PERBANDINGAN PERKEMBANGAN EKONOMI DAN KETIMPANGAN DI PULAU SULAWESI

Abstract

Income inequality remains one of the major challenges in regional economic development as it can hinder the equitable distribution of welfare among communities. This study aims to analyze and compare economic development and income inequality across the provinces of Sulawesi Island during the period 2016–2025. The research employs a descriptive comparative approach using secondary data obtained from Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The indicators used include Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) at constant prices as a measure of economic development and the Gini Ratio as an indicator of income inequality. The findings reveal that all provinces in Sulawesi experienced positive economic growth throughout the study period. Central Sulawesi recorded the highest GRDP growth, largely driven by the expansion of the mining sector and downstream industrialization. In terms of inequality, most provinces showed a declining trend in their Gini Ratios, indicating improvements in income distribution, while West Sulawesi consistently exhibited the highest level of inequality. These findings suggest that economic growth is not necessarily accompanied by increasing income inequality. Therefore, development policies should focus not only on accelerating economic growth but also on ensuring a more equitable distribution of development outcomes across regions.