
born. The birth-rate in Indonesia
is categorized as moderate. The
birth-rate can be calculated as follows:
|
CBR = Crude Birth
Rate
B = the number of births in a certain year
P
= the
number of population in the middle of the year
C = constant
(1,000)
Notes :
The birth-rate which is more than 30 is
classified as high.
The birth-rate which is between 20 and 30 is
classified as moderate.
The birth-rate which is less than 20 is
classified as low.
Example:
The
population in Indonesia
in the middle of 1980 was 147,000,000, the birth-rate was 4,998,000. What is
the CBR?
CBR =
4,998,000 / 147,000,000 x 1,000 = 34, meaning that in every 1,000 people in a
year there were 34 babies born alive.
c. Migration
The movement of people to settle in
one place from another is called migration. The movement from one region to
another within a country is called local migration, whereas the movement from
one country to another is called international migration. When someone leaves a
country, he is called to emigrate, and the country where he moves into calls it
immigration.
The role of
emigration and immigration in the population growth in Indonesia is relatively small, so
that the population growth is dominantly caused by the number of births which
is bigger than that of deaths.
The migration in Indonesia
of which intensity is high is local migration. For example, the number of
people moving from Java to other places outside Java is bigger than that of
those moving into Java, which is relatively small.
2. Population Density and Population in
Indonesia
Do you know
what population density is? It is the number of people per unit of area. For
example, the population density is 500/km2. The population number in Indonesia
in 2009 reached 243.3 millions with the population density ranging
approximately 130/km2. Indonesia
is not very densely populated but the population is not widely distributed so
that some areas have high population density while some others are least
densely populated. Look at the table of
the population density in the Indonesian islands below.
Table 2.2.
The Population Density in the Indonesian Islands
No
|
Island
|
Width
Km2
|
Population Density
Per-km2
|
||
1990
|
2000
|
2005
|
|||
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
|
Sumatra
Java
Bali
NTT
Borneo
Sulawesi
Mollucas
Papua
Indonesia
|
473,606
132,187
5,633
73,137
539,460
189,216
85,728
410,660
1,919,443
|
77
808
493
139
17
86
22
4
93
|
68
904
555
152
20
73
23
5
109
|
72
1085
666
182
30
88
28
7
130
|
Source:
Population Census in 2000 and the estimation in 2005
In Table 2.2. it
is clearly seen that the population density in Java Island
is very high, whereas that in Papua is very low. As a result, the national development
in Indonesia
is not evenly distributed. In Java island the national development is much more
intensive if compared to that in other islands outside Java island.
3.
Population Composition
Population
composition is distinguished into four kinds, namely the population compositions
based on biological, social, geographical, and economic factors. This sub unit only discusses the
population composition based on the age and sex which belong to the biological
factor. This composition can be presented in the population pyramid.
The
population pyramid can be classified into 3 types:
a. Expansive Pyramid
This
pyramid indicates a population growth. The birth rate is higher than the death
rate. Such a population structure occurs in many developing countries.
b. Stationary Pyramid
This
pyramid shows a relatively stable population growth. The birth rate and the
death rate are comparable. Such a population structure often occurs in
developed countries.
c. Constructive Pyramid
This pyramid
shows a decrease in population growth.
The number of births is smaller than that of deaths. Such a population
structure occurs in France, Germany, Sweden,
and Belgium.
(A) (B) (C)
Figure
2.2. Population Pyramid
(A) Expansive (B) Stationary
(C) Constructive
What
does the Indonesian population pyramid look like? Look at the Indonesian population
pyramid in 2005 below.
 |
Figure 2.3. The Indonesian Population
Pyramid in 2005
Based on the form of the
Indonesian population pyramid it can be identified:
- Sex Ratio
Sex ratio is the comparison between the
numbers of female and male population in a certain area in a certain period of
time. It is usually stated as the number of males in every 100 females. The quantity of sex ratio does not really
affect the development.
Sex Ratio = The number
of males / the number of females x 100
- Dependency Ratio
The dependency ratio
is the comparison of the productive age population and non productive age population.
The productive age population is the population of the age group who have a job
to meet their life needs, who are about 15 – 64 years old. The non productive age group refers to the age
group who do not have a job, who are below 15 years old and over 65 years old.
They are supported by those of the productive age group.
Dependency
Ratio = P(0-14) + P(65+) /P(15-64) x 100
P(0-14) = Population
between 0 and 14 years old
P(65+) = Population
over 65 and up
P(15-64) = Population
between 15 and 64 years old
If the dependency ratio of an area is 87, it means that every
100 people of the productive age group support approximately 87 people of the
non productive age group. The dependency ratio in
Indonesia
is quite high though it starts to decrease today.
4.
POPULATION QUALITY
The quality of the population is among other
things determined by the education and health levels of the people. How are the
levels of education and health of the Indonesian people?
a. Educational Level
Do you know that Indonesia
has amazing abundance of natural resources so that Koes Plus group band a song
entitled ”Kolam Susu”? A verse in the song says ”orang bilang tanah kita tanah
surga, tongkat kayu dan batu jadi tanaman” (People say our land is a heavenly
land, wooden sticks and stones become plants). The verse shows us that the
Indonesian natural resources are abundant. However, if you watch and listen to
the TV programs, there are still many people in our country who are sick
because of malnutrition. Even, many die of hunger.
