YOGYAKARTA – A team of researchers from Hydro-oceanography unit of the Navy has recently compiled data on the number of Indonesian islands. Chairman of the team, Col. Drs. Haris Djoko Nugroho, M.Si, said the Indonesian government would re-update the data as the number has decreased by some 3,000 from as high as 17,508.
“It is possible that the previous updating was made during low tides. At high tides, some islands can be submerged,” said Haris in as national seminar on coastal and river basins management in the University Club of Universitas Gadjah Mada on Thursday (10/4), held by Faculty of Geography UGM.
Despite the finding, Haris ensured that there is no more island getting taken possession by neighouring countries like what has happened to Sipadan and Ligitan islands.
Chairman of Indonesian Geography Association, Prof Hartono, said there are as high as 8000 islands having no names currently. He added some Indonesian islets have the risk to submerge due to global warming. “There is the threat facing small islands due to climate change and human activities through ecosystem pollution and damage,” he said.