Abstract
Java is a fast-growing island in Indonesia. Almost 70 per cent of the Indonesian urban population lives in Java, while the island comprises only 6.75 per cent of the total Indonesian territory. The coast has been developing as the most dynamic area. In line with its colonial history, the early development of the urban area strategies in Java started in coastal regions with cities based on trade, such as Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya, the three biggest urban areas in the northern coastal region of Java Island. According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS, 2010b), there are 63 districts/cities located in the coastal areas out of a total of 118 districts/cities in Java. There are almost 75,000,000 inhabitants living in both the northern and southern coastal regions of the island. The annual population growth rate is 2.2 per cent, very much above the national average. Various activities that have been leading to different human livelihoods have developed in the area. They are not only related to sea-based livelihoods, such as fishermen and fish farmers which have characterised most of the rural coastal region, but also urban-based activities, including industry and services in many urban areas along the coast. As typically seen in the urbanisation phenomenon occurring in many developing countries worldwide, the industrial and service activities in these urban regions can belong to both the formal and informal sectors.
Keywords: Adaptive Capacity, Land Subsidence, Informal Sector, Urban Region, Adaptation Option