Quick facts
Balikpapan overview
Balikpapan (orange) and the other large cities of Indonesia
Balikpapan lies in East Kalimantan in Indonesia at 1.27°S, 116.83°E, about 67 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Makassar (UTC+8); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Serang (735,651) and larger than Pontianak (686,019). The largest city in Indonesia is Jakarta with 8,540,121 people; the capital, Jakarta, has 8,540,121.
The national capital, Jakarta, is about 1,237 km away; the nearest large city is Nusantara, 35 km from Balikpapan.
Indonesia as a whole has a live population of 288,519,962 (+0.7% a year) and ranks #4 of 238 countries — see the Indonesia population page for the full statistics and the Indonesia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Balikpapan
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Nusantara East Kalimantan | 35 km | 147,430 |
| Loa Janan East Kalimantan | 82 km | 212,816 |
| Samarinda East Kalimantan | 93 km | 865,306 |
| Bontang East Kalimantan | 172 km | 194,606 |
Largest cities in Indonesia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JakartaCapital | Jakarta | 8,540,121 |
| 2 | Surabaya | East Java | 3,018,022 |
| 3 | Bekasi | West Java | 2,648,272 |
| 4 | Bandung | West Java | 2,528,163 |
| 5 | Medan | North Sumatra | 2,486,283 |
| 6 | Depok | West Java | 2,163,635 |
| 7 | Tangerang | Banten | 1,927,815 |
| 8 | Palembang | South Sumatra | 1,801,367 |
| 9 | Semarang | Central Java | 1,694,740 |
| 10 | Makassar | South Sulawesi | 1,474,393 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Balikpapan?
Balikpapan has about 695,287 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Balikpapan the capital of Indonesia?
No. The capital of Indonesia is Jakarta (8,540,121 people), about 1,237 km away. Balikpapan is the 22nd largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Balikpapan compared with the rest of Indonesia?
Its 695,287 residents are 0.2% of the 288,519,962 people living in Indonesia today. Jakarta is larger with 8,540,121 people.
Where is Balikpapan?
In East Kalimantan, Indonesia, at latitude -1.27 and longitude 116.83, 67 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Nusantara (35 km), Loa Janan (82 km), Samarinda (93 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Balikpapan Population 2026 — Indonesia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/indonesia/balikpapan/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/indonesia/balikpapan/">Balikpapan Population 2026 — Indonesia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.