Joko Widodo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joko Widodo
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 7th President of Indonesia | |
| In office 20 October 2014 – 20 October 2024 |
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| Vice President |
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| Preceded by | Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono |
| Succeeded by | Prabowo Subianto |
| Governor of Jakarta | |
| In office 15 October 2012 – 16 October 2014 |
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| Vice Governor | Basuki Tjahaja Purnama |
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| Succeeded by | Basuki Tjahaja Purnama |
| Mayor of Surakarta | |
| In office 28 July 2005 – 1 October 2012 |
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| Vice Mayor | F. X. Hadi Rudyatmo |
| Preceded by | Slamet Suryanto |
| Succeeded by | F. X. Hadi Rudyatmo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mulyono Notomihardjo
21 June 1961 Surakarta, Indonesia |
| Political party | Indonesian Solidarity Party |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Parents |
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| Relatives | Family of Joko Widodo |
| Alma mater | Gadjah Mada University (Ir.) |
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| Signature |  |
| Nickname | Jokowi |
Joko Widodo (born 21 June 1961), who is often called Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician and businessman. He served as the seventh president of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024. He was the first president of Indonesia who did not come from a military or elite political family.
Before becoming president, Jokowi was the governor of Jakarta from 2012 to 2014. He was also the mayor of Surakarta from 2005 to 2012. He became famous for his hands-on leadership style. He often made surprise visits, called blusukan, to local areas to talk directly with people about their problems.
As president, Jokowi focused on building new roads, ports, and airports across Indonesia. This earned him the nickname "Father of Indonesian Infrastructure." He also worked on improving healthcare and education. In foreign policy, he took a strong stance to protect Indonesia's borders and resources. He was re-elected for a second term in 2019.
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Early Life and Career
Joko Widodo was born in a simple home near a river in Surakarta, Indonesia. His birth name was Mulyono Notomihardjo. Because he was often sick as a child, his parents changed his name to Joko Widodo, which means "healthy" in the Javanese. This is a common tradition in Javanese culture.
He started working in his father's furniture workshop when he was 12. After graduating from Gadjah Mada University with a degree in forestry, he worked for a state-owned company. He later started his own furniture business. His company became successful, exporting furniture to other countries. It was a French customer who first gave him the nickname "Jokowi."
Seeing how well-organized some European cities were during his business trips inspired him to enter politics. He wanted to make his hometown a better place.
Political Beginnings
Mayor of Surakarta
In 2005, Jokowi was elected mayor of Surakarta. As mayor, he made many positive changes. He built new markets, created a long city walkway, and improved public parks. He also started a local bus system and programs for free healthcare and education.
One of his most famous methods was blusukan. These were unannounced visits to neighborhoods where he would listen to people's concerns directly. This made him very popular. He was so well-liked that he was re-elected in 2010 with over 90% of the vote.
Governor of Jakarta
In 2012, Jokowi was elected governor of Jakarta, Indonesia's capital city. He continued his blusukan visits to understand the city's problems, like flooding and traffic.
As governor, he started important programs. The 'Healthy Jakarta Card' gave people access to healthcare. The 'Smart Jakarta Card' helped poor students pay for school supplies. He also began major projects to reduce flooding and started the construction of the city's first subway system, the Jakarta MRT. His work in Jakarta made him a major figure in national politics.
Becoming President
2014 Election
Jokowi's popularity led to him being chosen as a presidential candidate in 2014. He ran with Jusuf Kalla as his vice-presidential partner. The election was close, but Jokowi won with 53.15% of the vote against his opponent, Prabowo Subianto.
His victory was seen as a big moment for Indonesia. He was the first president from a normal background, not from the country's powerful military or political elite. Many people saw him as an ordinary person who had risen to the country's highest office.
2019 Re-election
In 2019, Jokowi ran for a second term, this time with Ma'ruf Amin as his running mate. He once again faced Prabowo Subianto. Jokowi won the election with 55.50% of the vote. After the election, there were protests in Jakarta, but the country's Constitutional Court confirmed the results.
Presidency (2014–2024)
During his ten years as president, Jokowi focused on several key areas.
Building Indonesia
Infrastructure was Jokowi's top priority. His government built thousands of kilometers of roads, including the Trans-Java Toll Road and the Trans Papua road. He also started work on new railways and upgraded many airports and seaports.
One of his main projects was the "Sea Toll Road" program. This aimed to lower the prices of goods in eastern Indonesia by improving sea transportation. By making it cheaper to ship goods, it helped make prices more equal across the country.
Economic Policies
Jokowi's government introduced a tax amnesty program in 2016. This allowed wealthy Indonesians to declare money they had kept hidden. The program was very successful and brought in a large amount of money for the government.
He also took steps to control Indonesia's natural resources. His government increased its ownership in foreign mining companies. It also banned the export of raw materials like nickel ore to encourage the growth of industries within Indonesia.
In 2020, his government passed the Omnibus Law on Job Creation. The government said it would make it easier to invest and create jobs. However, many people protested because they worried it would harm workers' rights and the environment.
Foreign Relations
Jokowi wanted Indonesia to be a "global maritime power." He took a tough approach to illegal fishing in Indonesian waters. He also stood firm on Indonesia's rights in the South China Sea, even renaming part of it the "North Natuna Sea."
He was also active in world affairs. He called for unity among Muslim nations to support Palestine. In 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he visited both countries to meet with their leaders and encourage peace talks.
Moving the Capital City
In 2019, Jokowi announced a plan to move Indonesia's capital from Jakarta to a new city. Jakarta faces problems like overcrowding and sinking land. The new capital, named Nusantara, is being built in the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. Jokowi began working from the new capital in July 2024.
Personal Life
Jokowi married his wife, Iriana, in 1986. They have two sons, Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Kaesang Pangarep, and one daughter, Kahiyang Ayu. His family has also become involved in politics. His oldest son, Gibran, became the vice president of Indonesia in 2024.
Jokowi is known for his love of loud rock music. He is a fan of bands like Metallica and Megadeth. He has often been compared to former U.S. President Barack Obama because of his similar appearance and his background as a political outsider.
Images for kids
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Joko Widodo as Surakarta's mayor and his deputy F. X. Hadi Rudyatmo in traditional Javanese wayang wong costume
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Jokowi on a blusukan neighborhood visit in Jakarta
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Official presidential portrait, 2014
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Official presidential portrait, 2016
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Joko Widodo's first cabinet in 2014
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Joko Widodo's second cabinet in 2019
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Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto in October 2019
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Jokowi visiting a destroyed village after the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami
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Since 2019, a series of mass protests were held across the country against some controversial policies.
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Jokowi at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland on 1 November 2021
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Joko Widodo and US President Joe Biden at the 2022 G20 Bali summit, 14 November 2022
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Joko Widodo meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 29 June 2022
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Joko Widodo meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 30 June 2022
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Joko Widodo's second term official portrait with presidential decorations
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Coat of arms as a member of the Order of the Seraphim
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See also
In Spanish: Joko Widodo para niños
