Kebumen Regency (, Kawi script: , Pegon: كبومن) is a regency in the southern part of Central Java, Indonesia. Its regency seat is Kebumen. The regency borders Banjarnegara Regency to the north, Wonosobo Regency and Purworejo Regency to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, and Cilacap Regency and Banyumas Regency to the west.
Kebumen covers an area of 1,281.12 km² and had a population of 1,453,417 in mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kebumen Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3305) The regency is known for its southern coastline, karst landscapes, caves, geological heritage, and the Karangsambung–Karangbolong Geopark, which forms part of the Kebumen UNESCO Global Geopark.
Geography Kebumen Regency lies in southern Central Java between 7°27′–7°50′ South latitude and 109°33′–109°50′ East longitude. It is bounded by Banjarnegara Regency to the north, Purworejo and Wonosobo regencies to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, and Cilacap and Banyumas regencies to the west.
The regency has an area of 1,281.12 km². Its elevation ranges from 9 metres to 198 metres above sea level, with an average regency elevation of 29 metres.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kebumen Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3305) Administratively, Kebumen consists of 26 districts. The largest district by area is Karanggayam, covering 109.29 km² or 8.53% of the regency, while the smallest is Gombong, covering 19.48 km² or 1.52%.
Southern Kebumen consists mainly of lowland and coastal areas facing the Indian Ocean, while the northern part is dominated by hills and mountains associated with the South Serayu range. In 2024, village-potential data recorded 30 coastal villages or urban villages and 430 non-coastal villages or urban villages in the regency.
Geology and landscape Kebumen contains important geological areas extending from Karangsambung in the north to the Karangbolong–South Gombong karst region in the south. Karangsambung was designated a Geological Nature Reserve by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Decree No. 2817 K/40/MEM/2006. The Gombong Karst Landscape Area was designated by Ministerial Decree No. 3043 K/40/MEM/2014, later amended by Ministerial Decree No. 3873 K/40/MEM/2014.
The Karangsambung–Karangbolong area was later developed as a geopark. The Kebumen Regency tourism office records 41 geosites, 2 biosites, and 14 cultural sites spread across 118 villages in 12 districts. UNESCO lists Kebumen as a UNESCO Global Geopark and describes Karangsambung as a natural laboratory containing continental-edge and oceanic rocks that record plate-tectonic processes.
Land use and climate In 2024, Kebumen had 40,139.55 hectares of wet-rice fields. Of these, 25,794.20 hectares were irrigated rice fields, 14,306.35 hectares were rain-fed rice fields, 38.00 hectares were tidal-swamp fields, and 1.00 hectare was lowland-swamp field.
Non-rice agricultural land covered 52,837.08 hectares. The largest uses were dry fields or gardens, state forest, community forest, and ponds. Non-agricultural land covered 35,134.87 hectares.
BPS climate data from the Sempor station show variable rainfall in 2024. The highest monthly rainfall was recorded in January at 742 mm, while the lowest was recorded in August at 3 mm.
History
The area now forming Kebumen Regency has archaeological and cultural traces that predate the modern regency. Megalithic and ancient Hindu artefacts have been recorded in several places, including lingga-yoni remains in Ayah and Sumberadi, Ganesha statues in Kejawang and Kebumen, and the Talangpati site in Pujotirto, Karangsambung. A study by Hindarto and Ansori describes Talangpati as a transitional megalithic-Hindu site in Kalipuru hamlet, Pujotirto village, Karangsambung District, while noting that its archaeological status still requires further study.
In local historical tradition, the area was formerly known as Panjer. The Kebumen Regency government links the early history of Kebumen with the Mataram Sultanate and the role of Ki Bodronolo in supplying logistics for Sultan Agung's campaign against Batavia in 1629. Through Regional Regulation No. 3 of 2018, Kebumen Regency set 21 August 1629 as its official anniversary.
The name Kebumen is traditionally associated with the term kabumian, meaning the residence of Kyai Bumi or Prince Bumidirja. According to local history recorded by the regency government, Prince Bumidirja withdrew from Mataram during the reign of Sunan Amangkurat I, and the area of his residence became known as Kabumian, later Kebumen.
During the colonial period, the area underwent several administrative changes. After the end of the Java War in 1830, Bagelen came under Dutch colonial administration, and Kebumen later became one of the regencies in the Bagelen Residency. The local tourism office states that the name "Kebumen" or "Keboemen" began to be used for the western coastal part of Bagelen after the Java War, replacing Panjer in colonial administration.
In 1901, the Bagelen Residency was abolished and its territory was incorporated into the Kedu Residency. At that time, Kebumen also became the name of an afdeeling covering Kebumen Regency and Karanganyar Regency, with its centre in Kebumen district.
Merger of Karanganyar Regency Before 1936, Karanganyar was a separate regency in what is now western Kebumen. A study by Teguh Hindarto describes Karanganyar as an independent regency from 1832 to 1936. Its abolition was associated with the impact of the 1930s economic depression on the Dutch East Indies bureaucracy.
According to the Karanganyar District government, several regencies were abolished on 31 December 1935, including Karanganyar, which was merged into Kebumen Regency. From 1 January 1936, Karanganyar ceased to exist as a separate regency and later became a district within Kebumen Regency.
Republican period After Indonesian independence, Kebumen's status as a regency within Central Java was confirmed by Law No. 13 of 1950 concerning the establishment of regencies in Central Java Province.
Emblem
The emblem of Kebumen Regency is regulated by Regional Regulation No. 6 of 2022 concerning the regional emblem. The regulation replaced the previous 1970 regulations on the form and use of the regency emblem.
