Emergence of Rural-Urban Regions in Central Java Province - Indonesia: Analysis, Assessment, and Policy Recommendations

Disparity and inequality have emerged as central issues in regional development realm
which need to be worked out. In the case of Java Island ¿ Indonesia, even though
infrastructures mainly in transportati on and communicati on have already built-up
relati vely evenly compared to other islands in the country, it is in fact not suffi cient
to reduce disparity and inequality among provinces or in each province within the
island. Furthermore, urbanizati on mostly in developing countries leads to the blurring
of the disti ncti on between rural and urban areas. Concerning inequality that leads to
propensity of unbalanced development patt erns as has been taking place in Java Island
including in Central Java Province as one big province in the Island, the emerging
of rural-urban regions are considered to be further examined. Expectedly, further
comprehension regarding the dynamics of these regions would be advantageous to
promote balanced development as well as to enforce the creati on of integrated regional
development policies which are not simply dichotomized rural and urban regions.