Indonesia's population projected to reach 305m in 2035

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday that the country's population was foreseen to soar to 305 million in 2035 from 238 million at present. With the growth of the middle class, the president said the demand for food could jump by 40 percent in 2035 compared with the 25 percent growth in population. "Certainly, the huge population is an asset should it be productive, but if it isn't, it is going to be a weaknesses," said Yudhoyono. With three fourths of the country's territory covered by water, the president said that the plentiful sea reserves would be potential source of food in the years to come.