The emblem is a shield with a 4:3 ratio. Its elements include a five-pointed star, mountains, a cave, the sea, two swiftlet birds, rice and cotton, a chain, a bamboo spear, bricks, roof tiles, the word "KEBUMEN", and the motto "Bhumi Tirta Praja Mukti".
The shield symbolizes the people's resolve and readiness to defend the Republic of Indonesia. The golden star represents belief in God Almighty. The mountains refer to the hilly and mountainous parts of the regency, while the cave and sea represent Kebumen's karst, cave, and southern coastal landscapes.
The two swiftlets symbolize perseverance, agility, harmony, balance, and concord. The eight rice grains represent the month of Indonesian independence and the month of Kebumen's anniversary, while the five cotton flowers represent the five principles of Pancasila. The seventeen chain links symbolize the date of Indonesian independence, and the nine-segment bamboo spear represents the spirit of struggle in defending independence.
The red bricks and roof tiles represent brick and tile industries, which are among the traditional livelihoods of Kebumen communities. The sixteen bricks, two roof tiles, and nine bamboo segments are interpreted as the year of Kebumen's anniversary, while the waves above and below the emblem together total twenty-one, representing the date of the anniversary.
The motto Bhumi Tirta Praja Mukti means that land and water are sources of welfare for society, the nation, and the state.
Government Kebumen Regency is led by a regent and vice regent. Since 20 February 2025, the regent has been Lilis Nuryani, with Zaeni Miftah as vice regent, for the 2025–2030 term.
Administrative divisions Kebumen Regency comprises twenty-six districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and the 2020 Census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. together with the official estimates as at mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kebumen Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3305) At the next level of administration there are 460 urban villages (kelurahan) and rural villages (desa), further divided into 1,965 hamlets, 1,952 neighbourhood associations, and 7,288 community units. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 449 rural desa and 11 urban kelurahan), and its post code.
Kode Wilayah Name of District(kecamatan) Area in km2 Pop'n 2010Census Pop'n 2020Census Pop'n mid 2025EstimateAdmincentre No. ofvillagesPostcode 33.05.01 Ayah 76.37 53,970 63,886 69,010Demangsari 1854473 33.05.02 Buayan 68.42 53,466 64,643 70,588Buayan 2054474 33.05.03 Puring 61.97 51,986 62,788 68,029Sitiadi 2354383 33.05.04 Petanahan 44.84 51,951 59,724 64,517Petanahan 2154382 33.05.05 Klirong 43.25 53,445 63,305 68,071Klirong 2454381 33.05.06 Buluspesantren 48.77 51,524 58,175 62,958Setropenar 2154391 33.05.07 Ambal 62.41 54,050 61,901 67,152Ambalresmi 3254392 33.05.08 Mirit 52.35 43,367 51,524 57,415Mirit 2254396 33.05.23 Bonorowo 20.91 18,289 20,962 22,990Boborowo 1154395 33.05.09 Prembun 22.96 25,984 28,478 30,540Prembun 1354397 33.05.24 Padureso 28.95 13,146 16,347 17,774Padureso 954394 33.05.10 Kutowinangun 33.73 41,619 47,518 50,910Kutowinangun 1954393 33.05.11 Alian 57.75 53,343 65,776 72,127Krakal 1654352 33.05.25 Poncowarno 27.37 14,717 18,044 19,999Poncowarno 1154390 33.05.12 Kebumen (town) 42.04 118,847 131,749 137,649Kebumen 29 (a) 54311- 54317 33.05.13 Pejagoan 34.58 47,264 54,834 58,439Pejagoan 1354361 33.05.14 Sruweng 43.68 52,747 60,779 65,167Sruweng 2154362 33.05.15 Adimulyo 43.43 33,669 37,152 39,452Adimulyo 2354363 33.05.16 Kuwarasan 33.84 43,389 50,157 53,937Kuwarasan 2254366 33.05.17 Rowokele 53.79 41,766 50,295 54,457Rowokele 1154472 33.05.18 Sempor 100.15 58,418 68,121 73,850Sempor 1654421 33.05.19 Gombong 19.48 46,732 50,196 50,787Gombong 14 (b) 54411- 54416 33.05.20 Karanganyar 31.40 33,548 38,575 38,325Karanganyar 11 (c) 54364 33.05.21 Karanggayam 109.29 47,801 57,993 63,517Karanggayam 1954365 33.05.22 Sadang 54.23 17,899 22,294 24,363Sadang 754354 33.05.26 Karangsambung 65.15 36,989 46,528 51,144Karangsambung 1454353 Totals 1,281.12 1,159,926 1,350,438 1,453,417 Kebumen 460
Notes: (a) comprising 5 kelurahan (Bumirejo, Kebumen, Panjer, Selang and Tamanwinangun) and 24 desa. (b) including 2 kelurahan (Gombong and Wonokriyo). (c) comprising 4 kelurahan (Jatiluhur, Karanganyar, Panjatan and Plarangan) and 7 desa.
Regional House of Representatives The Regional House of Representatives of Kebumen Regency has 50 members from the 2024 legislative election. The parties with the largest number of seats are the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and the National Awakening Party, with 11 seats each.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kebumen Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3305) + Composition of the Regional House of Representatives of Kebumen Regency, 2024Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kebumen Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3305) Political party Seats Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle 11 National Awakening Party 11 NasDem Party 8 Gerindra Party 7 United Development Party 4 Golkar 3 National Mandate Party 3 Prosperous Justice Party 2 Democratic Party (Indonesia) 1 Total 50
Demographics