Samosir Regency is an inland regency in North Sumatra. It was created on 18 December 2003 by splitting away the western districts of the former Toba Samosir Regency. The regency covers a land area of 1,444.25 square kilometres, including the whole of Samosir Island in the inland sea of Lake Toba. It had a population of 119,653 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 136,441 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate for mid 2025 was 144,813 (comprising 72,510 males and 72,303 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Samosir Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1217) Its administrative seat is the town of Pangururan on the west coast of Samosir Island.
Administrative districts The regency is divided administratively into nine districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Samosir Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1217) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centers, the number of administrative villages in each district (128 rural desa and 6 urban kelurahan), and its postcode.
KodeWilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Areain km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020 Pop'nEstimatemid 2025Admin centre No.ofvillagesPostcode 12.17.06 Sianjur Mula Mula (a)140.249,13810,00310,486Ginolat1222396 12.17.05 Harian 560.457,8609,3979,885Harian Boho1322391 12.17.09 Sitiotio 50.767,1248,1728,524Sabulan822397 12.17.02 Onan Runggu 60.8910,32911,12211,625Onan Runggu1222398 12.17.03 Nainggolan 87.8611,84912,87113,593Nainggolan15 (b)22394 12.17.04 Palipi 129.5516,08718,20919,304Mogang 1722393 12.17.07 Ronggur Nihuta 94.878,3569,69210,150Ronggur Nihuta822392 12.17.08 Pangururan 121.4529,41234,20936,746Pasar Pangururan28 (c)22390 12.17.01 Simanindo (d) 198.2019,49822,76624,500Ambarita21 (e)22395 Totals 1,444.25119,653136,441144,813Pangururan134
Notes: (a) includes the small island of Tulas (Pulau Tulas) in Lake Toba. (b) including the 2 kelurahan of Parhusip III and Siruma Hombar. (c) including the 3 kelurahan of Pasar Pangururan, Pintu Sona and Siogung Ogung. (d) includes the small islands of Pulau Tolping, Pulau Malau Satu, and Pulau Malau Dua in Lake Toba. (e) including the kelurahan of Tuktuk Siadong.
Six of the nine districts (kecamatan) within the regency are on the island of Samosir (which lies within Lake Toba), while the others lie on the 'mainland' of Sumatra.
Samosir Island districts Onan Runggu Palipi Pangururan Ronggur Nihuta Simanindo Nainggolan Mainland districts Sitiotio Harian Sianjur Mula Mula
However, a small part of Pangururan District (the two villages of Desa Tanjung Bunga and kelurahan Siogung Ogung, with a combined area of 10.50 km2 and a population of 3,222 at the 2020 Census) lies on the 'mainland', cut off from the rest of the district by the canal.
Botanical Garden 2011: Samosir Regency with supervision from LIPI will build a 100-hectare Botanical Garden. It will finish 10 years later with a cost predicted about Rp.73 billion ($8.6 million).
Geo park A geopark worth Rp20 billion ($2.2 million) is expected to be created - beginning in mid-2012 - in cooperation with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT). It has been proposed for incorporation into the world geopark network.
References Indonesia capital