South Aceh Regency (; ) is a regency in the Aceh province of Indonesia. It is located on the west coast of the island of Sumatra. The regency covers an area of 4,173.82 square kilometres and had a population of 202,251 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 232,414 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official population estimate in mid 2025 was 240,613 (comprising 120,527 males and 120,086 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Aceh Selatan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103) Its population density was thus inhabitants/km2 at the 2010 census, inhabitants/km2 at the 2020 census, and inhabitants/km2 in mid 2025. The seat of the regency government is at Tapaktuan.
Demography Some 60% of the regency's population are ethically the Acehnese, some 30% of the people of the regency are the Minangkabau-descended Aneuk Jamee, and about 10% are ethnically the Kluet people.
History South Aceh Regency was originally created on 14 November 1956 (under Emergency Law No.7 of 1956) from the former southeastern districts of West Aceh Regency. On 20 April 1999 (under Law No.14 of 1999) its own southeastern districts were in turn split off to create a separate Aceh Singkil Regency, and it was further reduced in size on 10 April 2002 (under Law No.4 of 2002) by further districts in the northwest of the regency being split off to create a Southwest Aceh Regency.
Administrative districts At the time of the 2010 Census, the regency was divided administratively into sixteen districts (kecamatan). Later in 2010, two additional districts (Trumon Tengah and Kota Bahagia) were carved out of the existing districts. The districts are listed below with their areas and populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates for mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Aceh Selatan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103) The districts are grouped into five geographical units, which have no administrative significance. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of villages (gampong) in each district, and its postal codes.
KodeKemendagri Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Area in km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020 Pop'nEstimatemid 2025 Admincentre No.ofvillagesPostcodes 11.01.09 Trumon (a) Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Trumon Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103010). 765.92 5,614 6,025 6,587Keude Trumon 1223774 11.01.16 Trumon Timur Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Trumon Timur Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103011).(East Trumon) 285.34 10,340 8,528 9,493Krueng Luas 823776 11.01.18 Trumon Tengah Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Trumon Tengah Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103012).(Central Trumon) 123.50 (b) 6,692 7,532Ladang Rimba 1023775 Subtotal Trumon area (c) 1,174.76 15,954 21,245 23,612 30 11.01.01 Bakongan (d) Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Bakongan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103020). 57.62 10,913 5,364 5,677Bakongan 723773 11.01.15 Bakongan Timur Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Bakongan Timur Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103021).(East Bakongan) 73.81 5,208 6,177 6,599Seubadeh 723777 11.01.17 Kota Bahagia Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kota Bahagia Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103022).(Bahagia Town) 244.63 (e) 7,006 7,672Bukit Gadeng 1023778 Subtotal Bakongan area 376.06 16,121 18,547 19,948 24 11.01.03 Kluet Selatan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kluet Selatan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103030).(South Kluet) 106.5812,47714,380 14,887Kandang 1723772 11.01.14 Kluet Timur Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kluet Timur Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103031).(East Kluet) 449.039,41810,541 10,999Paya Dapur 923779 11.01.02 Kluet Utara Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kluet Utara Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103040).(North Kluet) 73.24 22,271 24,864 25,766Kota Fajar 2123771 11.01.10 Pasie Raja Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Pasie Raja Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103041). 98.11 15,500 18,038 18,544Ladang Tuha 2123755 11.01.13 Kluet Tengah Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kluet Tengah Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103042).(Central Kluet) 801.08 6,120 7,503 8,111Manggamat 1323770 Subtotal Kluet area 1,528.04 65,786 75,326 78,307 81 11.01.08 Tapaktuan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Tapaktuan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103050). 100.73 22,540 23,190 22,431Tapaktuan 1823711 - 23718 11.01.06 Samadua Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Samadua Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103060). 112.91 14,440 16,055 16,614Samadua 2823752 11.01.07 Sawang (f) Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Sawang Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103070). 189.38 13,679 15,968 16,288Sawang 1523753 11.01.05 Meukek Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Meukek Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103080). 465.06 18,261 20,956 21,538Meukek 2323754 Subtotal Central area 868.08 68,920 76,169 76,871 84 11.01.04 Labuhan Haji Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Labuhan Haji Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103090). 54.83 11,823 13,389 13,628Labuhan Haji 1623761 11.01.11 Labuhan Haji Timur Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Labuhan Haji Timur Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103091).(East Labuhan Haji) 95.50 9,137 10,032 10,277Peulumat 1223758 11.01.12 Labuhan Haji Barat Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Labuhan Haji Barat Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1103092).(West Labuhan Haji) 76.56 15,495 17,706 17,970Blang Keujeren 1523757 Subtotal Labuhan Haji area 226.89 36,455 41,127 41,875 43 Totals for regency 4,173.82 202,251 232,414 240,613Tapaktuan 260
Note: (a) including small offshore islands including Pulau Trumon.(b) The 2010 population of Trumon Tengah District is included in the 2010 figure for Trumon Timur District, from which it was split.(c) The Trumon area which covers the southern 28% of the Regency is adjacent to the city of Subulussalam to the east.(d) including offshore island of Pulau Kayee.(e) The 2010 population of Kota Bahagia District is included in the 2010 figure for Bakongan District, from which it was split.(f) including offshore island of Pulau Batukapal.
See also
List of regencies and cities of Indonesia
References
External links South Aceh Regency