Grobogan Regency () is a regency () located in northeastern part of the Central Java province in Indonesia. Created on 4 March 1726, the Grobogan Regency has an area of 2,023.84 km2, and is the second largest regency in the Central Java Province. It had a population of 1,308,696 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 1,453,526 at the 2020 census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 1,525,214 (comprising 767,149 males and 758,065 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Grobogan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3315) Its capital is the town of Purwodadi.
Administrative districts Grobogan is divided into nineteen districts, listed below with their areas and populations at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and the 2020 census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. together with the official estimates as of mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Grobogan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3315) The most westerly twelve of these districts (with a combined population of 888,581 at the 2020 census) lie within the officially defined Semarang Metropolitan Area (known as Kedungsepur); the remaining seven districts to the east (indicated by asterisks (*) following their names in the table below) are outside the Semarang Metropolitan Area. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 273 rural desa and 7 urban kelurahan), and its postal code.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Area inkm2 Pop'n 2010 census Pop'n 2020census Pop'n mid 2025estimate AdmincentreNo.ofvillagesPostcode 33.15.01 Kedungjati 145.29 39,608 43,720 45,615Kedungjati 1258167 33.15.02 Karangrayung 144.27 87,457 99,547 106,195Sumberjosari 1958163 33.15.03 Penawangan 75.23 57,359 64,148 68,124Penawangan 2058161 33.15.04 Toroh 126.72 104,301 116,975 121,763Sindurejo 1658171 33.15.05 Geyer * 205.14 60,108 66,164 68,579Geyer 1358172 33.15.06 Pulokulon * 136.95 93,501 109,192 114,585Panunggalan 1358181 33.15.07 Kradenan * 111.66 74,026 82,396 86,724Kalisari 1458182 33.15.08 Gabus * 163.93 67,523 74,103 76,452Tlogotirto 1458183 33.15.09 Ngaringan * 119.15 64,101 70,006 72,415Ngaringan 1258193 33.15.10 Wirosari * 151.02 83,309 92,757 97,794Wirosari 14 (a)58192 33.15.11 Tawangharjo * 93.06 52,811 58,483 61,264Pojok 1058191 33.15.12 Grobogan 101.49 71,265 78,008 82,599Grobogan 12 (b)58152 33.15.13 Purwodadi (town) 78.18 128,452 139,387 144,834Purwodadi 17 (c)58111 - 58114 33.15.14 Brati 56.56 44,779 50,482 53,209Kronggen 958153 33.15.15 Klambu 52.35 33,957 38,554 40,241Klambu 958154 33.15.16 Godong 92.93 76,984 87,028 90,451Godong 2858162 33.15.17 Gubug 65.52 74,915 83,725 88,890Gubug 2158164 33.15.18 Tegowanu 54.26 50,730 56,793 61,023Tegowanu Wetan 1858165 33.15.19 Tanggungharjo 50.13 38,510 42,058 44,457Tanggungharjo 958166 Totals 2,023.84 1,308,696 1,453,526 1,525,214 Purwodadi 280
Notes: (a) including the two kelurahan of Wirosari and Kunden. (b) including the kelurahan of Grobogan. (c) including the four kelurahan of Purwodadi, Danyang, Kalongan and Kuripan.
The western part of Grobogan Regency within the defined Semarang Metropolitan Area covers an area of 1,145.58 km2 and had a population of 947,401 in mid 2025; the eastern part of the regency (outside the Semarang Metropolitan Area) covers 877.26 km2 and had a population of 577,813 in mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Grobogan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3315)
Bordering Grobogan Regency to the north are the Demak, Pati and Kudus Regencies, to the east is Blora Regency, to the south are the Ngawi (East Java Province), Sragen and Boyolali Regencies and to the west is Semarang Regency. The southwest border of the regency is interrupted by a northward salient formed by Jumangi District of Boyolali Regency. The government of Grobogan Regency is led by a regent, currently Sri Sumarni.
History
Grobogan Regency became the center of the Mataram kingdom with its capital in Medhang Kamulan or Sumedang Purwocarito or Purwodadi. The capital was later moved to around town Prambanan as Mamratipura or Poh Pitu or Watugaluh.
During the time of Medang and Kahuripan, the Grobogan region was important to the country. Later, in the time of Majapahit, Demak, and Pajang, Grobogan was always associated with the folklore of Ki Ageng Sela, Ki Ageng Tarub, Bondan Kejawan, and the story of Aji Saka.
During the Islamic Mataram kingdom, the Grobogan region were included as Mancanegara and had become the co-ordinative area of Regent Nayoko Ponorogo: Adipati Surodiningrat. In the times of War Prangwadanan and War Mangkubumen, the region was a power base of Prince Prangwedana (Raden Mas Said) and Prince Mangkubumi.
The Grobogan region covered the Sukowati area north of Bengawan Solo, Warung, Sela, Kuwu, Teras Karas, Cengkal Sewu, and even to the northern Kedu (Schrieke, II, 1957: 76: 91). The Sukowati area was then partially included in Sragen Regency - Bumi Kejawen, Sukowati, Sukodono, Glagah, Tlawah, Pinggir, Jekawal, and others. Areas such as Repaking, Ngleses, Gubug, South Kedungjati and Kemusu were included in Boyolali Regency.
Meanwhile, the areas which then included in Grobogan Regency were: Purwodadi, Grobogan, Kuwu, sela, Teras Karas, Medang Kamulan, Warung (Wirosari), Wirasaba (Saba), Tarub, Getas, and more.
