North Tapanuli Regency (Tapanuli Utara - in Indonesian, "Utara" means "North") is a landlocked regency in North Sumatra province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Its capital is Tarutung. The regency covers an area of 3,793.71 square kilometers and it had a population of 278,897 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 312,758 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 333,690 (comprising 165,309 males and 168,381 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Tapanuli Utara Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1205) Administrative districts The regency is divided into fifteen 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 Tapanuli Utara Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1205) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totalling 241 rural desa and 11 urban kelurahan), and its postcode.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Areain km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020 Pop'nEstimatemid 2025AdmincentreNo.ofvillagesPostcode 12.02.11 Parmonangan 257.3513,02114,57815,499Manalu1422453 12.02.03 Adiankoting 502.9013,87615,10915,479Adiankoting1622461 12.02.04 Sipoholon 189.2022,26524,15626,034Sipoholon1422452 12.02.01 Tarutung 107.6839,50042,83144,9478Tarutung31 (a)22411-22417 (b) 12.02.02 Siatas Barita 92.9213,06314,19715,552Simorangkir1222417-22419 12.02.05 Pahae Julu 165.9011,74013,49414,356Onan Hasang1922463 12.02.06 Pahae Jae 203.2010,56912,09212,355Pasar Sarulla1322465 12.02.08 Purbatua 191.807,1648,1688,576Parsaoran Janji Angkola1122464 12.02.07 Simangumban 150.007,3008,3698,622Aek Nabara822466 12.02.13 Pangaribuan 459.2526,75129,76531,930Pakpahan2622472 12.02.14 Garoga 567.5815,58118,21419,554Garoga Sibargot1322473 12.02.12 Sipahutar 408.2224,53627,82829,878Sipahutar2522471 12.02.09 Siborongborong 279.9144,17050,64155,080Pasar Siborongborong2122474 12.02.10 Pagaran 138.0516,53918,79520,175Sipiltak1422458 12.02.15 Muara (c) 79.7513,18214,52115,653Hutana Nagodang1522476 Totals 3,793.71279.257312,758333,690Tarutung252
Note: (a) including 7 of the urban kelurahan of the district's 11 kelurahan. (b) except for the two desa of Jambur Nauli and Sihujur, which have the postcode of 22452. (c) Muara District is a northern near-exclave of the regency, mainly situated on the southern shore of Lake Toba and connected to Siborongborong District by a narrow strip of land. It includes the island of Pulau Sibandang (12 km2 in area, with 2,357 inhabitants in 2020), which is situated in the lake.
Soda Pond
Soda Pond, or Aek Rara / Air Soda is located at the bottom of Parbubu I Hill village. The pond's natural spring water generates bubbles and a soda aroma can be smelled. It is safe for swimming, but the use of goggles is recommended. The locals regularly use the water from the pond to water nearby rice paddy fields.
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