Bali has been officially ranked as the world's second most densely populated island after Java, according to data released by Visual Capitalist, with 4.2 million residents inhabiting just 5,780 square kilometers and achieving a population density of 731 people per square kilometer.
The island's population pressure intensifies with over 60,000 tourists arriving daily on average, creating hundreds of thousands of additional non-residents at any given moment, while local communities increasingly feel displaced from their traditional homeland.
Wahyuni, a 41-year-old Denpasar resident and community activist, expressed growing concerns about feeling pushed out of his own environment, noting that local Balinese workers are seeking employment abroad while agricultural sectors including clove, coffee, and rice farming now rely heavily on non-Balinese laborers.
The Head of the Bali Tourism Office, Pemayun, acknowledged infrastructure challenges but denied overtourism claims, stating that accommodation capacity can still handle visitor numbers, with traffic congestion being the primary concern requiring better management during peak periods.
Local communities report significant environmental impacts from massive land conversion for commercial development, with foreign investment particularly from Russian nationals driving up property prices and forcing the sacrifice of green spaces, while poverty and suffering in certain areas remain hidden from public attention according to community leaders.