Later, the provision of the Giyanti Agreement (1755) stated, as a Mancanegara region, Grobogan was included as a Sultanate, with Madiun, half of Pacitan, Magetan, Caruban, Jipang (Bojonegoro), Teras Karas (Ngawen), Sela, Warung (Kuwu-Wirosari). (Sukanto, 1958: 5–6).
Based on the agreement between the GG Daendels with PAA Amangkunegara in Yogyakarta, dated January 10, 1811, it was stipulated that the money that should be paid by the Dutch Government was deleted. Secondly, a part of Kedu (Grobogan area), some areas in Semarang, Demak, Jepara, Salatiga, Grobogan districts, Wirosari, Sesela, Warung, daerah-daerah Jipang, and Japan were submitted to the Dutch Government. And thirdly, areas around Boyolali, Galo, and the district of Cawer Wetan were given to Yogyakarta (Ibid.: 77).
During the Diponegoro War, the areas of Grobogan, Purwodadi, Wirosari, Mangor (?), Demak and Kudus were lost in the fire of war against the Dutch (Sagimun MD, 1960: 32, 331–332).
In 1848–1850, as a result of a famine, the population of Grobogan dropped substantially, from 89,000 in 1848 to only 9,000 in 1850.
Geography
Grobogan is a flat valley lying between two mountains, Pegunungan Kendeng to the south and Pegunungan Kapur Utara to the north. Although the town is known to be very hot during the dry season, Grobogan is one of the main rice producers in Central Java, which mainly supported by several man-made dams, such as Bendungan Klambu, Bendungan Sedadi and Bendungan Kedung Ombo.
The construction of Bendungan Kedung Ombo was a source of national debate due to the social cost of this gigantesque project supported be the World Bank. The two main rivers are Kali Lusi (or Pilang) and Kali Serang. During the rainy seasons, these two rivers cause floods which often destroy the harvests.
Religion Similar to other regencies in Java, Islam is the dominant religion, with significant presence of Christianity - both Protestant and Catholic, Hindu, and Buddhism. In some places, one can still find traditional beliefs, Aliran kepercayaan and Kejawen. There are two Catholic Parishes, Paroki Purwodadi and Paroki Gubug, which are administered by Semarang Diocese (Keuskupan Agung Semarang).
Education Most of the schools are public schools. The private educations mainly are provided by the Madrassah, Muhammadiyah, both are Muslim, as well as by Protestant institution and The Union of Teachers of the Republic of Indonesia (PGRI - Persatuan Guru Republic Indonesia). There is almost no higher learning institution in Purwodadi. The senior high school participation is still low (21.19% in 2004) in 58,13 for the junior high school participation.
Economy Agriculture and public sectors are the main providers of labor market. There is no significant industry, while the mining sectors remain insignificant for the economy of the regions. Many male young people work as seasonal workers in bigger cities like Semarang and Jakarta as construction workers, tricyclists (tukang becak) and other unskilled occupations. While for their female counterparts, they work in manufacture industries. In the recent years, the numbers of female migrant workers have increased significantly with the main destination in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Gulf Countries. There is a possibility of brain drain in Purwodadi, since those who are highly educated tend to find a better and more promising career outside the region or abroad.
The per capita income in 2004 is Rp 611.968,49 (around 70 US$). Formerly known as one of the poorest regencies in Central Java, Grobogan now is the 18 in the economic scale, out of 35 regencies. However, 34.05% of its population in 2004 lived below the poverty line.
Arts and culture Located between Surakarta (Solo City and Demak), Grobogan has been a strong influence of both the more direct Islam Culture from the Sultane of Demak and more subtle culture of Kingdom of Surakarta (Kasunanan Surakarta). This has been reflected in its traditional arts and performances, such as Shadow Puppet (Wayang Kulit), Javanese Theatre (Kethoprak). Although they almost disappear from the local society, those two forms of performances can still be easily found in different parts of Central Java. Other forms of cultural performances are almost wiped out from the live of Groboganese, such as Angguk, Kentrung, Ledhek/Tayup, Barongan and Reyog. Angguk was performed mainly by a group of young girls aged between 13 and 17 years, doing a marching dance inspired by the different forms of old Dutch army and royal army from Demak and Surakarta. Kentrung is a story telling in a form of songs performed by a man with the accompaniment of a traditional percussion (kendang). The stories were mainly based on the local history or the history of Muhammad. Ledhek/Tayub is a group of Javanese musicians and singer-dancers which was very popular due to their sensual gestures. Apart from the sensual gestures of the dancers, Tayup was/is also famous since they involve/invite the spectators to dance along with them. This kind of participative performance is rare in the Javanese context. Barongan is a Javanese version of Barongsay, the dance of Dragon, where the influence of Chinese culture can be seen from the form of the dragon, the use of the dominance red color. The difference with the Barongsay, Barongan normally presided Reyog, a trance dance. Reyog in Purwodadi was different with the more extravagance Reyog of Ponorogo. In the middle of the trance, some of the dancers could involve the eating of broken glasses and raw skins of rice (brambut).
Other examples of cultural performances were related with the life cycle rites such as Kathaman and Ngantenan. Khataman is a circumcision ceremony in which it is used as a symbol of a young boy's entrance into adulthood. Normally, Kathaman is applied only to Muslim boys. The boy would be dressed with a dress like an Arab Sheikh, and taken by horse from his house to the nearby mosque. This procession is accompanied with Islamic music. Ngantenan is basically the wedding ceremony, which we can see clearly the influence of Hindu culture. Nevertheless, while welcoming the invitee, the bride and groom would be put at the center of the house with brights and colourful costumes including the traditional Javanese costumes, Arabic costumes, and supposed to be modern western costumes with sun-glasses. They can change up to seven costumes within 6 hours.