If you go to the
cities, you can find many children in the street begging for money; they do not
go to school. You can also see slum houses in the banks of rivers. Do you know
what their educational level is like? Of course, they have a very low level of
education so that they cannot improve the quality of their life. Therefore, all
of you have to study hard up to the highest level of education to become qualified people. In this way, you can
ensure yourselves to have a better future life. Look at the educational level
of the Indonesian people in the following table:
Table 2.4.
The Educational Level of the Indonesian People in 2000
No
|
Education
|
Number (%)
|
1
|
Elementary school drop-out
|
32.21
|
2
|
Elementary
school
|
35.86
|
3
|
Junior high
school
|
14.21
|
4
|
Senior high school/vocational
school
|
14.65
|
5
|
University/
academy
|
1.68
|
Source: Central Statistical Agency (BPS) 2000
Table
2.4. shows that the educational level of the Indonesian people is still low.
The educational level of most of the population (68%) is elementary school and
elementary school drop-outs. Only 1.68 % of the population are university
graduates.
In 2005 the population who are university graduates
increased up to 2.1 % and most of them (approximately 80%) are junior high school graduates or below. Therefore,
you have to study hard so that you can continue your study up to the university
level in order that you can manage the natural resources in Indonesia for the
people’s prosperity.
b.
Health Level
One of the indicators to identify the quality of the population is their health level.
It can be seen in terms of the infant death-rate and the life expectancy. The
high infant death-rate and the low life expectancy shows a poor health level.
In Indonesia
the infant death-rate is about 71 per mile
which means that in every 1,000 births, 71
babies die. This is such a quite big rate that it shows a poor health
level. The life expectancy of the population is 71 years old, which means that
the average age of the Indonesian people can be up to 71 years old. Do you know
the life expectancy of the people in the developed countries? Their life
expectancy reaches over 80 years old. Thus, the life expectancy of the people
in Indonesia is still under 75; it means that the level of health is not really
sufficient yet.
B. IMPACTS OF THE POPULATION
PROBLEMS AND THE SOLUTIONS
1. The Problems
of the High Population Growth
The population in Indonesia in 1961
was 97 millions and in 2009 it reached 243.3 millions. So, within 48 years the
population increased up to 146.3 millions. Before 1990 the population growth
was very high (>2 %). High population leads to various problems such as deforestation,
smaller farming lands, floods in the rainy
season, environmental pollution, and damaged lands as a result of errotions/lanslides.
It also leads to social problems, for example the economic growth is
obstracted, the unemployement rate increases, and crimes increase as well. One
of the efforts made to overcome these is the implementation of family planning
program.
With
the family planning program the rate of the population growth in Indonesia can
be controlled. Families used to have
more than 8 children and that was a common thing. At present having many
children is something shameful so many families only have about 2 children. As
a result the number of elementary school age children is smaller and many
elementary schools are closed or mergered because they have too few students.
After 2000 the population growth is from 1.2
to 1.5 %.
Figure2.4.
The Symbol of the Indonesian Family Planning Program
2. Problems of Uneven Population Distribution
The
population in Indonesia
is not evenly distributed. More than half of the population inhabit Java Island,
of which area is only 7% of the
whole Indonesia.
Thus, it can be said that Java
Island is highly densely
populated. Papua
Island which is 3.5 times bigger than Java Island
is inhabited by only 2.5 millions. This results in the regional development which
cannot be distributed evenly.
To overcome the
problem of the unevenly distributed population, transmigration program is
implemented. Transmigration refers to moving people from the densely populated
island to the less densely populated islands. For example, people are moved
from Java Island
to Borneo Island.
Transmigration is aimed at:
a.
Distributing
population, labors and job opportunities evenly outside Java
b.
Managing
the abundant natural resources outside Java
c.
Assimilating with different ethnic groups
d.
Improving the national security
3.
Problems of Population Composition
How does the
composition of population affect the national development? Its influence on the
national development is especially seen in the dependency ratio. Indonesia has an expansive
population pyramid which means that the number of people who are below 15 years
old is still high. It causes a high rate of dependency ratio. The people who
are below 15 years old are not considered productive to participate in the national
development. Therefore, the big number of people who are below 15 years old can
impede the development. The solution to this problem is implementing the family
program planning.
4.
Problems of the Population Quality
The
problems of education and health are very crucial in the effort to improve the
quality of the population. The educational level of the Indonesian people is
still low. Look at Table 2.4. Surprisingly most of the people in
Indonesia are elementary school graduates or elementary school drop-outs. The
government has made efforts to improve the educational level by, among other
things:
a.
Implementing a
nine
Another indicator to
identify the quality of the population is their health level. This can be seen
in the infant death-rate and the age of life expectancy. The high infant death-rate and the low life
expectancy show the low level of health. In Indonesia the infant death-rate is
about 71 per mile, and the age of the life expectancy is 71 years old.
The government has
made efforts to improve the people’s health by:
a.
Establishing Posyandu (Integrated
Health Service Centre for Infants and Mothers)
b.
Providing
nutritious food, especially for children under five
c.
Socializing
the program of empat sehat lima
sempurna (four to five nutritious diets)
d.
Providing generic drugs
e.
Eradicating contagious diseases
f.
Building public health centres and hospitals
g.
Providing clean water
year compulsary educational program;
b.
Increasing
the number of qualified teachers;
c.
Increasing
the quality of teachers through trainings;
d.
Requiring
teachers to have a college degree;
e.
Providing
schools with adequate facilities and reading books.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar