RI Population Grows To 241 Million In 2011

Jakarta (Antara Balu) - The Indonesian population is estimated to have increased to more than 241 million this year, far exceeding the results of the 2010 census, the Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) said.

The population exceeded the national projection of 237.6 million with an annual growth rate of 1.49 percent based on the results of the census, BKKBN Chief Secretary Sudibyo Alimoeso said here on Sunday.

"The projection is based on last year's population census so our population has increased this year," he said.

With an annual population growth of 1.49 percent, the Indonesian population increased by 3.5 million per year, he said.

"So if our population stood at 237.6 million in 2010 it must grow by 3.5 million to more than 241 million this year," he said.

If the country did not keep down the population growth the population would increase to 450 million in 2045. This meant that one of every 20 people in the world would be Indonesian, he said.*